When we think of a bathroom renovation we normally first think of the big items such as the new shower, vanity, toilet and alike. But what really draws a room together? We like to think that it’s the choices like the colour and features that really bring the room together to make a new renovation pop. Today we’ll talk about how to choose the right colours and features to complement your new bathroom.
Selecting Bathroom Colours
So how do we use colour to maximise our bathroom renovation? The colours you choose will set the mood you would like for your bathroom so have a think about what ‘message’ you want your bathroom to convey. If you want the bathroom to have an open and large feel to it, choose shades of white with a large mirror to bounce the light around the room. If you are going for a cosy feel to the room, an option more popular in private ensuites, choose darker colours and embellishments that will draw the room in and make it appear smaller. For a fun eclectic vibe, opt for bright pops of colours or a mix-matched combination of colours, taking inspiration from various styles and eras.
Look-books and mood boards are a great way to collate all of your ideas and to visualise what your finished bathroom renovation will look like. Visit your local paint store and take some paint colour cards home to create your colour scheme. We also recommend browsing the aisles of hardware stores to gain inspiration for your door and drawer handles or knobs, the shower handles and head, towel rail, etc. By compiling all of the elements you like together, you’ll have a better idea if the colours and features work with together and what the end project will look like.
If choosing multiple colours seems a little overwhelming, try to start by selecting just the wall shade and build from there. You will then be able to identify what colour you’d like for the skirtings and architraves – do you want them a similar shade so they blend together or would a contrasting colour (say bright white trimmings against a rich dark wall) be a better way to go for visual appeal? From there, you will gradually be able to build on the rest of the room.
Tiles are a fantastic tool to gain colour in the bathroom. A modern take on the tile borders often seen along vanities and baths is to keep extending those tiles up the entire wall. This works great for eye catching tiles to really draw the viewer’s attention. You can also do this on an empty wall and use the same tiles you’ve chosen for the floor to create the feature wall – this works especially well when used in room with contrasting colours of light or white walls with a dark earthy tile.
We often associate toilets, baths and bathroom sinks with being white but that doesn’t always need to be the case. For a monochromatic look, why not consider choosing black for the bath, shower, toilet and/or tapware? Keep the remainder of the room a crisp white for an eye catching effect. If you like the idea of coloured items but not in black, consider a bath with a painted finished. While the interior of the bath is the typical white shade, the outside can be painted in standard or metallic colours. You can even choose effects such as waves if you don’t want block duotone.
Incorporating colour into the bathroom doesn’t need to be permanent either. Choose a plain colour for the paint and furnishings that will work with most colours and let the décor handle the colour. This option allows you to keep up with the latest trends or change the room seasonally for a small cost. Towels, hand towels, toothbrush holders, vanity trays, shower caddies, wall prints and decorations can all be instrumental in your bathroom’s colour palette and style.
Choosing Bathroom Features
When selecting your features, you certainly don’t need to make every aspect of the room a feature. Sometimes, a simple room can look ever so elegant with just one or two stand out hero pieces that do all the talking for the rest of the room. A traditional or modern bathroom with clean and simple colours and furnishings can look extremely stylish with a lone beautiful mixer tap or bathtub. When working out your overall budget, choosing to use a statement piece to be the ‘showstopper’ of the room can be a way to splurge on what you have your heart set on, while minimising costs in other areas and the overall finish will still have an aesthetic appeal.
Make sure to keep the features that you choose in line with the bathroom style, as well as your own personal style. If you’ve decided on an ultra-modern bathroom, then adding technology could be a feature to mesmerise your guests and start conversations. Think app controlled bathroom lighting, Bluetooth speakers, switchable privacy glass, toilet seats warmers and smart soap dispensers. Alternatively, if you have a country feel to your bathroom, then a claw foot bath will be a perfect eye catching addition.
At Brindabella, we specialise in custom bathroom renovations and our head designer is a qualified Certified Bathroom Designer who has been a national judge for the KBDi design awards in recent years. We know how stressful renovations can be so when you choose Brindabella, we look after your project from the start to the end and project-manage every aspect along the way until you are left with a renovation that you will love for the years to come.
