Throughout 2019, we’re celebrating The Great British Bathroom with weekly ideas and inspiration for your home. With our “Get the Look” style guide, I'll show you to get creative with colour to produce a bathroom that is bright, bold and cheerful.
First off, let's lay all our cards on the table. Bathrooms aren't usually colourful. In fact, in recent times, we've seen a move away from bright hues with neutral palettes and monochrome bathrooms fast becoming the norm.
However, over the past year, colour has been making a comeback in a big way. Indeed, in 2018 we predicted that colourful creative bathrooms would be the next big thing (if you don’t believe me, why not take a look at my blog post?).
In this style guide, we’ll explore this growing trend and I’ll show you ways in which you can apply it to your bathroom.
What is a Colourful Creative bathroom?
Whilst grey remains the on-trend colour of choice for many a bathroom makeover, homeowners up and down the UK are being bolder with their colour palette. We’re seeing more in the way of darker colours used in bathrooms to create a moody, theatrical setting but, at the same time, people are experimenting with brighter shades.
Another interior design trend that is leading to greater experimentation with colour is the outdoors indoors look. With more and varied plant life in your home, natural foliage adds a greener touch to your décor.
With a whole rainbow of colours to choose from, you might want to check out our top 6 bathroom colour ideas for 2019, for inspiration.
One quick and easy way to see if your choice of colours will work for your bathroom space is to create a mood board. Add colour swatches, materials and images, as I’ve done below.
Colourful Creative bathroom ideas
There really are infinite ways you can be creative with colour in your bathroom, so I’ve pulled out just a few easy-to-achieve ideas, which will result in a cohesive and coordinated look.
Split wall panels
Wall panels are a great cost-effective, time-saving alternative to tiles and can be used to inject colour into your décor in a creative way.
In our Colourful Creative bathroom, we used the following panels:
- Zenolite plus air acrylic shower wall panel 2440 x 1220
- Zenolite plus fossil acrylic shower wall panel 2440 x 1220
- Zenolite plus earth acrylic shower wall panel 2440 x 1220
Using conventional tools, simply plan out where and how you want to separate your wall panels and cut accordingly. The panels are fixed using adhesive and create a watertight barrier, which is ideal for splash zones.
If our chosen colourway isn’t quite what you’re after, there are other combinations which work equally well.
If you don’t know where to start, pick up a colour wheel, then check out our latest videos on YouTube, which show you how to use them.
Make your own Macrame plant hanger
Handcrafted products are proving ever more popular in British bathrooms, adding a unique personal touch to your overall design.
If you’re looking to add more plant life but lack the shelf space, why not create your own Macrame plant hanger? It’s really easy to do and adds to your green theme, without using up any extra storage.
Use ladder shelving
Ladder shelving is the on-trend storage of choice for many fashion-conscious homeowners. Not only does it provide an easy way to stow away essentials like toiletries and towels, but it's also a great place to display colourful items from your travels or handcrafted accessories you’ve made yourself. It’s also the perfect place to keep trailing pot plants.
Find out how to organise your ladder shelving.
Colourful Creative in a small bathroom
With the average British bathroom being roughly 2.5m x 2.5m in size, many people are afraid to use bold colours, as they feel they will be oppressive or make the space feel smaller. However, this simply isn’t true.
Use a mix of white walls and colourful panels to create a light and bright space that meets your needs. A washstand is perfect for a smaller bathroom, with a contemporary look and feel, plus open plan storage space beneath. Choose a matching mirror with extra hanging space.
A walk in shower enclosure will help maximise both natural and artificial light, keeping your creative and colourful walls in full view at all times. Don't forget to check out our small spaces hub for more small bathroom ideas.
Check back with us for further inspiration
If you’re new to “Get the Look”, why not browse some of my previous style guides to discover the very latest in bathroom design trends. Or head to The Great British Bathroom page for further inspiration.
