Bringing the outdoor bathing vibe to your home, Helen Skelton and the Victoria Plum team are here to show you how to “Get the Look" and go alfresco with our latest bathroom style guide.
Hello. My name’s Ruth and I’m the resident interior designer here at Victoria Plum. One of the most exciting parts of my job is delving into the latest trends in home interiors, plucking out the hottest topics and showing you how to achieve them in your own home.
Something that has been on my radar for quite some time is the rise in outdoor activities and the blurring of the lines between indoor and outdoor living. And, while the weather in the UK can be a tad unpredictable, the summer months bring us a brief window in which to enjoy this type of lifestyle.
Outdoor bathing, in particular, is something that more and more of us are discovering the joys of. The benefits of ice baths are well known and many people are now opting to take their bathing out into the open, where they can relax and unwind, surrounded by nature.
In this style guide, I, along with Victoria Plum’s very own Helen Skelton, show you how you can create your very own outdoor bathing retreat and also how to recreate that same vibe in your indoor spaces.
Fresh design flair with Helen Skelton
From the radio waves to your TV screen, you’ll no doubt have seen or heard Helen Skelton doing what she does best. Helen’s infectious enthusiasm and keen interest in style and fashion make her the ideal person to help us shape our latest bathroom style guide. Plus, as a busy working mum, Helen understands more than most the need for a peaceful retreat in which to focus on her own wellbeing. That’s why we’ve teamed up to bring you this fresh new look!
Find out more about Helen Skelton and her role at Victoria Plum by clicking on the image above
Get the Look: Go Alfresco with outdoor bathing
If you’re looking to take the plunge and create your very own outdoor bathing area, organic colours, textures and materials are a great place to start—after all, you want to experience nature in all its beauty.
A mood board, like this one, is always worth putting together
An open-fronted, cabin-style space is ideal for this purpose, allowing you to close off your bathing area from the elements, should the great British weather turn unpleasant. However, one thing you will need to do before you begin is ensure proper drainage and plumbing can be put in place, not to mention electrics for lighting and, potentially, heating.
Whether you’re creating this amazing space for you, your partner or even a holiday let, take inspiration from our Go Alfresco outdoor bathing area below.
The fundamental elements of our outdoor bathing design include the following:
- A showstopping freestanding bath
- Wood decking and frames
- Optional outdoor shower
- Great use of both natural and artificial light
- Jute, rattan and linen accessories
- Simple yet durable limewash-painted wall
- Pot plants for added greenery
Next, let’s take a closer look at just some of the products we chose to shape our outdoor bathing paradise.
Taking centre stage
For a showstopping centrepiece to our outdoor bathing experience, we’ve gone all out! The Rembrandt freestanding bath from The Bath Co. is the very definition of luxury.
The traditional roll top slipper bath design is made from copper (with a nickel-plated interior), hand-beaten and polished by expert craftspeople for an exquisite finish. Each bath is made to order, meaning the design is totally unique to you.
And, when it comes to alfresco bathing, this copper bath will really catch the sunlight. Glitzy, glamorous and incredibly opulent.
For an eclectic look that combines traditional design with simple, contemporary style, we’ve paired the tub with the Carter freestanding bath filler tap from Mode Bathrooms. This premium product comes with a waterfall spout, producing an almost zen-like experience as the water flows gently and serenely into the bath. A detachable handset comes in very handy when washing and cleaning your bath.
We used the following products:
Outdoor showering
Going neatly hand-in-hand with the alfresco bathing trend is the rise in outdoor showers. Often something you’d only find at the poolside in a hotel or villa, outdoor showers offer the potential to reconnect with nature.
For ease of use and contemporary style, we’ve gone with the Harrison thermostatic shower set from Mode Bathrooms. The sleek, concealed system comes complete with a fixed overhead shower, round handset and a triple valve, so you can use both outlets simultaneously. With an anti-scald cut-off feature, you can expect safe, consistent water temperature.
We used the following products:
A beautiful basin
To wash and brush up in style, we’ve also incorporated a beautiful countertop basin unit into our outdoor bathing area. Consisting of the oval-shaped Tate basin, Orion oak shelf and Cooper wall mounted waterfall basin mixer tap, all from Mode Bathrooms, we’ve accessorised with coloured glass accessories from Accents.
We used the following products:
- Mode Tate countertop basin 555mm (see above)
- Mode Orion oak wall hung countertop basin shelf
- Accents Renaissance bathroom accessories
- Mode Cooper wall mounted waterfall basin mixer tap (see below)
Tending to the practicalities
While style and sophistication are at the forefront of this design, what about the more practical aspects of an outdoor bathing space, like storage? Well, we've thought of that too! Introducing the Dulwich open storage cabinet from Orchard Bathrooms. Made from moisture-resistant engineered wood, with a traditional tongue and groove design, plus oak laminate insert, this floorstanding bathroom furniture cabinet is the perfect place to store towels.
