A Conversation with Bathroom Designer Of The Year

Following her success at the 2023 KBB Awards, we spoke with award-winning bathroom designer Zoe Curtis from The Tap End about the thoughtfully resolved project that earned her the title of Bathroom Designer of the Year.

Combining considered space planning, warmer material tones, and contemporary detailing, the project demonstrates how careful bathroom design can transform even more compact spaces. From incorporating both a separate bath and walk-in shower into a smaller layout to balancing Brushed Brass finishes with softer textures and large-format surfaces, Zoe’s award-winning scheme showcases both creativity and practicality.

Read on as Zoe shares the inspiration, challenges, and design decisions behind this beautifully executed bathroom project.

Designing a Bathroom for Modern Family Living

What was the original brief for the project?

The bathroom was designed for a local couple in their fifties whose grown-up children regularly return home to visit. Although the space would mainly be used by their daughter while home from university and by guests, the couple also wanted the bathroom to comfortably accommodate visiting family members.

A key requirement was creating a spacious walk-in shower suitable for taller users, while still incorporating a separate bath, something the clients initially believed would not be achievable within the available footprint.

The clients wanted the bathroom to feel:

• Soft and contemporary
• Elegant without relying on overtly decorative styling
• Distinct from their darker ensuite
• Practical while still feeling refined

The overall budget for products and tiles was approximately £10,000, making layout planning and product selection particularly important throughout the project.

Working Within a Smaller Bathroom Layout

Was space a challenge within the design?

Space planning played a central role in the success of the project.

Incorporating both a separate bath and a walk-in shower into a relatively compact room required a more considered approach to the layout. To maximise the available floor area, the existing WC was relocated from its original position near the window to another section of the room.

This allowed Zoe to establish a dedicated wet zone where the bath and walk-in shower could sit side by side, an approach that has become increasingly popular within contemporary bathroom design.

The final layout feels open, balanced, and highly functional despite the room’s more compact proportions.

Combining a Walk-In Shower and Bath

What inspired the bath and shower layout?

The side-by-side bath and shower arrangement was chosen as the most effective way to include both features comfortably within the available space.

Zoe explained that she has used similar layouts successfully in previous projects because they offer:

• Strong space efficiency
• A more open-plan feel
• Greater flexibility in smaller bathrooms
• A calmer and more integrated appearance

By grouping the bath and walk-in shower within the same zone, the room maintains a cleaner and more cohesive flow while still delivering the practicality the clients required.

Overcoming Design Challenges

Did the layout create any technical considerations?

One of the main technical challenges involved the installation of the walk-in shower screen.

Because there was no adjoining wall available to support the glass panel in the usual way, Zoe opted for a slightly shorter shower screen than would traditionally be specified within a walk-in shower layout.

After discussing the solution with the clients, the approach was approved as the shower would not be used continuously throughout the day.

To further support the functionality of the wet zone, underfloor heating was installed to help dry any water splashes while maintaining comfort throughout the room.

This combination of practical planning and design flexibility helped ensure the final bathroom remained both visually resolved and highly usable.

Why Brushed Brass Worked So Well Within the Space

What tones pair best with Brushed Brass?

Brushed Brass has become one of the most widely used finishes within contemporary bathroom design because of its warmth and versatility.

According to Zoe, Brushed Brass works particularly well alongside:

• Warm neutral palettes
• Contemporary cooler tones
• Softer minimalist interiors
• Natural textures and stone finishes
• Light material palettes

Within this project, Brushed Brass was used to soften the overall bathroom aesthetic and introduce warmth without overpowering the wider scheme.

The finish worked especially well alongside the large-format onyx-effect tiles, helping the room feel materially balanced and visually calm.

Favourite Features Within the Design

What stood out most in the completed bathroom?

For Zoe, one of the greatest successes of the project was achieving both:

• A spacious walk-in shower
• A separate and comfortable bathing area

within the same compact room layout.

She also highlighted the combination of:

• Onyx-effect surfaces
• Brushed Brass finishes
• Natural textures
• Contemporary detailing

as key elements that helped shape the overall atmosphere of the space.

The balance between functionality and softer material choices gives the bathroom a calm and highly considered feel.

Why Tissino Products Were Chosen

What made Tissino the right fit for the project?

Product selection played an important role in achieving the desired aesthetic while remaining within the overall project budget.

Zoe selected Tissino products because they offered:

• Coordinated Brushed Brass finishes
• Contemporary styling
• Consistency across product categories
• Strong value within the project scope

She also highlighted the Cosenza Natural Oak furniture as one of her favourite elements within the design, explaining that it introduced warmth and texture while helping soften the more polished finishes used elsewhere in the room.

The Cosenza Collection worked particularly well within the scheme thanks to its cleaner contemporary lines and warmer oak finish, helping balance the harder stone and metallic surfaces throughout the bathroom.

Natural wood textures continue to play an important role within contemporary bathroom design, particularly when paired with Brushed Brass finishes and larger format surfaces.

Bringing the Full Design Vision Together

Anything else to share about the project?

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project for Zoe was the trust the clients placed in the original design concept.

The full scheme was approved without major revisions, allowing the bathroom to be completed closely in line with the original vision.

This consistency helped the final design maintain a strong visual identity from concept through to installation, something that is often essential in creating more cohesive interior spaces.

Thoughtful Bathroom Design Is About Balance

This award-winning bathroom demonstrates how intelligent layouts, carefully selected finishes, and practical planning can transform more compact spaces.

By balancing:

• Functionality
• Material warmth
• Contemporary styling
• Careful space planning

Zoe Curtis created a bathroom that feels open, comfortable, and highly personal to the homeowners.

The project also highlights how contemporary bathroom design increasingly focuses on creating spaces that feel calm, practical, and tailored to everyday living, regardless of room size.