Introducing a new interior design trend for 2024, Helen Skelton and our creative team show you how to “Get the Look” with an understated yet luxurious bathroom—all at a surprisingly affordable cost.
If you’re tired of blingy, in-your-face bathrooms which look far too shiny and plastic-wrapped, have we got the antidote for you. In this bathroom style guide, we’ve come up with a look that is far more sophisticated, timeless and elegant. The perfect way to relax into 2024…
Helen Skelton is here to inspire
As part of the Victoria Plum team, Helen Skelton is here to lend a helping hand when it comes to styling your bathroom. With a keen interest in home interiors and a sharp eye for fashion, Helen and I have joined forces to bring you an on-trend bathroom design that appeals to young and old alike.
With this bathroom style guide, we’ll explain what the look is in simple terms and demonstrate how it can be achieved affordably in your own home.
Helen and I, busy working on our next bathroom style guide
Get the Look: Quiet Luxury
In the ever-evolving world of interior design, trends come and go, but some leave a lasting imprint that transcends the fleeting nature of fashion. Enter "Quiet Luxury", an upcoming interior design trend that finds its perfect home in the sanctuary of the bathroom.
Also known as the "Old Money Aesthetic", Quiet Luxury encapsulates an understated elegance that speaks volumes through its refined sophistication.
At its core, Quiet Luxury revolves around the art of investing in minimalist pieces of the highest quality, boasting timeless appeal. By blending understated design with luxurious materials, you can easily curate a space that is both calming and indulgent. Unlike bold, brash and flashy trends, Quiet Luxury focuses on creating a lasting impact through subtle, yet powerful, design choices.
Some of the main things we’ve considered when designing this bathroom include:
- A minimalist bath and showering space
- Making the most of existing design features, like high ceilings, windows and fireplace
- Soft, neutral shades and subtle textures
- Quality metallic finishes
- Curved, recessed shelving for on-trend storage space
- Ambient lighting as a design element
- Japandi style accessories in the form of pot plants
What sets Quiet Luxury apart is its accessibility. Identified by both Future Homes and Ideal Homes as an upcoming trend for the more budget-conscious, Quiet Luxury is the epitome of "anti-bling." It rejects ostentation in favour of timeless, understated design, making it an affordable luxury accessible to a broad audience. This trend proves that luxury isn’t simply confined to grand displays but can be seamlessly integrated into everyday living.
Next, we’ll take a closer look at some of the individual elements that make up our Quiet Luxury bathroom.
A palette of tranquillity
The colour palette of the Quiet Luxury look is a testament to its name. Soft, neutral shades dominate, creating an atmosphere of tranquillity. These calming hues, combined with subtle textures, elevate the space to new heights of understated opulence.
When approaching any bathroom design, a mood board (see below) is always a great way to see how all these colours, patterns and finishes work in harmony.
The design is carefully curated to evoke a sense of peace and sophistication, ensuring your bathroom becomes a genuine retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Styling your bathroom
Sleek, high quality fixtures take centre stage in our Quiet Luxury bathroom. Think antique bronze tapware and slipper baths that exude an air of refined simplicity.
The emphasis here is not on opulence for the sake of opulence but on the exquisite craftsmanship and enduring allure of each carefully chosen piece. This trend thrives on the Scandinavian principle of Lagom—that less is more, especially when each element is of the utmost quality.
Luxurious bathing
In our Quiet Luxury bathroom, the Chartham freestanding slipper bath from The Bath Co. proudly takes centre stage, allowing its gracious curves and refined sophistication speak for itself. And, while you might not have the same cavernous dimensions to play with, your choice of bath should clearly, yet subtly portray a sense of relaxation. We’ve complemented the bath with elegant standpipes and the Winchester bath shower mixer tap from Orchard Bathrooms.
We used the following products:
- The Bath Co. Chartham traditional double ended slipper bath 1675 x 865
- Orchard Winchester bath shower mixer tap
A decadent showering space
Nothing whispers luxury like a walk in wet room shower. Echoing the traditional designs throughout our Quiet Luxury bathroom, we’ve opted for the vintage-inspired Dulwich thermostatic twin round shower valve set which comes complete with an overhead drench shower and handset. Meanwhile, the wet room glass panel from Mode Bathrooms offers sleek and unobtrusive protection from splashes, keeping the rest of your bathroom nice and dry.
