Case Study: Sarah and Reuben's Cork Bathroom Transformation

Case Study: Blending Modern and Traditional: Sarah and Reuben's Cork Bathroom Transformation

Sarah Keane – skeane_interiors

Sarah is a primary school teacher from Cork, but works in interiors in her spare time. She’s worked with a number of people across Ireland to design their dream spaces. You can keep up to date with Sarah's projects over on Instagram.

Introduction

We sat down with Sarah from Skeane_Interiors to discuss her experience with the building process, as well as planning and designing the bathrooms for her new home.

In January 2022, newlyweds Sarah and Reuben, both teachers from Cork, embarked on an exciting journey to build their dream home on the land that once belonged to the Sarah's grandfather. The self build is situated next to her childhood home, and was a labor of love, with both Sarah and Reuben pouring everything they had into getting the build completed.

The Renovation Process

Sarah reflected that the renovation was a journey of meticulous planning and adjustments. Starting with planning in March 2021 and breaking ground in January 2022, the process took until September 2023 to complete, with some changes still to be finished after they moved in. The couple faced challenges, particularly with banking delays and budget management, but they navigated these by prioritising their spending and making smart choices. Sarah highlighted common challenges in the building process, such as delays with banking and managing budgets. Even with detailed planning, self-builders frequently encounter cost overruns. Unexpected expenses can emerge due to fluctuating material costs, unforeseen site conditions, or changes in design midway through the project. It's also common for self-builders to underestimate the cost of professional fees, such as architects, engineers, or planning consultants.

Particularly for them another challenge was design adjustments. One that she can recall was they had Initial plans to have a pantry under the stairs, but when the build was underway they quicky realised it had to be modified due to spatial constraints. Sarah said: “Reuben is quite tall, but I am 5ft 1 and it wasn’t going to work for me. If I wasn’t going to be able to walk into it without bending my head Reuben would have had no chance”.

The couple broke ground in January 2022 and moved into their new home in September 2023. Reuben did a lot of research when it came to picking the bathroomware and after thorough research and thoughtful planning, they decided to go with bathshack.

Sarah said “ We looked at various bathroom companies but felt the choice or value for money wasn’t there with them. We went with bathshack because they offered a lot, and we thought the prices were unbelievable.”

Inspiration for Renovation

Sarah and Reuben had 3 bathrooms to fit out. The couple aimed to create a bathroom that harmoniously blended modern and traditional elements, reflecting their unique taste and countryside setting.

As interiors is something Sarah is really passionate about, creating a mood board of what she envisioned for her bathrooms was the first place she started.

Starting with the downstairs bathroom they went for the Legend traditional closed coupled open back toilet and the Legend traditional 2 tap hole basin and pedestal and the bathroom featured traditional tiles paired with colourful walls and panelling to achieve a modern-traditional mix.

In the upstairs main family bathroom they opted for chrome fittings and wall panelling. They went for the stunning freestanding Clara 1750 Double ended slipper bath, a feature piece and one of Sarahs favourite bathroom products. “I can’t tell you how many times I have used this bath since it was installed, the quality is amazing”. Sarah and Reuben are expecting their first child in December and this was another reason a bath was important to include in their bathroom designs. “So many people don’t future plan when it comes to designing their home, but planning is a major part of what I love to do”, said Sarah. In the main bathroom they also went for a spacious Kiimat Aqua 700 x 2000 shower enclosure , the Eliseo Ricci Balmoral Thermostatic Rain shower, another Legend traditional closed coupled open back toilet and the Legend traditional 1 tap hole basin and pedestal.

And finally in the master ensuite they opted for an up market hotel aesthetic, with brass tones and finishes which really help set the bathroom off.

It was important to Sarah to have all the bathrooms looking different from each other as they exude a different mood. One piece of advice Sarah said she would give to anyone else doing up more than one bathroom is to make them different. “Even if you play it safe with one bathroom, do something a little different in the next one, you’ll be thankful you did it, it makes such a difference”.

Planning and Design

The couple planned the bathroom themselves, driven by Sarah’s passion for interiors and her belief in infusing personality into home design. They prioritised creating a space that was both functional and reflective of their personal style whilst also keeping in mind future plans for family needs.

Their primary goals were to enhance the space, modernise the look, and increase functionality while maintaining a budget. They sought fixtures and fittings that offered the best value for money without compromising on the quality.

A Style That Flows Beyond the Bathroom

Sarah and Reuben’s self-build didn’t just blend modern and traditional styles in the bathroom - their stunning design flowed effortlessly into every room, from the bedroom to the kitchen. For their bedroom, they envisioned a calming, restful space, choosing a green colour scheme and a beautiful mix of wooden flooring and furniture to bring warmth and tranquillity.

For the kitchen, Sarah aimed for a design that offered plenty of storage to suit her growing family’s needs. The space features generous storage cupboards, a discreet laundry room, and cleverly concealed main appliances, all hidden behind beautifully crafted traditional doors.

Sarah shared her love for the art pieces displayed throughout her home, each hand-painted by Reuben's mother, Maria. As a talented local Cork artist, Maria’s work adds a personal touch to their space, and you can explore more of her beautiful creations on her Instagram account Maria Dowling Art or her website www.mariadowling.net.

Why Bathshack?

The couple chose Bathshack primarily for its competitive pricing and the convenience of a nearby store in Cork, which offered reassurance and easy access to products.

Sarah said, their experience with Bathshack was seamless, with timely deliveries and excellent customer service. The ability to collect items from the store and the ease of online ordering were particularly appreciated. The couple rated their experience 10 out of 10, citing value for money and the support provided by the local store.

They particularly loved the bath, the traditional shower, and the rainfall shower, appreciating both the look and functionality of these fixtures.

Results

The new bathrooms significantly improved their daily routine, offering both practicality and a touch of luxury. The design changes made the spaces more enjoyable and functional for their family.

The couple said “we highly recommend Bathshack, especially for those building a home.”

If you'd like help with choosing bathroom-ware or tiling for your home, you can email our team at info@bathshack.com, or call us on (028) 9077 0188 / 01 2597531 alternatively, our online chat is also available if you have any queries - or visit Bathshack.com for inspiration.