An interior designer once said, if the bathroom and kitchen are not liveable, walk away even if that garden is amazing! We were thrilled that the bathroom was completely renovated, plumbing, tiles and all. All we needed to do was to add finishing touches.

 

 

Accessories

The bathroom is in the Career sector for Feng Shui and needed more black and white added. We bought Zara accessories in white to give a hotel look. White fluffy towels and candles were placed, a Japanese bowl, silver ornaments that had been sitting in a cupboard offer a gentle touch and we hung an 18th century shell picture reframed in black.

 

 

We have just added a glass shelf in the alcove. However; this is not recommended by Feng Shui practices due to being a cutting edge. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find anything with a rim around the edge and will live with it. The toilet sits behind the door which is perfect.

 

 

There is a great site called http://www.handyman.net.au. He has 10 basic renovation rules that make sense and also match Feng Shui practices.

  1. Go for a flush fit – especially with any fittings, fixtures and toilets.
  2. Keep to a schedule – the only time I didn’t in Berlin, a mirror was placed so high I could only see my eyebrows!
  3. Be clever with cash – shop around for tiles and accessories, we ended up in Berlin with an IKEA French looking vanity unit and added vintage accessories saving over 600 Euros.
  4. Add enough storage – we all love to accumulate ‘stuff’, samples sizes, give aways, which end up in drawers. IKEA has great standard draw box inserts for all of the bits and pieces. We put a vintage reproduction towel shelf in our Berlin toilet and it softens the room.
  5. Materials matter – make sure materials are made for bathrooms; vintage dressers look wonderful but the wood is likely to warp or go mouldy. Pay as much as you can.
  6. Room for two – I have had showers that only one person can just fit in and it isn’t fun. Maximise the room, take out the bath if you are never going to use it or add a proper shower unit above the bath, put the toilet behind the door.
  7. What do you see when you walk in? – Feng Shui key tip – put the toilet behind a door, away from the main view, screen it off. Hide the pipes, we have two ugly water gauges that we can’t hide, so I put two silver ornaments on them.
  8. Function over fashion – those tiny tiles on the floor? Don’t do it! They are horrible to clean, particularly if you live in Europe with the water calcification issues. You can add fashion with towels and accessories.
  9. Plan for the future – if you plan to stay and none of us like the idea of advancing age, make sure the lighting is correct with general room lighting and if possible, specific lighting around the mirror. Easy access to showers and toilet are important.