“Following particular trends dates a bathroom more quickly,” says tile shop Capitol Ceramics’ interior designer Katie Soucek. Trends come and go at an alarming rate, so if you want a longer lasting look to your bathroom, it may be best to ignore the latest fashion and go for a more classic style.
“Bathrooms with boarders and trims were once very fashionable but are now looking dated.” says Soucek, an experienced bathroom designer. So choosing a bathroom design that uses a border or trim could leave you feeling blue just a few months down the line.
The quickest way to work wonders on your old bathroom is to give it a new coat of paint – even if you use the same colour as you currently have, the fresh coat with give it more life. Nude shades can add some style and panish but milder, translucent colours are more versatile and work in many different colours.
The best tip to remember is that if you want your bathroom to look more spacious, then go for light colours, ” And using the same tiles on the floor and the walls immediately makes a room feel bigger” adds Capitol Ceramics’ Katie Soucek. Alternatively, if you are looking to create a more dramatic space why not go for deep colours for a moody romantic atmosphere.
A new shower curtain or bathroom mat can also make all the difference, as can accessories. Purchase new towels that are fluffy and colourful or put a vinyl on your shower screen for an immediate glamour hit.
Purchase a selection of mirrors and even some decorative accessories (ornaments) and artwork to give the room some extra style. Mirrors add a sense of space so look to place mirrors where they will catch and reflect the light.
Katie Soucek discusses a recent project. “We’ve just completed work on a bathroom for a lovely client who wanted a ‘New England’ feel to her bathroom. We needed to create a sense of space and lightness in the room, so used simple white, mosaic tiles, coupled with tonal blues and biege stone. Then we selected a set of acrylic, glass and ceramic vases to line the shelves and finished it off with some gorgeous white cotton towels that give the room a wonderful feeling of luxury”
Kate also stresses the importance of lighting. “If your bathroom does not have recessed spot lighting, it’s worth the investment. Also, why not replace the grouting and go for a colour for instant impact.”
When it comes to choosing your features and materials, a shrewd designer will budget and splurge tactically, for example interior designer Philip Watts suggests “On a budget I would use an inexpensive sanitary-ware, but as stylish taps as your budget will allow – so accessorize” he adds “Use natural materials such as slate, limestone, pebbles or timber as these will not date. Use them in a contemporary, architectural way for maximum effect.
Thank you to Katie from Capitol Ceramics for her time and support in writing this article. Katie is the lead interior designer at Capitol Ceramics, a leading London Tile Shop based in Notting Hill Gate, West London. To view the range of beautiful porcelain and ceramic tiles stocked by Capitol Ceramics please visit the Capitol Ceramics website.