Dark Drama

Fashion editor and blogger Alex transformed her small bathroom into a stylish monochrome sanctuary

When The Frugality blogger Alex Stedman moved into her north London home, the whole house needed a lot of TLC.

She tackled the dramatic bathroom revamp first, so she’d have a tranquil place to soak away the long, DIY-filled days.

‘When we moved in, the house didn’t have any heating or a boiler and the toilet was leaking, so the bathroom was our first priority,’ Alex says.

‘We were showering at friends’ homes while we got it sorted. The rest of our house is still pretty much a building site, so to have one room that’s finished and makes you feel happy (and clean!) is amazing.

I can close the door and feel sane."

‘In our last flat, we painted our bookshelves in a dark charcoal and loved it. Then I kept being drawn to dark bathrooms on Pinterest.

Our bathroom has a big window that lets in lots of light, so I knew the room could take a deep shade – in this case, Urban Obsession.

‘We made sure to get the right paint finish in Easycare Bathroom, which is designed to handle moisture. It makes such a difference with a dark colour – there are never any drip marks.

‘This bathroom is exactly as we want it. It’s our sanctuary.

I have all my favourite products out on the shelves and I love nothing more than a relaxing bath with a candle and a good book.

When I’m in here, I forget we’re living in a renovation project.’

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