Most people think of a greenhouse as a place to grow tomatoes or shelter tender plants. But one project on the Gower Peninsula shows how it can become something very different.
By reimagining the greenhouse as a glamorous bathroom, director and writer Sean Mathias has opened up fresh possibilities for how these glass spaces might be used in the future.
We take a look at the “Glass Bathhouse” and explore how it challenges the way we think about greenhouses.
A bathroom made of glass
The project, designed and installed by White Cottage Greenhouses, adds a three-quarter span Edwardian greenhouse to the front of an 1850s property.
Painted in Reed Green to echo the surrounding landscape, the glass structure frames uninterrupted views of sea and countryside.
Inside, it houses a roll-top bronze bath, chandeliers, parquet flooring and vibrant decorative touches, creating an unusual but striking retreat.
Inspiration behind the project
Mathias explained that the idea came from his partner, who suggested using an existing flat roof to extend the bathroom.
Wanting “a glass box and not a solid room,” Mathias realised a greenhouse would provide both transparency and elegance.
He describes the finished space simply as “romantic,” combining a sense of openness with comfort and privacy.
A shift in how greenhouses are used
While traditionally designed for plants, greenhouses are increasingly being reimagined as lifestyle spaces.
White Cottage Greenhouses say more homeowners are exploring their potential as entertaining areas, garden rooms or extensions that bridge indoors and outdoors.
This coastal bathroom may be one of the most unusual examples yet, but it signals a wider trend in blending architecture with the natural environment.
