Customer Style Focus: Jenny’s Industrial Bathroom – Metro Tiles

Jenny was the winner of a Walls and Floors Before and After the competition a couple of years ago. Whilst digging through the archives, I came across the photos of her stunning industrial bathroom, where she had combined classic metro tiles and hexagonal floor tiles with exposed copper piping. I knew I had to interview her about her project and styling choices, so here we go…

How would you describe your bathroom before you decorated it, and what made you decide to decorate?

The bathroom was a wreck. It was very dated with an avocado suite, pink metro tiles and a rotting carpet on the floor. We were redoing the whole flat so the bathroom had to be done as well!

When it came to decorating, where did you take your inspiration from?

I love the industrial look and spent a lot of time on Pinterest and Houzz getting inspiration. I also walked around high end designer shops to take photos and get ideas first.

Did you choose your décor / colour scheme around your choice of tiles, or did you choose metro tiles to fit in with a scheme you’d already chosen?

Tiles to fit in with the overall look. Metro tiles and hexagons worked well.

What drew you to the tiles you chose?

The metro tiles were the natural choice for a clean, industrial look and serve as a great backdrop to the copper pipes.

Did you do the tiling work yourself, or did you hire a tiler?

We got the plumber to tile the bathroom but when we used the same tiles for our kitchen I did it all myself. I’m not the most practical person but I wanted to learn and I was so proud of myself for doing it!

What part of the project did you find the most challenging?

Explaining the copper pipes above the bath to the plumber. He was very sceptical, even when I drew it on the walls! But in the end, he loved it, despite not getting it at first.

When it comes to decorating your home, what would be your top tips?

Once you’ve settled on a look get lots of ideas and then work out how you can do it cheaply. eBay is a good place to start. Then be strict about what you should add to the scheme. Just because it’s a nice vase doesn’t mean that it’s right for that room.

What’s your favourite accessory in the bathroom, now that it’s finished, and where did you find it?

I love the copper toilet roll holders which my husband Richard made from the offcuts based on a picture I found online. He’s v clever and it was a good way to save money!

Have you had any compliments on your project, from your family and friends?

It’s surprised me how many people like it. We thought it would be a love-hate thing but most people are pleasantly surprised when they open the door.

Do you have any more decorating projects lined up around the house?

Always! We’ve finished the flat but we may move soon and I’ve already started thinking about what design concepts I want to incorporate.

Do you have a New Year’s Resolution for your home?

Have a new project to get stuck into!

What would you say to people who are thinking about buying tiles from Walls and Floors?

Don’t be afraid to do something different and play around with textures and colours. It’s your home after all.

I love this industrial look! Check out some of my other interviews with customers who have created stunning bathroom projects…