Sleek & simple
Opt for ultra-modern, high-gloss or matt modular furniture to give your bathroom a light and spacious look
While we can all dream of huge bathrooms with enough space to luxuriate in peace, often the reality is a smaller room that needs to cater for several people. Choosing the latest sleek designs and light-reflecting materials and combining them with freestanding furniture will help to make any room appear larger.
RAISE YOUR GAME Opting for wall-hung furniture or modular vanity units achieves a feeling of openness: as more of the floor area is visible, the eye is tricked into seeing the space as both bigger and lighter.
MATERIAL CHOICE Light-reflecting materials, such as glass and mirror, also enhance the sense of openness. Pick glossy wall and floor tiles, but make sure the floor tiles have a good anti-slip rating, particularly if you have small children. This can be found on most packaging but ask your supplier or builder if you’re not sure. Wall-hung units will give more emphasis to your flooring, so you should take that into account when choosing the size and colour of your floor tiles. Pale tiles with matching grout will create a paredback feel, and larger tiles make a space look more open, as there are fewer grout lines to draw the eye. To avoid an excessively shiny feel, add some natural materials, such as stone and wood. Inside showers and around baths, composite panelling will give a smooth, easy-to-clean surface – it comes in a variety of colours and effects that mimic natural materials, such as marble and stone. If you prefer tiles, choose mosaics to create a feature or opt for metro tiles laid in a brick formation for a modern vibe. FREE YOURSELF The choice of freestanding furniture is huge, so you’re sure to find something to your taste. Wood or wood veneer is a good classic option although darker-toned timber is best avoided in compact rooms. High-gloss or lacquered white cabinetry gives a cool, clean feel, and a vanity unit in a strong colour will create a focal point. Dramatic colours – indigo, black and bold reds – will be popular this year. Make sure your furniture functions beautifully inside as well as looking stylish outside.
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Less restrictive, free-flowing products are becoming more of a design feature within the bathroom, such as washbasins consoles” on the surface of