Georgina

Talking Renovations: designing my dream ensuite

Posted on 9th February 2026

I am rejoining the renovation club with a hip-to-gable loft conversion with a rear dormer. Here, I am discussing the process of finding a designer and narrowing down the look of my dream ensuite…

Bathroom designing is hard, ok? Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Even with years of experience of writing, seeing, and sharing beautiful bathroom projects within KBB magazine, when it came to creating my own, I was basically lost (beyond picking tiles I liked the look of).

If you read my previous article, you’ll have seen two incredible designers gave me a fantastic head start in terms of layout and concepts. Still, I didn’t know where to turn next, so I had to find someone to help me.

Finding the right designer

I paid a visit to Adam Wollerton from Bathroom & Kitchen Eleven, whose showroom in Long Ditton, Surrey, is just down the road from me. I was aware of Adam’s work through our our sister magazine’s annual awards, so I knew he was someone I could trust. And what was meant to be a quick coffee to go through ideas turned into a full-blown moodboard and design session, where I walked away with beautifully created drawings and a final layout.

Moodboard of an ensuite design with wood and marble surfaces and moody colourways. — With my wall tiles sorted, I compared vanity and floor samples next to them.

If this experience has taught me anything to pass on to you, fellow renovator, is that please go to a bathroom showroom and talk to designers. Adam (very skilfully) steered me away from certain ideas that wouldn’t have worked, and suggested alternatives. He spotted potential ‘pinch points’ that would have driven us mad, and we worked through finishes and materials until I had a look I was confident in.

A moodboard at a bathroom showroom with wood and stone samples, classic brassware, and dark finishes. — Adam put together a moodboard for me at the Bathroom & Kitchen Eleven showroom.

He also recommended brands I hadn’t heard of, adding further reassurance to the overall design. It was also fantastic to see and feel things in person – the sampling process is so important – and to see everything laid out in front of me was game-changing. Having him at the end of a phone throughout the process has also been a Godsend, as inevitably things end up going wrong… (More on that soon.)

It was indeed a good day when I came home from our meeting, as when I returned, the scaffolding had started going up – marking the official beginning of our loft conversion. Suddenly it all felt very real; and it dawned on me that the dusty, noisy, building work was about to commence.

For now, let’s hear from Adam on the overall look and feel of my ensuite…

Designing my dream ensuite

“When Georgina first approached me about working together on her new bathroom project, I was super-excited. As part of a loft conversion, it was a smaller space that required real thought and planning to ensure that aesthetic, practicality, and the technical limitations were all accounted for in a well-considered design,” says Adam.

Layout of a timeless ensuite design with marble wall tiles, wood wall panelling and flooring, a shower zone, a compact vanity and a wall-mounted WC. — The final ensuite design is neutral yet bold, with a variety of textures and tones.

Closeup at a vanity zone with a wall-mounted unit, natural materials, a wall-mounted toilet, and black fittings and fixtures. — A mirror, wall light, and under-vanity LED strip illuminate the vanity zone.

“I suggested options such as introducing a Drench Border shower screen with a flipper panel, to help shape the spray of water when using the shower within the wetroom, and also Dansani as a furniture brand to offer stylish storage that is practical, too, for a bathroom. Plus, the Origins Living mirror to bring both illumination to the basin area whilst also fitting with the transitional design.

“Once we had neatly configured the space to allow for a generous wetroom (that also still allowed you to brush your teeth without getting your socks wet!), we focused on the overall style. Georgina had strong concepts in mind for how she wanted the space to look, so together we worked through these to create a cohesive design blending the strong pattern of Savoy Novo with the texture of Kinfolk wood, and also the wood-effect floor tiles (all Ca’ Pietra). The wood-effect floor also offering a comforting anti-slip feature for the showering space,” he explains.

A timeless ensuite design with a wetroom-style shower with a fluted enclosure and storage niches. — The shower area includes recesses for storing toiletries.

“With the flooring extending through the whole bathroom to the walk-in, this creates a seamlessness that, along with the wall-mounted basin furniture and WC, allows for a maximum sense of space within this more compact room. Smaller details added to the finishing touches, such as the neat recesses within the shower area for storing lotions and potions, and the slim black framing that carries from the shower screen to the arched mirror to the heated towel rail.

“Overall, I loved working on this design with Georgina as I feel we arrived at a design packed with detail, care, and intention. Once complete, the space won’t only look fabulous, but it’ll be a transitional design, too, that is a timeless statement, plus practical for everyday living,” says Adam.