Donna,

Help. What can I do with a whisper pink bathroom suite and whisper pink tiles? My style is traditional. Would Rennie Mackintosh work?

Forsythia

Our Homes And Property Expert replies:

Hi Forsythia,

Whisper pink makes for such a wishy-washy colourscheme that you really have to team it with something more dramatic to bring it to life. So your suggestion of using the styles and designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh is a pretty apt one.

Trawl any of the Mackintosh websites and you'll see some valuable examples of his work to inspire you: high back black ladder chairs, the simple, almost Japanese-style vertical lines of his wooden panelling, softly coloured stained glass adorned with his favourite famous Glasgow rose design, delicate lantern lights, printed fabric panels, silver furniture and leaded mirror friezes.

Take the strong black of the trademark Mackintosh look and apply it to your bathroom. Stencil one of his rose designs randomly onto your pink tiles using black acrylic paint. Paint any bare wall in a soft pastel pink or cream and repeat the stencil either around the room at dado height or around key features such as the window. Paint your bath panel a gloss black, sand down your floorboards and stain them a rich dark wood colour before sealing.

Add lots of silver and pewter accessories in keeping with the era. If you have the space, invest in a black ladder back chair and display in the bathroom.

Add a mix of cream, pink and black towels and hang a series of Mackintosh prints on the wall. Check out House for an Art Lover for inspiration, useful links and a host of stunning gifts and home accessories. This Glasgow house was designed by Mackintosh in 1901, although construction didn't begin until 1989, and it eventually became a reality in 1996. The house includes a series of exhibition rooms where you can compare Mackintosh's original designs against each completed room.

Some of the highlights of the mail order collection include a four stem rose stencil, £6.95, a Glasgow rose stencil, £3.95, a small gold gesso framed print taken from the series of 24 gesso panels within the house which tell the story of The Life of a Rose, £10.99 and a pewter hand made door finger plate, £17.95. Furniture specialist thisisfurniture.com has an ebonised ash and padded leather seat cushion chair (shown) for £346.50, and you'll find some stunning reproduction mirrors at Mackintosh Mirrors (01462) 441239.

Go for it!

Donna.