Tips for creating a contemporary bathroom
After the kitchen, the bathroom is up there as one of the most important rooms in the house, in terms of resale value. But reselling aside, you still have to enjoy your bathroom space – after all, you start and finish your day in your bathroom.
With bathroom styling becoming more of a focus, bathrooms are widely becoming accepted as a room that can be injected with just as much personality and character as the rest of the home. For those wishing to bring a little personality into their home, defining the style is certainly a key focus, and the styling of a bathroom is no different. Across our Guide series, we’ll discuss classic versus contemporary styling and how to recreate those finishes in your own bathroom. So, for those who favour more modern finishes, here are some tips to add a contemporary twist to your bathroom.
Statement Tiling:
The key to creating a contemporary feel in your bathroom is to use simplicity to your advantage. Think neutral colour palettes, harder edges, but don’t be afraid of pops of colour that will tie everything together. These principles can be easily applied when selecting your tiles. Tiles come in so many different finishes – natural stone, ceramic, glass, porcelain – yet we often revert back to the same plain white subway style and ceramic floor tiles, but if bathrooms are selling houses, tiles are definitely worth the investment. In order to make your bathroom feel contemporary, try varying the shape and formation of your tiles, rather than the colours. Think hexagons, scalloped and herringbone.
Circular Mirrors
Whilst classic oval bathroom mirrors favour a more traditional setting, circular mirrors are certainly the way forward for a contemporary setting. Now with demisting technology, warm and cool lighting options and even inbuilt speakers, mirrors are no longer a simple looking glass. Contemporary bathrooms favour sleek edges and soft curves – to create that designer feel, try out circular mirrors.
Bathroom Technology
As a room where water is in high supply, technology may be something you wish to limit in the bathroom, but innovative technology has seen improvements in bathroom tech. Often, we see unflattering spotlights in bathrooms, or have to charge our toothbrushes and razors on the bedside table, rather than having a shaver socket in a useful location in the bathroom. But with improved options like these, your mirror can be a source of ambience with soft, gentle lighting, or a cabinet that can provide a location for you to charge your phone, toothbrush and offer you dimmable lighting all at once. It doesn’t get much more modern than that!
Insert Some Colour
When you think contemporary, you may think neutrals, beiges or monotones. And this is widely true. But if you want to add a little bit of personality and vary the tones a little, try out a statement wall, or opt for a complimentary pop of colour like a soft pink or forest green (both major 2021 colour trends that don’t look like they’re going anywhere soon!).
Wall Hung Furniture
In keeping with the minimalist trend, wall hung furniture is a great way of maximising space and creating the illusion of spaciousness. Contemporary wall hung furniture is a great way of modernising any bathroom, and there are such a vast range of options that you’ll be sure to find a variety of styles that will look fabulous in your contemporary bathroom.
Follow the Trends
The stresses of the past year have certainly informed the bathroom trends for 2021 and beyond. Now, more than ever, people want to emulate that spa like feeling in their homes. But just because something is a trend, doesn’t mean it’s going to be a fad. Contemporary bathroom style trends, such as the minimalist Japandi, modern biophilic design, or the green bathroom trend can be used to inform your styling decisions. Due to their spa-like simplicity, these trends are a safer bet than some more adventurous trends like dark colours or supersized tiles.
Contemporary Terrazzo
There’s no disputing that terrazzo is a bit like marmite: some people adore the speckled effect and want it head to toe throughout their bathroom, some people would rather it stayed as far from their interiors as possible. However, when paired with the simplicity of other contemporary styling tricks, terrazzo can look as modern as it gets. If you’re not quite ready to commit to a full family bathroom sized space, why not be adventurous with the style in your contemporary ensuite bathroom? The speckled trend looks particularly modern as a floor option with walls in one of the same tones.
Minimalism over Maximalism
Minimalism is a perfect trend for those wishing to maximise space in a contemporary style. Created through a combination of stripped back furniture choices, sleek lines and simple colour scheme choices, minimalism is best for those who aren’t as adventurous as the above trends. Try out some furniture spacing like the rooms below, to enhance the minimalist vibe.
Black Accents
Want to add more contrast and drama? Try out black accents. Black and white in a bathroom can look incredibly modern, yet timeless at the same time – if balanced correctly. Opt for white tiling and bathroom furniture alongside black crittall shower screens or black taps. The pairing of black and white can create a truly sleek feel that appears incredibly high end, making it a great fit for bathrooms of any size.
If contemporary design isn't your style, then why not take a look at our blog on how to achieve a classic, yet elegant bathroom space. From wood panelling for the walls, to traditional chrome brassware, take a look at our top tips here.
Stencilled Tiles
A modern approach to something considered traditional, can revolutionise an interior space – in this case, Moroccan tiles. The tiles typically feature colourful, graphic designs filled with patterns that evoke a more Boho feel. In order to create a harmonious look, assess the colours in your bathroom, and base your colour palette around this. The best part of this option is that you don’t have to splash the cash in order to get the look – YouTube is filled with plenty of tips on how to stencil tiles yourself. Or, if budget is less of an issue, look to Popham Design, a bespoke tile workshop based in Marrakech. You might recognise some of their work from the world’s most famous luxury hotels or restaurants.
