23 Sep MAKE A SPLASH WITH COLOUR IN YOUR BATHROOM
Make a Splash with Colour in Your Bathroom
When designing a bathroom, there are many things to deliberate and colour is one of them – there are many factors you should think about when choosing your bathroom colour scheme.
“We always encourage new clients to collect inspiration from magazines so that they have an idea of what they like and dislike. We also work with them to help build a bank of ideas or schemes that they prefer by using channels such as Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz, collating all the ideas for the bathroom online meaning both myself and the client can access this easily,” says Emily Hyde, Designer at Sanctuary Kitchens and Bathrooms.
Thinking about the mood of the bathroom is also important. Is the space going to be relaxing, playful or a haven to escape to? For family bathrooms, we often add some colour to bring an element of fun into the room and this could be via either the vanity unit or a glass mosaic in the niches to lift the scheme. We also work on quite masculine schemes for the men of the family, which focus on warm greys with sleek linear lines for the fittings and finishes.
In a bathroom, we always consider the aspect of the room – a north aspect lends itself to warm undertones to ‘heat’ up the room and therefore strong accent colours such as red or orange would be used to assist with this.
Adjoining rooms also need to be taken into account, for example, if the bathroom is ensuite there may be a particular colour scheme from the bedroom, bed linen or wallpaper that could flow into the bathroom.
Patterns are another way to bring colour into the bathroom. “Patterns can be used successfully by adding both interest and colour to draw the eye to a particular area. There are some really great geometric patterns on the market at the moment and also some interesting vintage designs which would work well in a classic or eclectic scheme which would provide a really individual style to a room,” says Emily.
Mosaics are another particularly effective way to add a lift to a scheme as they can incorporate different tones creating a vibrant finish. Towels and accessories can also be chosen in the same colour to compliment your scheme and keep the bathroom looking co-ordinated.
We would mix up neutral colours by incorporating texture to add interest so the room has layers to it. Texture can be added via use of floor and wall coverings whether this is with tile, stone or furniture.
Light colours can be really useful in lifting a room in a north aspect and we would quite often introduce polished surfaces to heighten this, again to bounce the light around the room. Light schemes also work really well in rooms with little or no natural light. Dark colours on the other hand, add an element of drama to a space and can be really effective in both small and larger proportioned rooms. “We encourage clients to be bold, don’t be afraid of mixing it up and going for something dramatic and striking – there are no rules with interiors!” explains Emily.
The most popular schemes we come across are still relatively neutral; we are still seeing “Greige” as being very on-trend. This is a mix of finishes that are neither grey nor beige hence the play on words. Egyptian cotton from Dulux is a really good example of this colour and it works well with literally any accent colour so great if you are keen to incorporate a strong accent colour to add some punch within your scheme.
Another thing to consider is adding colour to your bathroom by using colourful accessories alone. If you feel more comfortable playing it safe, colour can be added via blinds, towels and accessories that are on display. Plants, whether natural or artificial, also always add an element of colour and interest. We would always consider accessories and where there are placed key to a cohesive scheme.
If you’d like to discuss your ideas in more depth, get in touch with one of our designers today.
