According to Nikki Hunt, founder of Singapore-based Design Intervention, more homeowners are looking to mix and match elements and colours in their bathrooms to create a space that reflects their individuality. She adds:

“Who says bathrooms have to be all white, or even a neutral colour? Sometimes, what we need is a space that can give us a boost of energy. Colour has the power to lift and inspire, and can give us that much-needed zing in the bathroom.” Italian wallcoverings brand Ornamenta, available at Hafary, offers customisable ceramic slabs that can feature digitally printed artwork.

See also: 30 Hotel Bathtubs Around The World With Breathtaking Views

“Customised tiles can be used to create highly personalised styles. The homeowner or designer can thus dress the bathroom easily according to their preferred accessories or furniture,” says Hafary director Frank Goh. Another colourful option is Villeroy & Boch’s

Artis collection of surface-mounted washbasin, which is available with outer surfaces in various eye-catching colours created by German-Danish interior designer Gesa Hansen.

Wood brings warmth to a space, and its earthy tones also blend seamlessly with most tile and marble surfaces. So it’s no surprise that more homeowners are introducing wooden finishes to their bathrooms.

According to Mahboobani, people tend to lean towards faux wood finishes as these are more durable and easier to maintain. “Wood veneer can be used on the dry counter of a make-up vanity. But avoid using untreated wood on countertops or in areas that are predominantly ‘wet zones’,” she says. Mercier is not a fan of faux wood and prefers to use real wood for bathrooms, but she knows that careful planning is needed to pull this off.

See also: Home Design Tips: Spruce up Your Space by Giving Your Faucets a Colourful Upgrade

“Wood is tricky in a bathroom because of water splashes and humidity, but there are clever ways to incorporate real wood away from water zones, such as with a wooden screen or window louvres,” she says. Robert Cheng, founder of Brewin Design Office, agrees. “We love using timber floors for bathrooms; they are more functional than most people realise, being softer on the feet,” he says. “Timber ceilings in bathrooms also help to make the space feel cosier, and channel the feeling of being on a yacht.”

Even the humble sink can make a statement. New York-based artist Daniel Arsham has teamed up with American bathroom brand Kohler and The Art Lab Studio to create Rock.01 (pictured on this page), a 3D-printed sink available in a limited-edition run of 99 pieces. The collection, which made its debut at Design Miami in December, taps into Kohler’s latest 3D clay-printing technology. The walls of the sink are meticulously printed layer by layer, with the overall process taking more than
seven hours.

See also: hansgrohe’s Vivenis is The Sleek, Water-Saving Faucet You Need in Your Bathroom

“Rock.01 melds the future of 3D-printing technology with the most basic methods of hand-cast brass. It is literally the new resting on top of the old, and I find that incredibly poetic,” says Arsham. The asymmetric vitreous china basin is paired with a hand-poured brass “rock” sporting a patinated finish. Drawing on the manufacturing company’s storied history of making cast-iron bathtubs in the late 19th century, the artist chose a cast brass base with a similar patina to his other bronze works. 

A semi open-plan bathroom can visually enlarge the space and foster a sense of sensual intimacy in the bedroom. By installing glass panels or a doorless entrance, you can create a seamless connection between the two areas.

“When a bathroom is visually connected to the bedroom, the space looks bigger and brighter,” says Cheng. “Functionally, it helps to reduce the size of the wet area, for example with our Nassim Park project, the vanity is part of the dry area next to the wardrobe.”

See also: Transport Yourself to Japan With the Zencha Bathroom Collection by Sebastian Herkner

According to Mahboobani, one of the benefits of this layout is that you can direct natural light from the bedroom windows to brighten the bathroom. “Having a highly transparent bathroom also presents an opportunity to showcase minimalist bathroom fixtures and furniture. To maintain privacy, you can implement clever lighting and screens.” Mercier suggests sticking to similar materials and colour tones to enhance visual continuity.

“For example, you can use honey-coloured limestone for the bathroom floor and walls that will work well with the light oak of your bedroom flooring. Make sure there is a window or a good exhaust fan in your bathroom, or your bedroom will soon turn into a steam
room,” she says.

Having soft furnishings in your bathroom can also add a cosy touch to the space, blurring the lines between the bedroom area and your bathing zone. “If you have space, a nice, comfy seat can feel very indulgent; you can even consider adding fabric curtains to the bathroom,” says Hunt. “There are plenty of outdoor-grade fabrics that are very hardy. You can also line a standard indoor fabric with a shower curtain to create a protective backing.”

A glamorous bathroom can help recreate the opulence of the five-star hotels we love. To bring the spirit of the Roaring Twenties to your bathroom, consider art deco-influenced fittings from Gessi’s Venti20 line, or the collections from Lefroy Brooks that are informed by the aesthetics of the Twenties.

“Focus on making a statement using bold geometrical patterns, luxurious materials and high-gloss metallic details; use a maximum of three art deco elements but keep everything else simple,” advises Mahboobani.

“For example, the overall floor finish, wall tiles or wallpaper can have art deco patterns complemented by more modern decorative light fixtures and hardware.”

See also: How to Design the Perfect Bathroom for Plantitos and Plantitas

Seashells are another key motif of the era; you can bring this detail into your bathroom with the shell-shaped Concha wall hook by Danish brand AYTM, which is available in several metallic finishes at P5 Studio.

“Metallic finishes add a feeling of glamour that harks back to the roaring twenties, which was an era of jubilation and excess,” says Hunt. “That’s why this style is so perfect for a bathroom. It allows you to feel special and pampered when you are bathing or grooming.”

According to Maria Fernandez, marketing manager of Cosentino Asia, the pandemic has encouraged homeowners to create purposefully designed spaces that provide much-needed relaxation after a long day at work. “Sometimes less is more, so using monochromatic surfaces is a great way to create an eye-catching effect in the bathroom,” she says.

When designing a monochromatic bathroom, Fernandez suggests embracing a clean white background scheme to open up the space, then adding accents of black in the panelling, cabinetry, vanities or sinks. “Using black in excess can easily dwarf a smaller space, so I would avoid using black as the main colour in smaller apartment bathrooms,” she says.

When choosing tiles for your monochromatic bathroom, Goh’s advice is to use textured surfaces or different shades of the same colour to create balance and visual interest. “White or other neutrals can also be used to complement the primary hue,” he adds.

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