It's arguably the most important room in your house to get right – a personal sanctuary where you can primp or power shower in peace. But it’s not always easy to nail the bathroom glow-up, with many renovators feeling a certain amount of angst from the outset.
‘There is a lot of choice out there when it comes to bathroom products and design options, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed,’ says Alfie Guard, senior designer at Ripples Bathrooms in Beaconsfield. ‘How I normally work with a client is to ask them to collect images of bathrooms they love, and we can then see if there is a running theme in their inspiration.’ Ask yourself: what’s absolutely non-negotiable? ‘Perhaps a client has fallen in love with a roll-top bath or become obsessed with a statement tile. Usually, deciding on one element of the bathroom can help guide the rest,’ he says.
As well as employing the services of a specialist bathroom designer, who will guide you through the essentials, such as plumbing, electrics and layout, plus take the stress out of sourcing, think carefully about your budget. Guard says you can usually expect a 50/50 split cost-wise across product and installation, with brassware finishes, traditional styles (over modern) and freestanding baths (rather than built-in ones) pushing the price up. Budget finalised, the fun begins. And if you need inspiration, the following trends will guarantee your bathroom is
fit for the ’gram.
The All-White Bathroom
A white bathroom might sound high- maintenance but, done right, it’s undeniably high impact. At Mallorca’s Hotel Corazón, a luxury boutique hotel in the Tramuntana Mountains, one bathroom is practically a paean to the colour, with a bathtub hewn out of clay and steps forged out of local stone from the property. Want a similarly clean yet luxurious aesthetic? The hotel’s owner, Kate Bellm, suggests ‘integrating the faucets to hide any piping’ and credits the design studio, Moredesign, for the bathroom’s soft edges. ‘They used their signature flow design throughout the hotel, where every possible edge was curved.’
The Avocado Suite 2.0
The avocado bathroom once gave exuberant ceramics a bad name, but not any more. BC Designs’ Casini tub, glossed on the inside and matte on the outside, proves that green does belong in your bathroom (although, crucially, it’s called khaki). And while it’s probably best not to turn your whole suite green, with a tub, loo and basin in coordinating shades of everyone’s favourite brunch item, a khaki bath, as the biggest item of furniture, is a statement worth making. ‘For 2024, our bathrooms will be strongly inspired by nature and the surrounding elements. Earth tones, such as sage green, beige and light brown, will be widely used to create a relaxing atmosphere,’ says Barrie Cutchie, design director at BC Designs. ‘These colours will harmoniously blend with organic materials, such as wood and natural stone, infusing warmth and comfort into the bathroom.’
The Bedroom Bathroom
The Bull Charlbury, a 14th-century inn that opened last year after extensive restorations, whose sister residence is Notting Hill’s The Pelican, has the kind of bathrooms that demand an extra night’s stay (room 6 has a wood-burning fire, for crying out loud). But for the ultimate soak, take inspiration from Loaf Cottage, where the tub has been given pride of place on its own reclaimed oak platform.
The Sustainable Option
If sustainability’s top of your agenda, consider floor-to-ceiling cork. Journalist Olivia Lidbury was inspired by Port, a boutique hotel in Eastbourne, which uses the material in its loos. ‘I realised it could be an effective way to add warmth to what can feel like a sterile space,’ she says. ‘Cork is natural, antimicrobial, water-resistant and helps soften the acoustics.’ She used Colour Flooring’s Espira Corka Plank, £59/m2. Also think about how to save water if you’re starting from scratch. ‘The rise in the cost of living has made people more aware of the amount of waste water an average household produces,’ says Ripples’ Guard. He recommends an in-line regulator for new bathrooms, which is installed by professionals into the mains water line. A dual flush plate on your toilet, which allows you to save around nine litres of water for a standard flush, is another efficient option.
