Bathroom Design
8 Ways to Elevate a Basic Bathroom
It’s often the details, such as finishes and materials, that make a standard room special
Adding interest to a standard bathroom doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune. By working in one or two key elements, you can lift the look and feel of the space and make the design feel more luxurious and considered. Take a look at these ideas to see how you could turn a functional bathroom into a more stylish room.
2. Give It Some Metal
Take your bathroom up a notch by adding hardware and fixtures with a metallic finish. Copper and brass are particularly popular for bringing some bling into a washroom.
Less is more when it comes to getting this look right, though, so stick to the same metal throughout the space and hold back on introducing too much. The bathroom seen here, by Nine Dot Design, has been lifted by a few key metallic elements. The brass works well with the white walls and the blue sink and flooring.
Take your bathroom up a notch by adding hardware and fixtures with a metallic finish. Copper and brass are particularly popular for bringing some bling into a washroom.
Less is more when it comes to getting this look right, though, so stick to the same metal throughout the space and hold back on introducing too much. The bathroom seen here, by Nine Dot Design, has been lifted by a few key metallic elements. The brass works well with the white walls and the blue sink and flooring.
3. Play With Pattern
Plain white tiles are a practical and cost-effective choice for a bathroom, but there are ways you can make them more interesting. Consider asking your tiler to lay them in a pattern that’s different from the standard brick bond formation.
In this bathroom, long white tiles have been positioned in a herringbone pattern, giving the space a designer look. Alternatively, you could stack the tiles vertically or go for a chevron design.
Plain white tiles are a practical and cost-effective choice for a bathroom, but there are ways you can make them more interesting. Consider asking your tiler to lay them in a pattern that’s different from the standard brick bond formation.
In this bathroom, long white tiles have been positioned in a herringbone pattern, giving the space a designer look. Alternatively, you could stack the tiles vertically or go for a chevron design.
4. Showcase Your Bathtub
If there’s one thing that can elevate your bathroom, it’s the tub. Opt for a freestanding bathtub and you’ll instantly add character. The right design depends on the style of your room. A contemporary bathroom can work with many modern freestanding designs on the market.
A bold graphic tile on the walls and floor of the bathroom here, by Joy Street Design, provides an attention-getting backdrop to the soaking tub.
If there’s one thing that can elevate your bathroom, it’s the tub. Opt for a freestanding bathtub and you’ll instantly add character. The right design depends on the style of your room. A contemporary bathroom can work with many modern freestanding designs on the market.
A bold graphic tile on the walls and floor of the bathroom here, by Joy Street Design, provides an attention-getting backdrop to the soaking tub.
5. Restore and Refine
Make your bathroom feel more considered by going with repurposed vintage pieces for your storage.
Here, the designers at NK Living chose a wooden sideboard and shelving unit in place of a bathroom vanity and wall cabinet. These pieces, together with vintage-style wall lights, wood paneling and artwork, help to create a space that feels different from a basic bathroom.
Make your bathroom feel more considered by going with repurposed vintage pieces for your storage.
Here, the designers at NK Living chose a wooden sideboard and shelving unit in place of a bathroom vanity and wall cabinet. These pieces, together with vintage-style wall lights, wood paneling and artwork, help to create a space that feels different from a basic bathroom.
6. Smarten Up Storage
While freestanding cabinets and wall shelves are useful for bathroom storage, some custom cabinetry will give your room an extra dimension.
Look around to find unused areas where you could fit some unique storage to make the room appear beautifully designed. The owners of the bathroom seen here hired a carpenter to make the most of a sloping niche. The recessed shelving is both practical and attractive.
While freestanding cabinets and wall shelves are useful for bathroom storage, some custom cabinetry will give your room an extra dimension.
Look around to find unused areas where you could fit some unique storage to make the room appear beautifully designed. The owners of the bathroom seen here hired a carpenter to make the most of a sloping niche. The recessed shelving is both practical and attractive.
7. Get Glowing
A carefully considered lighting design can turn a basic room into one that’s altogether more special. To plan lighting in a bathroom, consider combining overhead spotlights with subtler LED lighting in recesses around the space.
A design like the one by Megan Brakefield Interiors here is ideal, as it makes use of a recessed wood shelf for warm lighting near the sink, adding to the recessed ceiling lighting.
A carefully considered lighting design can turn a basic room into one that’s altogether more special. To plan lighting in a bathroom, consider combining overhead spotlights with subtler LED lighting in recesses around the space.
A design like the one by Megan Brakefield Interiors here is ideal, as it makes use of a recessed wood shelf for warm lighting near the sink, adding to the recessed ceiling lighting.
8. Be Radical
A heated towel rack is a nice extra in the bathroom, and the design you choose can make a particular impact. Consider ditching the usual chrome option for something more unusual, like this black version.
The white bathroom is simple and practical, but the professionals at Hope Lucia Design added touches of black to give it a boost. The matte black heated rack is the perfect choice to make the bathroom feel a little more special.
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A heated towel rack is a nice extra in the bathroom, and the design you choose can make a particular impact. Consider ditching the usual chrome option for something more unusual, like this black version.
The white bathroom is simple and practical, but the professionals at Hope Lucia Design added touches of black to give it a boost. The matte black heated rack is the perfect choice to make the bathroom feel a little more special.
More on Houzz
Read more about bathroom design
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for bathroom products
Texture is key when it comes to adding depth to a basic interior and is easy to introduce in the bathroom. Think about bringing different materials into the space.
This guest bathroom by designer Amy Troute in a historical Portland, Oregon, home gains pleasing texture from the beadboard wainscoting, the wooden vanity, the circular-patterned flooring and the shower tile. Shiny chrome hardware, beautiful wood trim and the black metal basket add additional layers of texture.