Bathroom
Protect against leaks Even if you’re not planning a wet room-style shower, you’ll need to waterproof the walls around a shower or bath. Moisture-resistant plasterboard should be used to create any shower enclosures. Alternatively, fibreglass can be used to cover the entire area. Both of these methods are an additional cost, so even if you’re only replacing your existing sanitaryware, you should factor in your chosen material.
Marble Reverse it Although white marble with grey or black veining is more commonly found in a bathroom, a black stone with white veining can look very dramatic. Here, carefully placed lighting in the recessed shelving shows off the glossy material to its best advantage. This look could work really well in a small bathroom – even one with little or no natural light – to produce a high-impact look.
Stick to straight lines There are quite a few elements packed into this washspace, but the overall look is sleek and unfussy. To create such a streamlined feel, despite including two basins, a big vanity, a tall cupboard and a radiator, the designers have used the same shapes everywhere. Straight-lined furniture is aligned neatly, while two chic square sinks sit side by side on the vanity.
Pop the basin on a petite platform After something super sleek and space-saving? This rectangular countertop basin sits on a compact, wall-mounted shelf that doesn’t dominate the room. The sink itself is shallow, which works well with the size of the ledge. The design is simple and unobtrusive, but there’s enough space either side of the sink to place necessary objects.
Turn up your taps Pimp a small bathroom into something designer-y by swerving traditional chrome taps and fitting something gorgeous instead. Here, the rose gold and marble fittings are glamorous and unusual, and the first thing you’d notice on walking into the room. The complementary coral accent in the floor tiles helps to tie the look together, and that mirrored wall not only has the wow factor, it enlarges the space and bounces light around it, too.
Lighting - Don’t forget the shower The number one rule when lighting your shower enclosure is not to centre a light overhead: the effect is unflattering. Instead, consider clever tricks such as washing light down the back wall of the shower to draw attention to the colour and texture of tiles or marbling. This will extend the feeling of the space, too.
By deciding where you need the lights to be at an early stage, you can plan where you will need to install required cabling, and budget for an appropriate number of fittings and the control options you desire. The type of lighting you want in the room will also need to be taken into consideration, as this has a dramatic impact on the look and feel of the space. Multiple layers of light from a variety of sources are the secret to a successful bathroom lighting scheme. In much the same way that an interior designer uses colour and texture to enhance the look of a room, lighting designers work with ambient, task and accent lighting to create a space that is practical but also could, if it’s the look you’re after, have a relaxing, spa-like quality.
Beautiful handwash in a gorgeous dispenser Supermarket handwash or a greying bar of soap has no place in a mature home. A sign of being grown up is thrilling to the delicious scent and sensation of a beautiful, luxury soap. The gorgeous bottle adds to the appeal. Team it with some hand cream, too, and you’ll have completed the sophisticated scene.
Light
The bottom drawer.
Matte black finishes Don’t fancy brass? You could plump for black fittings instead. Metal taps that have been powder-coated in a matt black finish are available from a number of bathroom retailers.
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