ThisNext Blog

Di Overton

One of the best times of my day is when I retreat into the bathroom, lock the door and RELAX. I was born in London in 1951 only 6 years after the end of WW2. Wow what a confession. We shared a large Victorian House with my Grandparents and other relatives and we had no bathroom. My sister and I would bath every Sunday evening in my Grandmother’s tin bath next to a large Burco boiler. I being the youngest always got the tap end, which was attached to the big boiler and every Sunday I would receive a burn somewhere as I could never sit still.

This being said it is no wonder I love bathrooms now but choosing the right items for them is a daunting experience as there is so much on the market.

Lets start with the main item –

The Bath

This is the bath I have in my cottage. Burning candles whilst bathing is so relazing but is a bit of a fire hazard so I opted for this Italian bath with built in LED lights called The Light Tub. The most amazing thing about this bath is that it is made from polypropylene and when you fill it with hot water it goes soft so to lie in it is a dream. The Italian company that designed and makes this bath is online and ship worldwide. It will cost you around 2200 Euros.

The Basin

I have the matching basin to the Light Tub which also lights up but I have chosen another type that I have in my city house. This basin is made by Fired Earth and I love the smooth finish of the Travertine marble that it’s made from and it also shows no marks. It has one of those flippy plugs – hey I don’t know the correct name as I’m no plumber.

The Shower

Don’t be fooled into thinking all showers are the same and it just depends on your water pressure. Standing under a drencher, rainshower or power shower will give you 3 totally different experiences. I prefer a drencher as it does what it says on the tin. The best company for offering a fantastic range of shower options is Hansgrohe. Wet rooms sound great but that is exactly what they are. You will need perfect drainage and they are hugely expensive to install. And one last thing try not to use tiles around the shower because with the best will in the world the grout always gets messy. Use Corian or Swanstone sheets. I have done this and it really works.

The Walls & Floor

I have Travertine marble on the floors and walls in one of my bathrooms and it is the best ever. It looks and feels marvellous and is so easy to keep clean. Travertine is totally non-absorbent and has fabulous random features that catch the light. Mmmm must stop now. And by the way this is my Travertine Bathroom at home.

The Linen

Buy Linen towels! That is my advice because they are 75% more absorbent than cotton. I have loads of them and yes I paid an arm and a leg for them but I have had them for years and they are still like new. In fact they get better with age. My granddaughter, who is 13, loves them as she can get dried quicker and go back onto her mobile phone or iPod with a minimum stop for ablutions. When you first buy them they are really rough so wash a few times and they will become ultra soft.

They are quite hard to find but I have done the donkey work and found some here

And Finally The Pampering Stuff

 If you can’t find something at Re-Found Objects then I give up. This online store is based not far from where I live in the UK and it is a treasure trove of fabulous French items including a massive selection of toiletries and accessories for the bathroom. Now you’ve got to admit The French do THE best toiletries in the world. By the way Re-Found Objects ship worldwide.