After ten years in their current home, and with the most pressing renovations completed, Aisha and Claire were ready to address their lacklustre bathrooms,

“Everything in the family bathroom was tired and dated,” explains Claire, “It was functional, but we’ve got two young children and it wasn’t somewhere you wanted to linger. There were hard-to-clean areas like the gap along the side of the bath, a lot of wasted space and a lack of storage, so it always felt messy.”

Claire & Aisha's new Family Bathroom

At the same time, the couple decided to update the ensuite shower room, which they had previously revamped. They compared a handful of local bathroom showrooms, before choosing Gardiner Haskins for their two-part project,

“We were already aware of Gardiner Haskins as an established option in the area - I remember their jingle on local radio when I was young!” says Claire, adding, “When we came into the showroom, we were impressed by the vast range of products on display, and also the clear visuals that could be created.”

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Claire and Aisha's new En-Suite Bathroom

After sharing photos and dimensions of the existing rooms an appointment with bathroom designer David Rodgers followed. The ensuite would keep the same layout, but in the family bathroom, Claire and Aisha were also eager to make more of the space. Plans came together quickly, helped by the ease with which David could show his clients numerous variations on the computer,

“The design programme used was very slick,” says Claire, “David could simply drop different items into the room on screen, and move them around so we could see straightaway what would work. Aisha had found it all quite difficult to visualise, so this was a real help for us.”

David’s solution included moving the bath from the side wall to below the window. He also suggested a bath with a lip that rests against the back wall, which added a small shelf and, more importantly, eliminated the awkward dust-trap that had been a problem with the old one. The WC fits neatly next to the bath leaving a roomy corner for the walk-in shower, and wall space for the generous washstand and freestanding, matching storage.

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“David put forward small design touches that made a big difference, too,” says Claire, “For example, the shower controls are outside the cubicle so the water’s warm before you step in, and the towel warmer is just where you need it when you come out ”

Although very different, the two bathrooms share design elements. Claire and Aisha started with glossy, vertical-format wall tiles, in warm pink for the ensuite and fresh aqua-blue for the family bathroom, bringing colour and impact to both rooms. At Aisha’s suggestion, they added striking, brushed bronze taps and fittings in both rooms. The sanitaryware is modern, simple, and softly rounded. The washstands include storage and are wall-mounted, as are the WCs, allowing for easy cleaning and boosting the feeling of space. Each bathroom has a neat, mirrored wall-cabinet complete with interior charging point for toothbrushes, touch-control lighting and a heating function to prevent the glass misting up.

The designs and product selections were finalised over a few weeks of email communications and a couple more face-to-face appointments. Once everything was agreed, we put Claire and Aisha in touch with our trusted contractor Pete Clarke of Whistler Property Developments. Pete and his small team were on site for about eight weeks in total. Claire recalls that they were polite, diligent, and respectful of their home,

“Pete and his team were brilliant and if there was a problem, they would solve it,” she says, “They found some old electrical issues in the family bathroom, so they just corrected them and got it all up to standard. Pete went above and beyond when I asked him to tile around the base of the shower in the ensuite. It was really tricky, but he did a beautiful job and the finish is excellent.”

David also maintained contact throughout the installation, reacting quickly when Aisha and Claire raised a query about a colour mismatch, Claire says,

“David was very communicative, he took our issue on board and sorted it out swiftly.”

Claire and Aisha and their family are delighted with the two new bathrooms. The children love using the deep bath and spacious walk-in shower, while the adults appreciate the fresh, clean feel and practical storage that keep both spaces tidy and relaxing,

“We’ve ended up with something we’re all really happy with,” says Claire, “We felt the entire Gardiner Haskins team was working together to achieve a really good outcome for us.”

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