Trends in creating a beautiful bathroom
It’s happened to most of us. You’re away from home for work or play, and you step out of the lovely shower in the beautiful bathroom of a hotel room and you think, “Don’t I deserve this every day?”
If you’ve been staring at a lackluster bathroom and contemplating a renovation, there’s no time like the present. Back in the day, the bathroom was a space where function ruled. Even one generation ago, they were fairly no-frills: a tub/shower, a sink and a toilet. If you had a mind to add a flourish, you might have one of those crocheted toilet paper Barbies. (Might? Who am I kidding? If your Nana didn’t have one of these on the back of her toilet, I’m not sure you’re even from Atlantic Canada.)
However, in the past decade or so there has been a trend to bathrooms that function like a mini-spa within your own home, and the features that can now be added to your family bathroom are extensive. Let’s look at some of the latest trends and how you can incorporate these in to your own home retreat.
Walk-in showers
I’ll begin by saying that I have nothing against having a bath—I think it’s a luxury that many people neglect in these busy times. However, there is something to be said for the walk-in shower and its many advantages; among them is the lack of a clammy shower curtain ever making contact with you as you try to rinse shampoo out of your eyes. But if that’s not an issue for you, there are still several other advantages.
A walk-in is accessible, with no tub edge to climb (or trip) over, which is a real consideration for anyone with mobility issues. And the lack of curves and reduced or non-existent curbs means more space for you. All that space can make it easier to add extras like nooks in the walls, benches, multiple showerheads, and even steam or rainfall features.
The downside of a walk-in shower in that often you are eliminating a tub, and this can impact your home’s value if you don’t have a tub in another bathroom. And functionally, some things are simply easier in a tub, such as bathing children, or drinking half a bottle of merlot while reading a trashy novel and shouting at your kids to leave you alone for half a minute.
If you’re looking for current trends in walk-in showers, you can’t get more stylish than steel frame door and walls. With metal frames and glass panes enclosing the shower, it’s an elegant look that suits everything from older Edwardian/Victorian homes to modern builds. This is an expensive option, but you can also source glass walls for the shower that have a faux frame on them to achieve this look.
Treating the walk-in like a wet room is also an option, with tiling from floor to ceiling. This is not only a durable solution for a warm and humid space. But it opens many doors in terms of adding some style and personality to your space.
High-tech toilets can now be purchased with a dazzling variety of features. Photo credit Bigstock/navintar
Tiles with style
No longer just for your tub surrounds, tiles have come in to their own in recent years, being applied everywhere from the floors to the backsplashes and walls all around your bathroom. If you are creating a wet room, floor to ceiling tile is a sound choice. If you have a historic home, or are looking to recreate a more traditional feel, think of subway tiles on the walls and hexagonal tiles or small penny tiles for the floors. These can be laid in a variety of patterns from straight to brick, diagonal, herringbone, or even basket weave. You can easily mix patterns and shapes in your tiles if you are using the same colourway. For example, a herringbone on the walls of the shower, with a smaller tile on the floor can work beautifully together if they are both predominantly white, even if one has some grey or marbling.
Using a tile with a graphic on it—beautiful painted Spanish tiles are currently popular—can be a challenge. If you are laying this on the floor, for example, it could be overwhelming to add it to the walls as well. Consider a plain tile on the wall, without a pattern, and with a matching grout colour, to allow it to ease into the background.
For a more modern look, consider large or oversize tiles. Rather than a standard 12”x12” tile, longer lengths and widths in 18” to 36” inches can give a clean look to your home spa. Seeing fewer tiles and grout lines makes for a less cluttered feel and this can be effective even in a smaller bathroom.
Lighting
If you’ve seen pictures of those dream bathrooms that have a beautiful, vintage brass sconce over the sink and mirror, I’m here to tell you: that’s a lighting failure. Form can’t lead function when you are lighting a space like a bathroom. If you want to shave or apply makeup using your mirror, the ideal lighting would come first from each side of the mirror, and then from above it. Recessed lights in the ceiling are great for overall light in the space, and for lighting a shower stall from above, but aren’t useful for vanity lighting as they cast light straight down from over head, resulting in a shadowed, rather haggard look. Bright, cool bulbs will give you a clearer view, but consider keeping them frosted to allow for a more diffuse light that casts fewer shadows.
Once you have the function in hand, you can consider form.
Fixture finishes
Warm metals are making a real comeback in bathrooms and this often goes hand in hand with the current desire for a historic look—and you don’t need to own a heritage home to make this look work for your space. Heritage-style bathrooms with patterned tile floors, tiled showers, and claw foot tubs are the perfect place to add a bit of warm brass in the fixtures to complement the vintage look.
Gold fixtures are for those among us who love to add a touch of luxe to our spaces. While the idea may bring to mind images of an oligarch’s over-the-top, glittering bathroom, gold fixtures can be used judiciously to great effect. Paired with a simple theme, such as a bathroom with a black and white monochrome appearance, gold fixtures and hardware can add an edge of sophistication to the look.
Matte black is another popular finish in bathroom fixtures, and this can work in every style from the heritage bathroom to a sleek, modern marble design. Take note of the style of the tap, shower head, light fixture, etc, to ensure it works with your chosen look. If you are going for a contemporary feel, clean simple lines will work better than more ornate fixtures.
High-tech toilets
The opposition to the idea that the average North American has to have a bidet simply baffles me. I won’t go into detail save to say, don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. And these days, you don’t have to add a separate unit to enjoy the all the benefits of a bidet. Toilets can now be purchased with a dazzling variety of features, from heated seats, to motorized lids, night lights, and even an air dryer—which may address some of your bidet-related concerns. While you can spend upwards of $5,000 on such toilets, these days you can purchase simple modification kits or seats that can be attached to most toilets.
Small touches
Finally, when you visit a spa, it’s the little things that really make it special. I may not be able to have a full-time masseuse in my bathroom, but is a heated towel rack really out of reach? Finishing touches add a sense that this is not just a space of function(s) but a place where one can and should relax.
First, ensure that you have adequate space for all those fluffy white towels. If your shower is large enough, a high rack can be used to store these. You should have enough towel rods and hooks to accommodate a few bath towels and hand towels. And don’t forget a hook or two on the door for your robe.
Consideration should also be given to storage of lotions, bottles, and items that might otherwise clutter your countertop. Maximize any storage you do have with undercabinets and work some stylish storage into the rest of the space. If your look is heritage, think vintage baskets and carts for towels and toiletries. If your look is more modern, think of rolling utility cabinets, with frosted glass or flat fronts.
If you have natural light in your bathroom, consider adding some greenery—and by this I don’t mean just hang a spider plant from the ceiling in an old macramé planter. (I know macramé is making a comeback and I try not to judge what people love, but I judge macramé. I judge it.) A wide variety of plants thrive in the more humid air of the bathroom, including orchids, ferns, tillandsias (air plants), gorgeous fiddle-leaf figs, durable snake plants and many others. If you have the space, consider an arrangement of pots at varying heights and sizes. Greenery can soften colours and edges that might otherwise feel a bit cold and adds a natural touch that is both lush and inviting. Just make sure that there is adequate natural light for the plants.
No matter what look you choose and what features you think are most desirable in your new bathroom, remember to take the time to plan your project. Know your budget, browse websites and magazines for inspiration, decide on the look you want to achieve, and work your way through the steps that will need doing before you do so much as buy a single towel. Planning out each step makes a better end result. It’s also a great excuse to sink back into a hot bath with a glass of wine, while imagining your perfect home spa retreat.