This was one of those small spaces where you don't actually have much room to play with, so every decision matters. The brief was to create a downstairs loo that worked for the family and guests, but also felt like it belonged with the rest of the house rather than looking like we'd squeezed a toilet into whatever bit of space was left over.

The idea was to keep everything light and bright, while adding enough detail and texture to stop it feeling bland. We used marble-effect tiles alongside flat and textured tiles in the same finish, which gave the walls a bit more interest without making the tiny room feel too busy. A larger sink was also brought in to make the space more useful, with a backsplash helping to protect the areas that were actually going to get used.

We also went for a floating toilet, which was a first for me at the time. It turned out to be surprisingly straightforward to install and made a bigger difference than you'd expect. Getting the toilet off the floor helps the room feel less cluttered and makes cleaning underneath it a lot easier — always a win in a downstairs loo.

The fun bit with small rooms is making them feel bigger than they actually are. Rather than filling every available inch, I kept the layout clean and used the finishes to create interest. The lighter colours bounce the available light around the room, while the combination of the marble finish and textured tiles gives it enough character to feel properly designed.

It's not the biggest project I've worked on, but it's a good example of something I always try to do: don't underestimate the small spaces. This is the loo your guests are probably going to see when they come round, so it deserves a bit more thought than a toilet, a sink and a lightbulb stuck on the ceiling. The finished space is practical, bright and properly tied into the rest of the house — which is exactly what it needed to be.