Choosing the Right Colours for Your Bathroom
When designing or refurbishing your bathroom, colour is one of the most important aspects to consider. The right combination of colours can enhance not only the appearance but also the functionality of your space, making it feel larger, more relaxing, or easier to maintain. Whether your bathroom is a compact ensuite or a spacious family bathroom, here’s a guide to making smart colour decisions that suit your style and needs.
Flooring: Practicality Meets Style
Dark Flooring for Easy Maintenance
Dark-coloured flooring is not only stylish but also incredibly practical. Dark tones, such as slate, charcoal, or deep wood effects, hide dirt, watermarks, or minor scuffs, making them perfect for high-traffic areas. Dark floors create a solid base for the room and pair well with lighter walls, providing contrast and a sophisticated look.
Light Flooring for a Spacious Feel
Alternatively, light-coloured flooring—such as pale greys, creams, or light wood—can create a more airy and open feel. This is ideal for smaller bathrooms, as it helps make the space appear larger. If you opt for lighter floors, balance them with darker units or trims to avoid the room feeling too washed out.
Walls: Light and Bright for Space and Serenity
Choosing light, neutral shades for your walls, such as off-whites, light greys, or soft beiges, can make your bathroom feel more spacious and serene. Lighter shades reflect more light, creating a brighter, airier environment that works particularly well in smaller spaces or bathrooms with limited natural light. These neutral tones also provide a versatile backdrop, allowing you to play with bolder accents or fixtures without overwhelming the room.
Ceilings: Always White
A white ceiling is the best choice for any bathroom. It enhances the sense of height and space while reflecting light, making the room feel larger and brighter. White ceilings provide a clean, fresh look that pairs well with any wall colour or design.
Worktops and Units: Striking the Right Balance
Dark Worktops on Light Units
For those seeking contrast, a dark natural stone worktop on a light vanity unit creates a sophisticated and modern look. Materials like slate or dark marble not only look elegant but are also more forgiving when it comes to watermarks and stains. Pairing this with white or light grey cabinetry will keep the overall look fresh and balanced.
Wood or Wood-Effect Worktops for Warmth
If you prefer a warmer, more traditional feel, wood or wood-effect worktops can bring natural charm to your bathroom. These work particularly well in neutral bathrooms, softening the overall look and adding a touch of organic texture. Dark wood worktops, in particular, can create a lovely contrast against lighter cabinetry.
Fixtures and Fittings: The Finishing Touches
Black Matt for a Modern Look
Black matt fixtures, such as taps, shower fittings, and trims, are becoming increasingly popular in modern bathrooms. This finish adds a sleek, contemporary edge and works beautifully against both light and dark colour schemes. Black matt is also practical, as it doesn’t show fingerprints and watermarks as easily as polished finishes.
Brushed brass for a Traditional Feel
If you’re after a more traditional or vintage look, brushed brass fittings can add warmth and elegance to your bathroom. This finish works well in Victorian-style or period homes, bringing a touch of antique charm while maintaining a timeless appeal.
Chrome for Classic Elegance
Chrome fixtures are the go-to for a classic, polished look. They reflect light, adding brightness to the room, and work well in both traditional and modern settings. Chrome is also versatile and pairs easily with a wide range of colour schemes, from dark and moody to light and neutral.
Matt vs Gloss: The Right Texture for Your Bathroom
When it comes to bathroom finishes, choosing between matt and gloss textures can dramatically change the feel of the room. You can find tiles, worktops, and even accessories available in both finishes, each with its own advantages.
Matt Finish
Matt finishes provide a soft, understated look, often used in contemporary and minimalist designs. They tend to be more forgiving when it comes to smudges, watermarks, or fingerprints, making them ideal for busy bathrooms. Matt tiles, for example, offer a subtle, non-reflective surface that adds warmth to the space. This finish works well for flooring, where it can help avoid the “slippery when wet” feel, and it adds a calming touch to walls.
Gloss Finish
Gloss finishes, on the other hand, add brightness and the illusion of space by reflecting light. Gloss tiles, for example, are perfect for smaller bathrooms where you want to maximise light and make the room appear larger. They’re commonly used on walls, especially in showers, where their reflective nature enhances the sense of space. However, gloss finishes can show smudges and watermarks more easily, so they may require a bit more maintenance.
A combination of matt and gloss textures can bring balance to your bathroom design, creating visual interest and a dynamic look. For example, you could choose matt floor tiles and gloss wall tiles to maximise both practicality and light reflection.
Mirrors: Maximising Light and Space
Large Mirrors to Open Up the Space
Mirrors are a fantastic way to make any bathroom feel larger and brighter. A large mirror over the vanity or even across an entire wall can reflect light and create the illusion of more space. For small bathrooms, this is an especially useful trick to maximise the sense of openness.
Multiple Mirrors for Extra Light
If a single large mirror doesn’t fit your style, consider using multiple smaller mirrors around the room. This can still create the same spacious effect while adding a touch of design flair.
Shower Screens and Doors: Choosing the Right Finish
Frameless for a Clean, Modern Look
Frameless glass shower screens or doors are a great way to make your bathroom feel more open and less cluttered. Without the visual barrier of a frame, the room appears larger, and cleaning is easier too. Frameless screens work particularly well in minimalist or contemporary designs.
Textured or Frosted Glass for Privacy
If privacy is a concern, frosted or textured glass shower screens can be a great alternative. These offer the benefit of obscuring the view while still allowing plenty of light to pass through, ensuring the room remains bright and airy.
Accessories: Adding the Finishing Touches
Towels and Soft Furnishings
Your choice of towels and soft furnishings can also have an impact on the overall look and feel of the bathroom. Opt for light-coloured towels to keep the space feeling fresh, or add a pop of colour with bold shades for contrast. In smaller bathrooms, lighter tones will help maintain a sense of space.
Plants for a Natural Touch
Adding greenery in the form of small potted plants or hanging plants can breathe life into a bathroom. Plants bring a fresh, organic element to the space, and certain species like ferns or peace lilies thrive in the moist conditions of a bathroom.
Final Thoughts
The right colour and texture choices can transform your bathroom from a functional space into a stylish and relaxing retreat. Whether you’re opting for dark floors for practicality, adding a modern touch with black matt fixtures, or combining matt and gloss tiles for balance, thoughtful use of colours and textures will help you achieve the look and feel you want. Remember, your bathroom should not only be beautiful but also a reflection of your personal style.