We used the following products:
- Mode Burton 8mm wet room glass panel with overhead support bar
- Orchard Dulwich thermostatic twin round shower valve set with handset
Quality ceramics
Set atop a rustic cabinet which can either be new or, in this case, upcycled, you’ll find the Ellis countertop basin from Mode Bathrooms. Minimalist and contemporary in its design, it’s the ideal choice for our Quiet Luxury bathroom, complemented by gorgeous antique bronze wall taps from The Bath Co. Positioned above the basin area, making use of both the natural and artificial ambient light is the Dalston mirror from The Bath Co. Featuring a rustic wood surround and handy shelf, it offers a more refined look, when compared to conventional bathroom mirrors and cabinets.
We used the following products:
- Mode Ellis countertop basin 485mm
- The Bath Co. Dalston antique bronze wall mounted basin mixer tap
- The Bath Co. Dalston bathroom mirror with shelf 750 x 600mm
For the toilet, we’ve gone with a low level design which gives a real timeless look without being too in-your-face or flashy. This comes complete with a limed oak-effect seat which fits seamlessly with the distressed wood in both the cabinet and flooring design.
We used the following products:
Elegant heating
While this bathroom enjoys the luxury of a roaring fireplace, we do realise few homes are blessed with such a wonderful original feature. When choosing our heating, we wanted something practical yet luxurious, which is why we selected the Santa Fe traditional radiator from The Heating Co. Featuring a traditional design that complements the rest of our fixtures, it goes about its business quietly and efficiently, yet with an understated elegance that encapsulates the entire look.
We used the following products:
Soft neutral walls and floors
In keeping with our soft neutral palette, we've opted for a mix of traditional white wood panelling and limewashed walls. The overall effect is warm, welcoming and wonderfully relaxing.
Light grey tiles have been used sparingly around the shower area, whilst the flooring is made up of splash-resistant composite planks, designed to look just like weathered wood.
We used the following products:
Japandi style accessories
With the emphasis on "less is more", we've carefully selected a small number of accessories, combining both form and function.
Plant pots and ornaments are Japandi in style; simple, minimalist, organic, drawing from the very best in Japanese and Scandi designs.
We used the following accessory ranges:
Ambient lighting for subdued opulence
In our Quiet Luxury bathroom, lighting isn’t just a practical consideration; it's a design element in itself. While functional downlights are great for everyday use, ambient lighting plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall sense of understated luxury.
Soft, warm lighting fixtures, like the pendant light above the basin area, contribute to the tranquil ambience, creating a space where every moment is bathed in sophistication.
Get the Look in a small bathroom
Quiet Luxury small bathroom
If you've been captivated by this style, but only have a small space to play with, we've shrunk the look down a little.
To save on space, we've applied a handful of interior design tricks, including the installation of a multi-purpose shower bath. The Dulwich freestanding shower bath features all the timeless qualities of a roll top tub, whilst allowing you to enjoy your morning shower in comfort. Meanwhile, we've replaced the vanity unit from our larger room set with a basin shelf, which helps keep vital floor space free.
We used the following products:
- Orchard Dulwich freestanding shower bath with 8mm black framed shower screen 1500 x 780
- Mode Orion chestnut wall hung countertop basin shelf
- The Bath Co. Dalston antique bronze wall mounted bath mixer tap
- The Bath Co. Camberley close coupled toilet with wooden soft close seat white
Quiet Luxury cloakroom
Your downstairs cloakroom is one of those rooms which will leave a lasting impression on friends, family and house guests alike. And this one is simple, yet sophisticated, complete with a traditional wall hung basin and toilet combination. The elements that remain constant throughout our smaller bathrooms include the tiles, limewash walls, panelling, feature lighting and timeless fixtures.
We used the following products:
Be inspired!
Quiet Luxury isn’t just a design trend; it's a philosophy that invites tranquillity and elegance into our homes. As we embrace this upcoming trend in bathroom design, we’re reminded that true luxury lies not in the extravagant, but in the refined simplicity that stands the test of time. Quiet Luxury is a whisper that resonates, inviting us to create spaces that reflect not only our style but our commitment to enduring beauty.
Check out the rest of Helen’s style guides
If you’ve been inspired to “Get the Look”, discover a whole variety of stylish bathrooms, designed by Helen and our creative team. Click on any of the links below for more bathroom ideas:
- 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 inspirational bathroom style guides, head to our “Get the Look” hub by clicking below or search #GetTheLook on Instagram or X.
#VPShareYourStyle on Instagram
If there’s one thing we love above all others, it’s when you #VPShareYourStyle with us! We simply can’t get enough of your new bathroom photos!
Simply take pics of your new bathroom (containing Victoria Plum products), post on social media and tag us @VictoriaPlumUK on Instagram or X, using hashtag #VPShareYourStyle.
