Celebrity Bathroom Don’ts

Having a snoop around other people’s houses is kind of addictive. That’s why an open curtain draws the eye and we’re more than happy to watch the myriad of property programmes on TV. Even when their repetitive format and presenters irritate, we still like to see what others have chosen to do with their interiors.

 

Who lives in a house like this?

Our celebrity-centric culture also allows us to access the homes of celebrities, albeit virtually. Whether it’s via the TV, glossy magazines or online, we get to see exactly how millions of pounds or dollars can transform a property.

 

However, it would seem big bucks don’t always equal good taste, which is ironic really as most celebs have an interior designer at their disposal. So why, with such expertise at hand, do many celeb pads miss the mark when it comes to style and good taste?

 

A little bit country

Take the USA’s sweetheart, Dolly Parton, whose West Hollywood home was featured on elledecor.com. Whilst her home is a little too country in styling for some, the inclusion of a toilet in her guest bedroom sounds like a well thought out idea. That is until you learn that it isn’t confined to a traditional en suite, but is literally IN the guest bedroom. Still, when you discover that the bedroom also features a handy microwave and oversized fridge, you can see where Dolly was going with it. Clearly functionality won over design.

 

Besides a complete redesign, perhaps a smaller fridge would free up room for a partition wall and space saving bathroom amenities. If you must include a toilet in your bedroom, at least opt for a wall hung space saving toilet and for God’s sake close the door.

 

Unfortunately the property’s other bathroom doesn’t shout glamour either. How disappointing.

 

 

Where’s the fridge?

Back over on this side of the pond, Sting and Trudie Styler’s £15m London residence has recently gone on the market. Surely these guys have a decent bathroom amongst the six on offer in their nine bedroom house?

 

Um…well…if you love wood, then yes. If you’re not a fan then this is going to do little to impress you. In fact at first glance it looks more like a kitchen than a bathroom. Perhaps the fact that the property is Grade 1 listed and in close proximity to Downing Street will distract you from the overuse of wood and lack of oven. They really should get a few pointers from Dolly – that space next to the bath is just crying out for a fridge.

 

How about the fact that it’s huge? Well, unfortunately that just means there’s more to cover in wood. Um…is wood good for acoustics?

 

Sorry, but this pricey period property is in desperate need of a contemporary bathroom or two to add a real design edge to it.

 

 

It would seem it’s not just love that money can’t buy, but also taste for some. At Livinghouse, designer bathrooms with oodles of style come as standard and without the celebrity price tag.