Far beyond the realms of necessity lies our ever-increasing interest in magical bathroom design. For many, the idea of reclining in a beautifully warm bath with a glass of wine (or 5) and a great book is an idyllic way to spend an evening. This relaxing nature of the room has lead to designs that focus on creating an oasis, with calming colours and design features that inspire comfort. In this guide, we’ll look through some fantastic ways you can reinvent your bathroom.

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Feature walls

One design trend that stands out to us is the use of feature walls in bathrooms. Sometimes different tiles, sometimes stone, or other natural materials, there is something uniquely special about the effect it creates. Depending on the colour scheme of your bathroom, there are a few key options to explore;

• Coloured tiles: Changing the size and colours of the tiles on one wall will create a lively spectacle, particularly when used in the shower area.
• Stone: Stone feature walls are both unique and texturally interesting. The live edges and coarse aesthetic juxtaposes beautifully with the pristine cleanliness of a bathroom. Dark stone with white tiles is an unbeatable combination for a modern, sharp design.
• Wood: Wood panelling adds a resort style appeal to your bathroom, invoking a gorgeous island or Asian style aesthetic. You’ll need to of course ensure that the wood being used has been sealed correctly to avoid rotting or warping.
• Plant life: A favourite for sure, adding rows of plants, or vines across a wall brings the outdoors in and allows you a garden oasis to enjoy daily. Pair plant life with either stone, exposed brick or wood for maximum effect.
• Exposed brick: Similar in attributes to other stone walls, exposed brick offers that “new york loft” style when used in other rooms, and the bathroom is no different. Best mixed with whites and chromes, an exposed brick feature wall introduces a more industrial vibe. Another great addition to this style is exposed piping and plumbing. It enhances the industrial style while adding character, depth, and textural intricacies.

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Plants & greenery

Bringing plant life inside the home has always been popular, but what’s changed is the scale. While a pot plant here and there or a healthy ficus in the corner always looks great, it’s large scale vines, rows of plants, varying styles, textures and colours, and multiple positioning that will take your design to the next level. When using plants in the bathroom it’s important to consider the following;

• Choose for the conditions: You must choose plants that are able to thrive in the bathroom. Consider the exposure to natural light and the ventilation systems you have in place before heading to the nursery for your plants & flowers. Bamboo, orchids and other similar plants are generally a safe option.
• Where they’ll be placed: Before heading to the nursery, consider the placement. Look to vines or rows of potted plants for feature walls, hanging pots if you’re suspending them from ceiling beams, and water/steam safe pots for floor and table plants.
• How much maintenance they need: It’s always important to align your plant’s maintenance needs with your schedule. Healthy plants look amazing but dying plants look terrible and can be expensive to replace. If you’re not schooled up on taking care of plants, look for ones that require low maintenance or enquire with your local nursery staff about what you’ll need to take care of your preferred plants.

When placing the plants throughout your bathroom, ensure that it’s practical. For example, don’t have a row of pot plants or floor pots in the direct water spray, otherwise, you’ll end up with dirt and leaves everywhere and nobody’s got time for that.

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Metallics

A few weeks ago we published the 2016 & 2017 design guide for living rooms which featured metallics, but they’re perhaps even more relevant in the bathroom. Generally speaking, we refer to metallics as the bronze, copper, or gold fixtures used commonly for faucets and similar appointments in the bathroom setting. In an industrial design, the metallics can be used for exposed piping and plumbing which turns what is usually kept from sight into a salient feature. Using metallics for the faucets match equally perfectly with white enamel basins or black stone, with the former matching the industrial style (think exposed brick) and the latter invoking a more modern chic design appeal (think darker tones and clean lines).

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Windows

We’d be remiss not to mention the importance of window choice in a bathroom. You can see a full breakdown of considerations and advice in our “What To Consider When Choosing Bathroom Windows” blog post from a couple of months ago, but to recap, the windows you choose serve a few main purposes;

• Light: Making the most of the natural light that enters your room is critical, not just for your enjoyment, but for practical reasons like drying damp towels, avoiding the growth of mould and keeping your plants alive if you have them.
• View: Make the most of your view, if you’re lucky enough to have one from your bathroom!
• Privacy: The flipside of a view is privacy. Considering the right glass and window style to use is paramount when protecting your privacy while enhancing your design.
• Airflow: For the same reasons as light, it’s important to have the option of steady airflow in your room. All window styles allow for varying control of airflow so be sure to select the one that’s best for you.
• Safety: Particularly important for small children and pets, ensure you choose the window that suits your lifestyle. Avoid low windows that can be opened easily within reach of small children, and wherever possible add a screen and lock to better control the windows use.

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Colours

Easily one of the most important aspects of bathroom design is the colours. The days of traditional white bathrooms are over, so embrace something that really speaks to you. Here are some of our favourites;

• Beach House: The use of rustic white furniture, washed blue appointments (like mirror frames), wood panelling, plants, and small stones in the flooring or feature walls is an unmistakable classic and guaranteed to transport you to your favourite beach location.
• Modern: The term may be used loosely to describe a style with a Scandinavian influence so look to incorporate greys, blacks, and whites together with varying textures (like black stone walls and smooth floor tiles) to create the space. Look to bold metallic attributes, minimal plant life and woods and you’re on the right track.
• Eclectic: Look to vibrant mismatching colours, textures and materials. Essentially, match everything by having it not match. Eclectic style is not for everyone, but the amalgamation of assort knick-knacks and quirky accessories certainly gives you a fun, light hearted and exciting design that your guests will no doubt remember fondly.
• Industrial: The industrial style is using as many raw materials as possible; exposed brick, exposed piping and cable housing, metallic appointments and minimal plant life. A luxe factory should be the goal, but using smooth white enamel sinks and baths offers a gorgeous contrast to the coarse “imperfect” attributes offered from the exposed stone and cold fixtures.

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Bathroom design

As your journey to the perfect bathroom continues, remember to have a plan, a budget, and a style that you’re shooting for in mind. Set up a Pinterest board for all your ideas and regularly explore websites and stores for inspiration. Start with the foundations; walls, floors, windows and doors, vanity, shower, and bath, then look to accessories afterward. Seeing the space in a nearly completed state will give you more clarity to make decisions on your accessories, so it’s best for your overall design, and budget, to leave it until last. If you’re looking for top quality windows for your bathroom, consider BetaView’s Aluminium Windows. Made of durable aluminium, resistant to rust, available in a range of colours and custom fit to your exact specification, our windows are 100% Australian made and installed professionally and on time, every time. Get in touch with us today for a free measure and quote. In the mean time, happy renovating!