The bathroom is a private sanctuary where you sink into a soothing bubble bath at the end of a very long day. The bathroom will always need the necessary elements and storage to function as it should, but a touch of extra luxury can do the world of good, leaving you feeling full of confidence each time you use the space.
The perfect bathroom is a space with the perfect balance of practical considerations (shower or bath, lights and illumination, a tub that fits your body) and design dynamics (materials, textiles and visual appeal).
If you are thinking about restoring your bathroom or looking to add a decorative note to an existing suite, take your lead from boutique hotels. Everything needs to be carefully considered in terms of design, materials and durability. To achieve the sumptuous look of a luxury hotel, choose natural materials with enduring solidity and take them right through to the finishing details too, from lighting and window screening right down to robe hooks and door handles.
Pairing simple white sanitary ware with decorative touches – a bright wallpaper, vivid tiles, or striking fixtures and fitting – is a simple way to create a characterful and luxurious retreat. Tactile marble, natural stone, solid wood, glass and mirror materials will all create a dramatic flourish, while metallic finishes add to the feel of opulence. We are seeing a resurgence of gold and brass as a finish – it offers a rich, warm look to bathroom fittings.
Black and white bathroom: the attention to the details makes the difference, especially when it comes to tiling close to a window or an architectural feature. Hotel Mono, Singapore
When it comes to styling a space, don’t forget window treatments such as shutters or a colourful blind. And don’t skimp on accessories – hang a vintage mirror, stack white towels and decant products into elegant jars for a luxurious hotel feel.
The peculiar touch: hang a paint/picture in the bathroom
Trend: a greater use of oak and wood accessories in the bathroom to complement white tiles, more style through houseplants, ethnic rugs and other finishes touches. The metallic will be used as a highlight against the whites and natural woods.
START WITH THE BATHROOM’S WALL TILES
From a striking statement to a subtly detailed feature, bathroom wall tiles can be placed in a multitude of ways, focusing on all sorts of elements such as scale, pattern, orientation, colour shape and finish; all able to entirely change the end result. We see pattern playing a huge part in luxury residential design at the moment, making a great statement in the master bathroom as your own personal retreat. Don’t be afraid to use colour. The beauty of geometric tiles is that they are suitable for everyone – either go bold and combine print with striking contrasting colours to achieve a subtle effect.
Grouting plays a fundamental role when it comes to tiling a place. Well laid grouting will help determine where the eye is drawn to. Helping to highlight a particular pattern or design, it’s vital that grouting looks uniform and clean, especially if you have a particularly detailed or geometric pattern on your tiles. Not only grouting help align patterns and achieve a clean, uniform look, it can also contribute to a room’s colour scheme.
There are now a wide range of different coloured grouts available on the market, and whilst black and darker shades of grouting have grown in popularity in recent years, we are now seeing more varied tones coming through – even pink and green shades. Of course, you can also match your grouting to the colour of the tiles for a look that helps maintain tonal consistency throughout.