Curtains in the bathroom may be an unusual choice, and we can already hear the objections. Steam and damp can of course be a problem for bathroom fabrics, but if you're fortunate enough to have a well-ventilated room, you should be safe. Curtains can add drama and elegance to a bathroom (not usually the most dramatic or elegant room in a house), as well as cosiness and the visual interest of pattern. From sumptuous floor to ceiling fabrics to quirky cabin florals, formal pelmets to voluptuous swags, scroll down for the best of bathroom curtains...

 

 

Blue & Cream

BLUE & CREAM

Paolo Moschino designed this bathroom in nautical creams and blues. The pelmets of the curtains - with their clean, straight lines and border of blue - stand out amidst the calm scheme. The linen curtains are made from 'Nyvelle Oyster' by Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam, while the light fittings are the 'Bathroom Storm Wall Light' from Vaughan, available in chrome and nickel, costing £349.

TIM BEDDOW

Navy Blue Bathroom

NAVY BLUE BATHROOM

In this small bathroom, designer Robert Moore has painted the walls in a deep blue, 'Basalt' by Little Greene. The applied mouldings form a framework for the French empire wall sconces and a Fifties French mirror. The fabric used for the curtains is 'Palma Large' from Bernard Thorp (£75 per metre).

 

Taupe

TAUPE

The elegant bathroom in the Inchyras' Scottish estate features taupe curtains, a matching claw-foot bathtub and a view to the garden.

 

White and Floral

WHITE AND FLORAL

Interior designer Caroline Harrowby has used a simple colour palette and beautiful furnishings to create an elegantly proportioned bathroom in this Georgian town house. Using floor-length floral curtains adds a pop of colour to the room, while the large mirror creates the illusion of space. Both stand out against the all-white scheme, which also features a 'Roman' bath from The Bathworks. (See our home hacks using mirrors for more ideas.)

 

ALEXANDER JAMES

Pink and Purple

PINK AND PURPLE

Pink walls the colour of setting plaster, contrast with deep pink curtains in the bathroom of Henrietta Courtauld of The Land Gardeners'. Her London house, redesigned by architect Maria Speake of Retrouvius, features reclaimed marble running up to dado height, and finished with a band of antique bevelled mirror for a touch of sparkle. The clawfoot bath, positioned next to the window is a deep aubergine purple.

 

ELSA YOUNG

White and Cream

WHITE AND CREAM

When Emma Holman-West inherited Alscot Park, she was just 19 years old. When she moved in, 'we had death-watch beetle and ceilings falling in. I used to get so stressed, but now I am inured', says Emma. The Warwickshire home has now been transformed into a beautiful relaxing space. The bathroom has a simple white free-standing tub, which is complemented by the simple fabric on the chairs. The floor-length curtains add height and draws your eye to the glass chandelier.

 

Wood and Florals

WOOD AND FLORALS

A wood panelled bathroom at Soho Farmhouse featuring a free-standing bath - one of Soho House's signature looks. Matching floral curtains and blinds add colour and a pretty touch to the scheme without dominating it. The design was inspired by Upstate New York cabin culture.

 

 

There are houses that repel with gates and buzzers, and then there are houses that open their arms in welcome. Combining classical proportions and traditional furnishings with the informal elements of family life, this house in Cornwall has proved to be the perfect acquisition for its owners. Set in one of the lushest and loveliest parts of Cornwall, overlooking an estuary and close to the sea, this house is a welcomer. One of the guest bathrooms is occupied by a freestanding bath.

 

SIMON UPTON

 

In the main bathroom of this refurbished disused chapel in Somerset, black and white floor tiles are contrasted with a bird print fabric curtain that covers the gothic-style pointed window. Originaly, these windows were in danger of being lost during the restoration of the home. It was only when enlightened local planning official, councillor Martin Lee suggested owners Laura Stoddart and Jonathan Delafield Cook build a second storey, rather than keep a tried and ill thought out lean-to that the couple embraced the design of the chapel and repeated this window style in the other rooms.

 

PAUL MASSEY

 

Curtains in Robert Kime 'Wild Iris' linen hang in this country bathroom, which has been decorated with a pale palette. The star-shaped lighting adds an unusual touch to the traditional space. See Vaughan's 'Star Lantern' lights for similar.

 

The free standing cream clawfoot bathtub, white walls and natural wooden floorboards ensure that this space is simple and unfussy in its design.

 

This restored Georgian house in Somerset was an irresistible challenge for its owners, who put together a team including architect Ptolemy Dean for the painstaking restoration, which won a Georgian Group award in 2015.