It can be all too easy to fall back on a contemporary, minimalist style when it comes to decorating bathrooms. But as Rumer Neill shows here, the bathroom is the perfect space in which to experiment with bold ideas

The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the house, and provides a brilliant opportunity to have fun with design and play with colour and pattern. Think beyond the functional and make it a decorated space. Although it can be tempting to keep a bathroom pared-back with just the essential elements, the space has the potential to be furnished like any other room in the house. Adding a mix of furniture and accessories will give it character. In this round-up of design ideas, Ben Pentreath and Jane Ormsby Gore offer their opinions on the importance of baths and that most controversial bathroom element, the carpet, followed by a collection of our favourite decorated spaces.

 

 

 

Ben Pentreath on baths

"I nearly didn’t have time to write about baths this evening, because – as usual – I was having a bath. I love a shower in the morning, but nothing beats a bath at night. There isn’t anything more relaxing before bed than lying in a hot bath, listening to Radio 4 (as long as it is not the news). I don’t think I could live in a house without a bath.

 

The golden rule of any bath is that it must be made of cast iron. Accept no substitute. Though cold to start with, the iron draws out the heat of the water and stores it, acting as its own radiator.

 

Freestanding baths look beautiful, especially against panelling or in front of a window but are, in a sense, less practical than a built-in bath with a nice, easy-to-clean surround and plenty of places for the shampoo. No bath should ever be shaped like a slipper or an egg – those shapes should be reserved for slippers, or eggs.

 

In some projects, we are lucky enough to have original old cast-iron baths, or clients who want to buy them. For new, my normal specification is good old Aston Matthews, or Drummonds if something lavish and Edwardian-esque is required. Above all, go for as large a size as you can in the room available: a long, deep soak is the ultimate luxury."

 

benpentreath.com

 

 

Jane Ormsby Gore on bathroom carpets

In the bathroom, carpet is very much out of fashion, but I absolutely love it. It brings warmth and comfort to the space, elevating a bathroom to a room in its own right. It’s also far more friendly on bare feet.

 

I put this carpet into my bathroom [pictured] 19 years ago and haven’t changed it since. It is stair carpet, which is hard-wearing, so isn’t marked by splashes from the bath or wet feet. If you want to use carpet but are anxious about getting water on it, I suggest placing the bath on a slab of slate, which you can then run the carpet around. However, water shouldn’t mark a well-made carpet – I recommend Gerratts Carpet Planners, who can source and supply anything you want. And as long as you’re careful with any bath oils you use and give the carpet a good vacuum regularly, there won’t be a problem with cleanliness.

 

While carpet in the bathroom is admittedly less practical for families with young children, who tend to splash more vigorously than adults, it can often be a far safer choice underfoot than slippery tiles. Carpet also looks wonderful when it is combined with antiques, which can sometimes appear rather austere in a bathroom with a wooden floor.’

 

jrdesign.org

 

 

A combination of rich tones creates an intimate effect.

◦ Rough-plastered walls in ‘Tanner’s Brown’, from Farrow & Ball.

◦ Ceiling in ‘Sitwell Red’, from Konig Colours.

◦ Mirror, from Gallery Direct.

◦ Similar basin, marble ‘Kasos Round Decorative Vessel', by Kallista, from West One Bathrooms.

◦ ‘Penny’ mosaic floor tiles (bronze), from Ann Sacks.

 

Designed by Studio Duggan.

 

studioduggan.com

 

 

Floorboards painted in a chequerboard pattern make a bold statement.

◦ Panelling in ‘All White’, from Farrow & Ball.

◦ ‘Candide’ bath, from Waterworks.

◦ ‘La Chapelle Basin with Pedestal’, from Lefroy Brooks.

 

Architecture by Gil Schafer; designed by Rita Konig.

 

gpschafer.com | ritakonig.com

 

 

In this scheme with shades of green and white, plain tiles balance the floral wallpaper.

◦ ‘Prismatics’ tiles (willow), from Johnson Tiles.

◦ ‘Japanese Floral’ wallpaper, from Curious Egg.

◦ ‘La Chapelle Console Basin’, from Lefroy Brooks.

◦ For similar bath, try CP Hart.

 

Designed by Charlotte Macaux Perelman.

 

studio-cmp.com

 

 

A glazed cupboard is an elegant option for storing towels and other bathroom essentials.

◦ For similar antique wooden cabinet, try Vinterior.

◦ Walls in ‘Quartz Grey’, from Dulux.

◦ ‘Fireclay Deco’ bath, from The Water Monopoly.

 

Designed by Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay.

 

henrifitzwilliamlay.com

 

 

The painted exterior of an antique bath picks up on the rich tones of vintage accessories.

◦ For similar bath, try Drummonds; painted in ‘Charlotte’s Locks’, from Farrow & Ball.

◦ For similar wooden cabinet, try Societique.

◦ For similar vintage poster, try Tomkinson Churcher.

 

Designed by Guy Tobin.

 

@guytobin2

 

 

Panelling painted in a toning shade offsets intricate wallpaper.

◦ ‘St Abbs’ wallpaper, from Robert Kime.

◦ Panelling in ‘Jonquil’, from Edward Bulmer Natural Paint.

◦ ‘Aquila’ light, from Pooky.

◦ ‘Edwardian 800mm Basin’ with ‘Regal Pedestal’, from Burlington.

◦ Chair covered in ‘Daisy Chintz’, from Lewis & Wood.

◦ Cushion in ‘Lynxia’, from Robert Kime.

◦ ‘Antique Gold’ sisal, from Crucial Trading.

 

Designed by Carlos Sánchez-García.

 

carlosgarciainteriors.com

 

 

Patterns and panelling bring character to this small space.

◦ Ceiling in ‘Apple Smiles II’; woodwork in ‘Stone V’; both from Paint & Paper Library.

◦ ‘Strawberry Tree’ wallpaper, from Cole & Son.

◦ Blind in ‘Grosgrain’ (picnic green), by Kravet, from GP & J Baker.

◦ ‘Marlborough Cloakroom Basin’, from West One Bathrooms.

 

Designed by Laura Stephens.

 

laurastephens.co.uk

 

 

Pretty prints in delicate patterns are anchored by dark-painted panelling.

◦ Woodwork in ‘Salvador’, from Paint & Paper Library.

◦ ‘Sunburst’ wallpaper (green), from Robert Kime.

◦ Curtains in ‘Sari’ linen, from Raoul Textiles.

◦ For similar basin, try Drummonds.

 

Designed by Caroline Holdaway.

 

carolineholdaway.com

 

 

In this project by Beata Heuman, her studio used Béton Ciré –a specially developed waterproof micro-concrete paste – in an earthy red hue to create a terracotta effect.