So, what’s on your list this Christmas? Presents? Yes. Mince pies? Of course. Decorations? Absolutely. New bathroom? Hmmm…
In reality, not many of us wish for a new bathroom for Christmas, however, it could just be the perfect time to give your dilapidated old interiors an entirely new look, especially with friends and family coming to visit.
Creating a warm and welcoming home for the festive period can be a very attractive proposition indeed. There’s nothing quite like the comforts of home to keep you feeling all snug and cosy, especially when it’s cold and dark outside.
Whilst there are plenty of options for your living room, dining room and kitchen, your bathroom can prove to be an all-too-tricky prospect. Here at VictoriaPlum.com, we don’t think this vital space should miss out on all the festive fun, and I’m here to show you exactly how you can bring some seasonal style to your bathroom, whilst still saving some cash for all those little stocking fillers. As part of our celebration of The Great British Bathroom, I’m proud to welcome you to The Lodge.
The perfect festive home
I bet you can already picture the type of festive home you’d like to live in. I know I can! It’d have a crackling log fire, big, comfy sofas and natural wood features, all softly lit by candlelight. The decorations are up, the subtle scent of pine needles fills the air, and I’m ready to invite my guests in from the cold for some hot chocolate and festive treats.
When it comes to my interiors, I want every inch of my home to feel warm and welcoming, which is why we’ve come up with this bathroom style—and I've named it “The Lodge”. Drawing on elements you’d find in an Alpine forest retreat, let’s take a closer look at this style and how you can achieve it.
Inspiration for your winter-themed bathroom
Contrary to what you might think, a winter-themed bathroom can look great at any time of year. So, don’t be put off designing it with this style in mind.
Unlike some styles, you’ll literally be spoilt for choice when it comes to finding inspiration for your bathroom. There are so many creative routes you can take with this theme, but for “The Lodge” look, I’ve created a mood board, just to give you a bit of festive flavour.
As you can tell, wood finishes are central to the look, with the more festive aspects being created by accessories. The great thing is, you can swap accessories as the seasons change, creating a spring or summer cabin look, if the mood takes you.
Creating your perfect winter bathroom
To show you that a festive bathroom isn’t hard to achieve, I worked with our in-house team at Victoria Plum to create this inspirational room set.
My bathroom contains the following key elements:
- A simple contemporary style
- Exposed wooden surfaces
- A large freestanding bath
- Furniture with warm, wood finishes
- Scented candles and mood lighting
- Festive decorations and accessories
Choosing the right products for The Lodge bathroom
Furniture
Yes, you’ve guessed it. Wood really is the word when it comes to creating this look. So, you’ll want to invest in bathroom furniture that presents a warm and welcoming feel. Oak, pine, or even darker finishes like walnut, can all be used to do this. Make sure your furniture matches and is unfussy in style, to complement the clean, contemporary look.
If you have walls that can support them, wall hung units help to keep your floor space free, making cleaning easier, without interrupting the view of your beautiful flooring. Plus, with ample storage space, your bathroom won’t be cluttered with all those items that would otherwise cause a mess.
Bath, shower or both?
In my room set, we’ve added separate bath and shower installations, just to demonstrate what you can achieve in terms of style. However, with the average bathroom being somewhere around 2.3m x 2.7m, you may have to choose one over the other, or else fit a multi-functional shower bath.
Whilst you're still mulling over your options (and who’d say no to a mulled wine at this time of year?), a freestanding bath could really provide the centrepiece for this look. After all, there really is nothing better than wallowing in a nice hot bath when the temperature outside is in single figures! If this is the route you’re going down, opt for something clean and contemporary.
If a shower is more your thing, choose a space-saving quadrant design. One crucial thing I did with my room set, is to replace the traditional type of tiling on the inside of your shower enclosure for wood effect tiles or shower panels. This carries on the theme and provides a wall to floor “wood” surface, whilst still offering the same protection from water ingress.
Heating
It's during these winter months that your bathroom heating comes into the sharpest of sharp focus. It is absolutely vital to your overall design. At the end of the day, if your bathroom feels cold, you’re simply not going to want to spend time in it.
Whilst we've incorporated a roaring log fire into our bathroom room set, it's highly unlikely you'll be able to do the same! However, there are plenty of other great options available.
Depending on the position of your bathroom in your home, it may require a more powerful radiator or heated towel rail. This may be because the bathroom contains more than one external wall or only has a single glazed window.
Handy hint: Find out how to calculate the right BTU output for your bathroom heating.
Walls and floors
Wood is a great look for any cosy, winter interior, although it can be a tricky material to use in the bathroom. Engineered wood can be pre-treated for moisture-resistance, but generally, solid wood requires significant care and maintenance in a damp environment. This is why many people turn to wood-effect tiles and flooring, like vinyl flooring, to decorate their homes.
Wood effect tiles can be used on your walls to continue the warm and inviting feel, whilst slate effect tiles work well to break up the look a little, but still maintain a beautiful, natural feel.
One crucial element we haven’t touched upon is your accessories, so let’s take a look at that now…
Our top 5 winter accessories
Of course, there are some simple ways of adding some festive cheer to your bathroom décor. Here are our top 5 winter accessories:
- Scented candles — there’s nothing that looks like (or smells like) Christmas than a festive scent and the flickering glow of a candle.
- Garlands — a Christmas tradition stretching back centuries, wreaths or garlands are usually made from evergreens and brought into the home to symbolise strength. Nowadays, they will provide a much-needed touch of greenery for your interiors.
- Towels — add a touch of boldness by swapping those neutral towels for something more festive and cheerful.
- Seasonal flowers — Roses, Tulips, Orchids and Gerberas are all in season, so why not add a vase or two to complement your colour scheme?
- Tinsel – Now, before you dismiss this as the type of cheesy joke you’d find in your Christmas cracker, please hear me out! Despite being a decoration we most probably associate with the 1980s, tinsel is making a comeback. With a range of more subtle colours, it can be used to great effect around mirrors and lighting fixtures.
Christmas inspiration
Looking for further inspiration for your home this Christmas? Check out these festive-themed blog posts:
- Get your home ready for Christmas: The downstairs cloakroom
- Independent Living: Adapting your bathroom for disabled or elderly guests
- Create a detox bath for the morning after the Christmas party
- Our favourite Christmas songs to sing in the shower
- Bathroom Ideas: Enchanted Winter
The Great British Bathroom
All throughout the year, we’ve been celebrating everything that’s great about British bathrooms, from the smallest cloakroom to the grandest of grand designs. Discover fresh ideas for your home by clicking on the image below.
Shop The Lodge look today
With friends and family coming to visit, there’s no better time to give your bathroom a fresh new look. Browse our extensive range of stylish bathroom products from Orchard Bathrooms and shop The Lodge look today.