How Kallums Bathrooms created a practical family space with a chic, boutique vibe
How Kallums Bathrooms created a practical family space with a chic, boutique vibe
Gary Reed, head of design & projects at Kallums Bathrooms, reveals how he and his team designed a balanced space full of luxe products and rich materials that would stand the test of time.
Q: What type of property was it in and who was the project for?
A: This project was a family bathroom within a private residential home. It needed to work hard as an everyday space, but the aim was still to make it feel thoughtful, characterful and visually refined.
A: This project was a family bathroom within a private residential home. It needed to work hard as an everyday space, but the aim was still to make it feel thoughtful, characterful and visually refined.
Q: What was the brief from the client for this project?
A: The brief was to create a bathroom that felt practical and durable for family use, while still having warmth, personality and a strong design identity. The client wanted the room to feel relaxed and inviting rather than overly formal, with enough visual interest to make it feel special as well as functional.
A: The brief was to create a bathroom that felt practical and durable for family use, while still having warmth, personality and a strong design identity. The client wanted the room to feel relaxed and inviting rather than overly formal, with enough visual interest to make it feel special as well as functional.
Q: How did you go about meeting the brief?
A: The design approach was to balance practicality with character. A bath was important for family use, alongside a separate enclosed shower to give the room flexibility for day-to-day living. Visually, I wanted the room to feel layered and expressive without becoming too busy, so the palette was built around rich glazed green tiling, softer painted walls and light timber-effect flooring to keep the overall feel balanced. The unlacquered brass brassware brings warmth and patina, while the artwork and soft furnishings help the room feel more personal and residential.
A: The design approach was to balance practicality with character. A bath was important for family use, alongside a separate enclosed shower to give the room flexibility for day-to-day living. Visually, I wanted the room to feel layered and expressive without becoming too busy, so the palette was built around rich glazed green tiling, softer painted walls and light timber-effect flooring to keep the overall feel balanced. The unlacquered brass brassware brings warmth and patina, while the artwork and soft furnishings help the room feel more personal and residential.
Q: What type of cabinetry did you choose and what made it the perfect choice?
A: The vanity was chosen to feel simple, elegant and highly usable within the space. Its floating form helps the room feel more open, while the drawer storage keeps everyday items neatly concealed. The soft painted finish works well with the rest of the palette, and the pared-back design allows the more expressive materials, particularly the tiles and brassware, to remain the focal point. The large mirror above also helps expand the sense of space and reflects light back into the room.
A: The vanity was chosen to feel simple, elegant and highly usable within the space. Its floating form helps the room feel more open, while the drawer storage keeps everyday items neatly concealed. The soft painted finish works well with the rest of the palette, and the pared-back design allows the more expressive materials, particularly the tiles and brassware, to remain the focal point. The large mirror above also helps expand the sense of space and reflects light back into the room.
Q: What materials did you use?
A: The standout material in this room is the deep green glazed wall tile, which gives the bathroom its character and depth. It has a richness and variation that makes the room feel much more alive than a flatter, more uniform finish would have done. This was balanced with lighter wood-effect floor tiles, painted walls and a clean white bath and basin to stop the room from feeling too heavy. As with the master en suite, the brassware is unlacquered brass, which was chosen specifically so that it would develop a natural patina over time and add another layer of warmth and authenticity to the scheme.
A: The standout material in this room is the deep green glazed wall tile, which gives the bathroom its character and depth. It has a richness and variation that makes the room feel much more alive than a flatter, more uniform finish would have done. This was balanced with lighter wood-effect floor tiles, painted walls and a clean white bath and basin to stop the room from feeling too heavy. As with the master en suite, the brassware is unlacquered brass, which was chosen specifically so that it would develop a natural patina over time and add another layer of warmth and authenticity to the scheme.
Q: What were the particular challenges that you faced?
A: The challenge was to create a room that felt robust and family-friendly while still looking considered and visually elevated. It needed to accommodate both a bath and a shower without feeling cramped, and it was important that the more practical elements did not compromise the overall look.
A: The challenge was to create a room that felt robust and family-friendly while still looking considered and visually elevated. It needed to accommodate both a bath and a shower without feeling cramped, and it was important that the more practical elements did not compromise the overall look.
The solution was to use a clear, disciplined layout, with the bath and vanity arranged so the room still feels open, and the glazed tiles used strategically to create impact and cohesion. Keeping the floor and upper wall colours lighter also helped maintain a sense of space.
Q: Are there any design elements that you’re particularly proud of?
A: My favourite part is the colour and atmosphere created by the green glazed tiling combined with the unlacquered brass. It gives the room a lot of personality, but still feels calm and timeless.
A: My favourite part is the colour and atmosphere created by the green glazed tiling combined with the unlacquered brass. It gives the room a lot of personality, but still feels calm and timeless.
I’m also particularly pleased with the way the room bridges practical family use and a more decorative, design-led feel, the bath area in particular has a lovely softness to it, helped by the artwork, window treatment and warm material palette.
Q: What is the client's favourite part of the finished project?
A: The client particularly loved the richness of the colour palette and the way the room feels both practical and distinctive. I think the combination of the green tiles, warm brass tones and softer decorative touches gave the bathroom a more individual, lived-in feel, which made it stand out from a more standard family bathroom scheme.
A: The client particularly loved the richness of the colour palette and the way the room feels both practical and distinctive. I think the combination of the green tiles, warm brass tones and softer decorative touches gave the bathroom a more individual, lived-in feel, which made it stand out from a more standard family bathroom scheme.
Tags: bathrooms, features, kallums bathrooms, gary reed
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