Mixing it up

Something that never seems to go completely out of fashion is the shabby chic look. OK so not everyone embraces it; but there are many who cannot bear to part with a treasured older piece of furniture and find it works really well with more modern pieces.

 

It’s not unusual to see pieces of old furniture updated to fit in with this trend or to see clever ways in which others use this mix and match technique around their homes. However, often there seems to be no place for this style in the modern kitchen and even less in the bathroom.

 

Contemporary wins the day

When it comes to ‘mod cons’ we seem to prefer our kitchen and bathroom facilities to gleam with shiny new fitted products. Bathrooms are usually compromised enough for space to find room for heirlooms – at least in modern houses.

 

But equally we’ve seen some designs that seem to work really well when it comes to mixing up old and new. The easiest way is to add an old piece of furniture as storage but if space is limited, consider using an old table, desk or chest as your vanity unit.

 

There are no end of beautiful bowl basins these days that are designed to sit on top of a counter or vanity unit so it is just a matter of making a choice between the many available.

 

 

 

 

Things to consider

The top of the furniture piece may need to be changed or adapted. A piece with a hard wood top that has been painted or waxed can work but you may want to consider changing the top to marble or similar to cope with water splashes.

 

If the piece has cupboard space or drawers the pipe work can be easily concealed although you may compromise the storage space available.

 

If it is a flat surface with no where for the pipe-work to hide, make sure that the most attractive traps are used.

 

Height not size matters

You need to be sure that the basin is at the right height for comfortable use. This may mean you need a slightly lower piece of furniture or maybe you can lose some of its legs without ruining the design?

·         Check whether you will be comfortable brushing your teeth over it

·         Will it allow you to hang a mirror over it and still be able to see your whole face in it?

·         How tall are the people using the bathroom – is it too low or too high for them? (remember young children can always stand on something as they grow anyway!)

 
Looks like vintage

If you don’t have or can’t find a suitable old piece of furniture then you could cheat and try something made in a style to look old. A good example is the Musko wash stand available from Livinghouse.

 

 

Whatever you choose you will find some super bowl basins in glass, metal, stone or composite and beautiful complementary taps available from Livinghouse.