Chiswick: En-Suite

This en-suite in Chiswick brings together three distinct natural materials across a single bathroom, each one occupying its own zone and each one requiring a different approach on site. The floor across the en-suite and through the walk-in shower is Lapicida stone Boudreaux Blue limestone laid in a herringbone pattern, a mid-grey blue limestone with a natural riven surface that gives the floor texture and depth without competing with the materials around it. The limestone was laid individually, not on a mesh, which means each piece had to be placed and checked for fit within the herringbone pattern. Laying a herringbone in a natural stone at this scale, with the pattern continuing through from the en-suite floor into the shower without any break at the threshold, requires careful setting out before the first tile is placed so the geometry reads correctly across the full floor plan.
The shower walls are tiled in Carrara marble metro tiles, a classic material used here in a format and layout that lets the natural veining of the stone do the work. The variation in the Carrara veining across the shower walls gives the space a quiet richness that a more uniform tile would not. The Portman marble bath surround and vanity unit complete the material palette. The warmer, creamier tone of the Portman marble sits in good contrast with the cooler grey of the Boudreaux Blue floor and the white ground of the Carrara shower tiles, tying the room together without any one material dominating.

Before any of the materials were installed, the floor was levelled and underfloor heating was laid throughout the room. The wet area was fully waterproofed before tiling began in the shower. The recessed niche in the shower was tiled in the same Carrara marble with full tile setting out on every face, so the niche reads as a continuation of the wall rather than an interruption to it.
The whole installation was deep cleaned and sealed on completion to protect all three natural stone surfaces and ensure they were ready for use from day one. Natural stone requires the right sealant applied correctly at the end of the installation, and the deep clean before sealing is what ensures the sealant bonds properly across the full surface. The project was completed in two weeks. The room earned the time it took.