See inside this stylish en suite refurb

After a disastrous refurbishment of her old en suite, Tina Triplitt’s new revamp is a pared-back success.

Just two years after completing an extensive refurbishment project on their Surrey home, Tina and Jason Triplitt’s fabulous-looking bathroom began to leak. ‘We were very upset,’ recalls Tina. ‘We’d created this lovely en suite that was perfect for us, but our builders had ruined it by not sealing the wet-room section properly.’

The surveyor brought in to look at the problem recommended that the room be gutted, new tanking installed and the furniture refitted, suggesting Staines-based Thames West Bathrooms for the job: ‘They really know their stuff and made some clever adjustments,’ says Tina. This time, the couple decided to make minor improvements, such as swapping the white mosaic wall tiles behind the bath, basin and shower for large-scale, slate designs from Fired Earth – a dramatic contrast to the walls. ‘I wanted a clutter-free environment and lots of white,’ Tina explains. ‘Using pale shades makes a room seem bigger.

‘With the house, I went back to my Scandinavian roots,’ she continues, ‘and I wanted to carry this theme into the en suite.’ Tina chose limestone flooring, which works seamlessly with the white floorboards in the adjoining master bedroom. ‘I wasn’t sure whether the black tiling would be too overpowering at first,’ admits Tina, ‘but I think it definitely adds wow factor.’

The curved lines of the double-ended, freestanding Brighton bath are offset by a large, rectangular basin on a contemporary plinth, with a splashback that matches the feature wall. The walk-in shower is surrounded by a glazed screen that continues the open feel: cleverly, it has a recessed shelf to keep toiletries semi-hidden. All the taps are high-quality Dornbracht products from local company Walton Bathrooms.

True to Tina’s minimal design ethos, she hasn’t overdone the accessories, opting for an understated combination of thrifty purchases and an already-owned statement piece. ‘We’ve had a Philippe Starck transparent perspex Ghost chair a long time and realised, once we’d finished the bathroom, that it would look perfect in here,’ says Tina. ‘I found the metal shelving online for the bargain price of £130, and I added the wooden towel ladder for interest.’

The couple’s finished en suite is a stylish, grown-up space, finished to the highest specification to avoid any future repercussions. ‘We definitely went over budget, but we’ve produced a bathroom we’re so proud of,’ says Tina. ‘It reflects the kind of people that Jason and myself are, and it’s exactly to our taste.’

Photography: Fraser Marr