As I've previously touched upon, the great British weather certainly isn't always hot and sunny, which is where our next product pick comes into its own. To keep things warm and welcoming during those colder months, the Terma Rolo Room true copper radiator is a great choice for this space. While the vertical design takes up very little precious wall space, the copper finish complements our bath to perfection.
We used the following products
Recreating the outdoor bathing vibe indoors
For many of us, an outdoor bathing area is something we can only dream of. In terms of both practicality and cost, it may simply be a step too far. However, that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the outdoor bathing vibe in your own home. You just need to use a little imagination!
To help you create a space where you feel at one with nature, we’ve recreated the look for a master bathroom and cloakroom.
Get the Look in a master bathroom
One of the first things we considered when bringing that outdoors bathing feel to this bathroom is natural light. Large, almost full-length windows allow sunshine to flood into this space from 2 sides. We’ve kept with the same showstopping bath, which looks simply incredible positioned as close to the exterior wall as possible.
And, while we may not be physically outdoors, we’ve given this bathroom a fresh, botanical feel with a leafy mural that extends right around 2 of the interior walls. However, if you're not big into wall art, you could cut some corners with Banana Trees shower wall panels from Kinewall. Complement with pot plants suitable for bathrooms and, hey presto, you’re suddenly relaxing amidst lush, verdant greenery.
Around the rest of the bathroom, we’ve kept things light and bright, with beautiful herringbone-patterned tiles making a feature of the half-height false wall, which also doubles up as a handy shelf.
The wall hung VitrA Ava toilet, coupled with a wall hung basin area, helps keep the floor space free, where light grey stone-effect tiles continue the organic theme. For storage space, we’ve added the Dulwich white open storage area for all those bathtime essentials.
For those who simply can’t be without a shower, we haven’t forgotten you! Tucked neatly into the corner, we’ve added a walk in wet room enclosure in the same style as our outdoor shower area. Complete with glass screen to minimise splashing, this beautiful design helps to keep your bathroom feeling light, bright and open plan.
Where possible, we added further copper elements, like the vertical radiator, to complement the bath, plus wooden surfaces and organic materials, like the wicker lampshade, for a more organic feel.
We used the following products
- VitrA Ava round rimless wall hung toilet and soft close seat
- Mode Burton 8mm wet room glass panel with overhead support bar
- Calcolo Cottage white ceramic wall tile 75 x 300mm
- Accents Caesars mirror in black 900 x 700mm
Get the Look in a small bathroom or cloakroom
Even if you’re only updating a small, downstairs toilet, you can still experience that outdoor bathing vibe (just minus the bath!).
We’ve incorporated many elements from our outdoor bathing bathroom into this small space, including the botanical wall panels, herringbone-patterned tiles and stone-effect floor.
The asymmetrical mirror is influenced by the randomness of nature and makes a great addition to this space, reflecting light and making the room feel larger. Again, the wall hung toilet and basin help create a clean, minimalist environment that’s easy to keep clean. Accessorise with pot plants and some beautiful, coloured glass for that warm, welcoming outdoors feel the whole year round.
Discover more of Helen’s inspirational bathroom style guides
Whether you’re going all out for an amazing outdoor bathing space or simply taking some of our design tips and making them your own, we hope you’ve enjoyed our latest bathroom style guide.
To help you #GetTheLook, why not check out some of Helen’s other bathroom style guides?
Simply click on any of the links below and discover a look you love:
- Helen Skelton’s Art Deco Reimagined
- Helen Skelton's Quiet Luxury
- Helen Skelton's Artistic and Whimsical bathroom for young adults
- Helen Skelton's Warm and Sophisticated bathroom for young adults
- Helen Skelton's Sleek and Contemporary bathroom for young adults
- Get the Look: Helen Skelton’s Less Mess, No Stress family bathroom
- Get the Look: Helen Skelton's Oasis of Calm
- Get the Look: Helen Skelton’s country style
For even more bathroom inspiration, why not browse all of our #GetTheLook style guides? Simply click on the image below to begin.
Share Your Style with us!
Do you have a Victoria Plum bathroom you’re proud of? Why not show off your handiwork to the world and #VPShareYourStyle with us? It’s really quick and easy to do:
- Follow the instructions on emails we’ll send you once you’ve completed your order to upload to our site
- Share on Instagram: Tag us @VictoriaPlumUK and use hashtag #VPShareYourStyle
- Share on X: Tag us Tag us @VictoriaPlumUK and use hashtag #VPShareYourStyle
