By an open fire

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This traditional bathroom conceals all the modern amenities behind a charming Victorian facade

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When designing a bathroom, architects strive to accommodate both the personalities and the lifestyles of its users. The bathroom should not only function efficiently, but also serve as a place where the owners can feel perfectly themselves.

This harmony was achieved by architect Doug Shields in rebuilding this master bathroom and dressing room from scratch.

"The brief for this room, as with the rest of the house, was simple: recreate a traditional English town house, down to the smallest detail, without sacrificing any of modern conveniences," says Shields.

The homeowners both possess great attention to detail, so a large part of the architectural process was spent doing painstaking research. Interior designer and antique dealer Roy Williams played a crucial role.

"There are certain hallmarks of Victorian bathroom architecture which are quite challenging to reproduce today. One example is that the showers were not very big. To keep with the owners wishes of modern comfort we had to come up with a design solution to accommodate a larger shower without breaking the feel. Concealing it inside a cupboard achieved this nicely."

The vanity in the bathroom also provided a challenge for Shields, as deciding its proportions was a balancing act.

"Too big and it would look modern and overblown, too small and it would lose functionality."

Another notable feature is the carpet throughout, which is a rarity these days.

"We had limited space in which to combine a dressing room and bathroom, so it had to be either tiles or carpet throughout. Carpet better suited the personalities of the owners and the warm feel of the room."

The open fire provides a further place for the owners to display antiques, as well as setting a restrained and classical tone.