Welcome to How They Pulled It Off, where we take a close look at one particularly challenging aspect of a home design and get the nitty-gritty details about how it became a reality.

Much has been made of the way architects design their own homes—after all, there’s no tougher client than yourself, or so the saying goes. But what if you aren’t an architect by definition, yet your career is steeped in design and shaped by photographing some of the world’s most striking built environments? Such was the case for Dom and Claire French. Claire is a fashion designer; Dom is one half of the renowned architectural studio French + Tye, whose work has regularly appeared in Dwell.

With their family of three expanding—a second child on the way and plans for a third—Claire and Dom needed a more functional space, albeit within a limited footprint and budget. Marco Curtaz, founder of Curtaz Studio, worked with the couple to update the Victorian terraced house in North London for contemporary living, adding bedrooms, integrating the kitchen, and opening up the floor plan. He also transformed the upstairs into a retreat better suited for adults, away (at least in theory) from the daily chaos of life downstairs.

The primary bedroom has an en suite bathroom, but not enough room for a bathtub—a priority for the couple as they designed their upstairs “grown-up zone.” Their space-saving solution is a hidden bathtub tucked next to the bed that, when the lid is closed, doubles as a window bench seat.

How they pulled it off: A bench that hides a surprise bathtub

Marco experimented with different locations for the bathtub in the sleeping area. Ultimately, it took pride of place in the bay of the oriel window. Most of the time it functions as a covered window bench rather than a bathtub.
Given the nook’s small size (it’s only a bit over four feet long), placing the tub there wasn’t the immediate choice; however, the couple had spent time visiting onsens in Japan, and were fans of the short, deep soaking tubs. The dual bench-turned-bathtub is inserted at an angle overlooking the landscape through frameless glass windows. “By angling it, you get just that little bit more depth, which makes it better both as a bath and as a window seat,” says Curtaz.
When the lid is removed, it can act as a privacy screen while entering the bathtub, just in case. Ultimately it is removed completely and slides under the bed when the bath is in use.
Iroko wood was used for its durability and water resistance, given that it has an inherently high concentration of natural oils. Aesthetically it was the right choice, too. “It works in a calming, sophisticated space. It’s a more toned down material than pine, oak, or birch,” says Curtaz. It’s coated with a matte Osmo TopOil for added protection. Meanwhile, the bedroom’s carpeting acts similar to a bath rug, a strategy that may need further testing now that the couple’s more splash-prone children have become fans of the hidden bath. “I’ll have to ask Dom and Claire in a couple of years because they have a son now who’s a bit more boisterous than the other two,” says Curtaz. “Let’s see how he fares.”
Despite being a custom feature, everything was designed and fabricated on-site to minimize costs. “It’s solid pieces of iroko with a pine frame, and then veneered boards that are capped with solid timber,” explains Curtaz.

Whether or not it was wishful thinking, that sentiment led to a primary bedroom with an onsen-style tub adjacent to the bed, not unlike something found in a hotel suite. With the lid on, it functions as a cozy window seat; when removed, the nook transforms into a compact soaking tub overlooking the lush landscape.

And while it was conceived as an adults-only space, the couple’s children are enamored by its novelty. “Dom and Claire use [the bath] regularly, and now the kids have started to use it as well,” says Curtaz. “The grown-up zone isn’t really a grown up-zone anymore.”

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Curtaz Studio / @curtaz_studio

Builder: S.G. General Building

Structural Engineer: Ali Karbassi Engineering

Lighting Design: Curtaz Studio

Interior Design: Curtaz Studio

Cabinetry Design & Installation: Curtaz Studio and S.G. Genereal Building

Approved Inspector: London Building Control

SAP Calculations: Base Energy

Photographer: French+Tye / @frenchandtye

Related Reading:

How They Pulled It Off: A Mirrored Portal Between Two Rooms

How They Pulled It Off: A Hot Tub Built Into a Boulder