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Monday Inspiration: Beautiful Rooms

Starting off with dark and moody since as much as pale interiors are coming back into vogue, I will always love a dark space. This is, believe it or not, the newly refurbished Tivoli cinema in Bath which was been done by incredibly talented Run For The Hills and if I lived in Bath I would clearly be spending more time there than would be good for my bank balance.

the tivoli cinema bath by @runforthehillslondon
the tivoli cinema bath by @runforthehillslondon 

Now I’m going to do a piece on so-called brown furniture later in the week but as an appetiser, if you will, just note how that dark stained staircase brings character and warmth to the space. It would look completely different with a modern pale oak one. The walls are dark grey (but look green) and while the door may well be white it looks pink the light while the orange pendant lights bring a warm splash of colour.

tivoli cinema in bath by @runforthehillslondon
tivoli cinema in bath by @runforthehillslondon 

Elsewhere the decor is light and bright but, again, the vintage parquet floor adds character and it feels like a welcome place that could, crucially – minus a few dozen chairs – be in your own home. The symmetry of the art on the walls and the arrangement of the mantelpiece is instantly calming and relaxing, which is what you want to achieve in a space like this – particularly when it’s likely to be full of people and a trick you can adopt at home to bring in the same effect.

via plumen and plykeakitchens
via plumen and plykea kitchens 

Staying with pale and this is a kitchen from Plykea Kitchens which is, as you might imagine, ply doors for Ikea Metod kitchens. There is a range of options including birch ply and formica and you can ask for samples as, believe me, this is not the Formica that your Granny had on her worktop and it comes in dozens of colours. The site gives you a rough guide of costs – based on a small, medium or large kitchen and you can choose the handles and even a Formica worktop if you wish.

the coach house via the modern house
the coach house via the modern house 

Moving to a more traditional wooden kitchen, this long thin room has been cleverly divided by this internal glass wall which creates the impression of two rooms without cutting out any light. It also makes more space for kitchen cupboards and worktop. Without this, this room could very easily resemble and tunnel but doing this creates two squares which automatically feels wider than one rectangle. You could also do this in a long thin Victorian knock through sitting room too.

the coach house via the modern house
the coach house via the modern house 

Staying with grey but look at this gorgeous, and tiny bathroom. The bathroom is often the tiniest room in the house but there’s no reason why you can’t make it feel luxurious. The free-standing bath has been pushed up against the wall and it’s entirely possible the plant stand was just put there for the photograph although imagine it with a radio and a glass of wine and it’s looking very appealing for a soak.

by hilary marconetto via the idc
by hilary marconetto via the interior design collective 

Staying with bathrooms and this one probably isn’t much larger but still looks like it has been decorated by individuals and not sourced from the bathroom catalogue. The old door with hooks on may not be the most practical way of hanging towels but it brings warmth and character to the space and I like it.

for the rockett st george book by @royalroulotte shot by @debitreloar
for the rockett st george book by @royalroulotte shot by @debitreloar 

Couldn’t talk about bathrooms without including the pink and green extravaganza that belongs to Carole of Max Made Me Do it. Now my podcasting co-host Sophie Robinson says you must treat the bathroom like any other room in the house which is exactly what has been done here to great effect. The vintage basin unit, the colours, which are present throughout the property and the luxurious touches of brass contrive to make this a room in which you bathe rather than a bathroom that is fully fitted out with only bathroom furniture and, whilst modern, can look characterless and more corporate hotel and than boutique. Which is what people actually mean when they say they want a hotel bathroom. Which is also a good place to go for inspiration since they are often small but no less luxurious and covetable for that.

green and pink by @maxmademedoit
green and pink by @maxmademedoit 

At least it’s a good excuse to book a city break? Holiday? No darling, important bathroom research.

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

2 Comments

  1. Interesting to note the cinema is in the modern (10 years old) shopping development, in a first floor unit which was until recently occupied by an all you can eat buffet stations restaurant!

  2. very interesting and inspiring – especially liked the bathroom ideas and looking forward to reading more about brown furnture!

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