Top-To-Toe Tiles
As well as ‘tile framing’, micro tiles and plaster tiles, another trend is to use three contrasting tile designs in one bathroom. ‘Mixing and matching tiles, whether through colour, shape, size or pattern, adds plenty of interest,’ says Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at Ca’ Pietra, who suggests choosing two striped tiles then an accented floor tile to make your trio. ‘If carefully thought out, applying two, three or even more tile types can suit all tastes and decors. It’s one of the most adaptable bathroom tile trends.’
How Can I Make My Bathroom Look Nicer?
I'm glad you asked. As Alfie Guard advised, the first thing you need to do is nail down your priorities. Once you've got a list, or at least a working draft of non-negotiables, you can start to consider the more aesthetic side of your bathroom remodel (e.g. your fixtures and your colour scheme). And for that, nowhere's better than Pinterest. If you're searching for your perfect bathroom set-up, the app is packed with bathroom styling inspiration, covering everything from statement wallpaper to the switch-ups that don't require too much time or investment. You and your future bathroom are welcome...
SEE: The Best Pinterest Bathroom Ideas
Words: Katie Rosseinsky
Pinterest's Best Bathrooms
1 of 17Think Pink
Yes, you can find a place for millennial pink in your bathroom, too: just stick with simple shapes (a patterned tile might feel a little cloying) and choose a hue that's pale, not Pepto-Bismol.
2 of 17Flower Power
OK, we take back what we said about pink and pattern: the floral effect of these hexagonal tiles is pretty irresistible. Just be sure to counter-balance a statement floor like this with minimalist white walls.
3 of 17Picture Perfect
A gallery wall will work just as well in a bathroom as it would in your living space: see this cheeky array of prints for proof.
4 of 17Colour Pop
What could be better than a free-standing bath? A colourful free-standing bath, of course. We love how the colours of the room are subtly reflected in the choice of art, too.
5 of 17Graphic Design
Lead flashing (that's the stuff you'd use to re-point a roof, FYI) can be used as a graphic overlay, adding interest to a plain shower door.
6 of 17Line Drawing
For an even more dramatic finish, try a diagonal or asymmetric overlay (or maybe even both, as shown here). Plus, the floor-to-ceiling terrazzo tiling certainly certainly adds impact too.
7 of 17Go Green
Your bathroom is crying out for some houseplants - and if you're short of floor space, consider hanging them from above...
8 of 17Straight And Narrow
Consider switching up the way you place your tiles, in this case creating a vertical line to give the illusion of space (side note: deep blue looks great with gold accents).
9 of 17Floor To Ceiling
For proof that maximalism works just as well for bathrooms as it would for the rest of your home, how's this for statement wallpaper?
10 of 17The Suite Life
The Ned's powder room is essentially our dream bathroom - plus, maybe that pastel sofa in crushed velvet isn't just for the living room...
11 of 17Space Saver
The fancy term for this shelf is a 'floating vanity,' a shelf/sink combo that just seems to float effortlessly: paired with white walls, it instantly gives the illusion of space, meaning that it's perfect for a small bathroom.
12 of 17Mix And Match
A mixture of old and new: Art Deco-style tiling in vintage bottle green for an accent wall, paired with terrazzo and exposed piping.
13 of 17Optic White
Here's a palette cleanser: a bathroom that's (almost) all in white, yet still feels exciting thanks to clever use of shape, texture and light.
14 of 17Minimal Mirror
Two easy, affordable ways to instantly update your bathroom: opt for a large, circular mirror and introduce some house plants in plain white pots.
15 of 17Subway Tiles
These simple, rectangular tiles are what our US cousins call 'subway tiles.' A timeless option for bathrooms, you can make the finished effect a little bolder by using a darker grout in between.
16 of 17Optical Illusion
Another clever way to create the illusion of space and depth: use coloured tiles that will give a 3D effect.
17 of 17Moody Hues
It's not all about the bright whites and millennial pinks: darker shades, such as this deep blue-green, can look very stylish in a bathroom. Just be sure to include light accents in the fixtures and fittings, or opt for a more neutral floor colour.