See bathroom with ‘living room eyes’
Tips on evoking feelings of rest and rejuvenation and using space more wisely
When it comes to making our rooms work harder, perhaps it’s time to stand back and see the bigger picture in the bathroom. A place where we can escape the day-to-day and take time out for ourselves, this haven also has the potential to be pivotal in our decorative prowess – but all too often bathrooms are last on our list when it comes to home styling.
‘I ask clients to start by looking at the bathroom with their living room eyes,’ says Emma Merry, director of Emma Merry Styling (emmamerrystyling.com) and an interior designer on Houzz.co.uk, the home renovation and design platform.
‘Think of it as a place to relax with luxe touches. A space that evokes the feeling of rest and rejuvenation, but you can definitely still have fun with the design.’
Think out of the bathroom box
‘Our bathrooms are also spaces that should work hard and offer versatility,’ says Lauren Kavanagh, Hovia’s creative designer. ‘Consider flexible, multi-use pieces for your bathroom to optimise the space you have.
‘Cater for more compact bathrooms by opting for vanity units that feature removable storage baskets, or boxes that can be moved or adapted with use over time.’
Remember, there might be pockets of space that can be used up more wisely – like beneath a sink or basin.
Depending on your budget, don’t feel like everything needs to focus on the bath tub. There’s a whole room to play with.
Create a wonder wall with tiling or wallpaper
Focusing attention on the walls is a perfect way to jazz up a bathroom, with scope to really create an impact if you go for a bold, striking design.
‘Incorporating a tile with a striking print can instantly refresh your bathroom space,’ says Kavanagh.
‘Pair bold tiles with colour block walls, for a contrasted look that excites the eye but isn’t overwhelming in a small space.’
Kavanagh says patterned geometric, botanical or texture effect wallpaper is a great way to bring in personality, warmth and character.’
Colour code and accessorize
As Kavanagh puts it: ‘Use confident colours as a simple yet impactful way to create bathrooms with personality. An effective way to go bold in bathrooms is to strike a balance between brights and more muted tones, which brings newness to staple pieces.
‘Instantly modernise a space with towelling, bathroom fixtures and hard accessories in solid, more primary colours. Try mosaic surfaces, rattan baskets, wooden accessories, woven rugs or fill empty spaces with house plants that thrive in damp conditions.’
And if the budget is tight and a complete restyle is out of the question, there are lots of ways to update a look by switching up accessories.
‘If you’re low on cupboards, try hanging storage,’ suggests Kavanagh. ‘Hanging baskets in the shower and on the walls is a fun, creative way to keep all of your toiletries and towels tidy.’