OCEANVIEW INDUSTRIAL
At the beginning of 2025, I visited one of the most gorgeous homes on the South Hams coastline, overlooking Start Bay, flooded with natural light, and filled with the kind of quiet beauty that only comes from living so close to the sea. My client, an independent, stylish, and wonderfully warm woman, shares the home with her two children (one full-time) and their Red Fox Labrador. She had designed almost every part of the house herself, weaving together a modern, elegant, industrial aesthetic with striking black details and a soft monochromatic palette.
Two rooms had been left untouched: the guest bathroom and the en-suite. That’s where I came in.
Filled with potential, low on personality, and offering little storage due to the boxed-in plumbing - two calm but underwhelming spaces in an otherwise thoughtfully curated home. She wanted them to finally feel like part of the story she’d already written everywhere else.
During the first consultation, she showed me around the house. I paid attention to the way she lived, the colours and textures she gravitated towards, the art that caught her eye, and the rhythm of an “upside-down” layout where the kitchen and living spaces sit upstairs and the bedrooms and bathrooms are downstairs.
My client enjoys the sea every single morning, sometimes followed by a session in a wood-fired sauna on the local beach, and finds joy in simple, grounding rituals. Her home reflects that: elegant, composed, but lived in with meaning. And now, so will her bathrooms.
The Guest Bathroom
For guests, we wanted something bold yet welcoming, something that echoed the industrial style of the house without losing its warmth. Often people can think monochrome means cold and plain, but not if it’s softened with warm accents that you can bring in through colour, texture, layering and accessories. Incorporating curved, organic and round shapes is another easy way of softening up a space. This bathroom is a Jack & Jill, meaning working around two doors in one room, so slightly reduced wall space and openings to consider.
We went for traditional black-and-white Victorian tiles, a black grid shower screen, and iron shelving that felt both functional and sculptural. There was real intention behind the regular use of angular shapes in this design - they echo the industrial design and create a sense of structure - almost like the design has a quiet confidence. Where curves feel soft, emotional and organic, angular shapes feel refined, curated and well-composed.
It’s still important to have balance in a space though to create a sense of harmony, so to soften these angular edges, we introduced a warm neutral colour on the walls and a wood-topped vanity.
We played with a few layouts, including one that squeezed in a bath and a shower, but ultimately prioritised a generously sized shower to keep the space comfortable and uncluttered.
As with every project, we talked honestly about where to invest and where to save, and it’s different with every project and client. Bespoke joinery, beautiful tiles, and a high-quality shower screen became the stars of the room; simpler selections on the toilet and basin allowed the budget to stay balanced without compromising the design.
The En-Suite
Her en-suite needed to feel different - more intimate, more serene. A space to step into after a cold sea swim - a private retreat that echoed the calm of that beachside sauna she loves so much.
We moved away from the heavy travertine and chose modern subway tiles to lift the room. Soft woods, warm tones, and vertical panelling in the shower created the gentle, spa-like feeling she was craving. It became her sanctuary: still modern, still cohesive with the rest of the home, but with a soul entirely its own.
NEXT STEPS
When it comes to procuring products for this space and styling it, it will be just as important to consider the important accessories such as soft towels, candles and bath salts, that will make the client truly feel like she is at the spa!
In the New Year of 2026, we will be procuring products for the space and beginning the install, so keep an eye out to see the finished rooms!
PROJECT DELIVERABLES
Mood boards
2D plans
3D model of each room
3D renderings for each room
Product research