Best Bathrooms
Happy Monday! Here is a round-up of the best bathrooms from some of my favorite designers, ranging from high-end, over-the-top, fantasy bathrooms to IKEA hacks for small spaces.
Bathrooms are tricky and compete with kitchens on price, which may be hard to believe. Having recently renovated our own master bath, the challenge is that bathrooms involve every trade (plumbing, electrical, tile, carpentry, etc.) in a much smaller area than a kitchen. For our situation, I was willing to sacrifice a little bit of design to put in a stackable washer/dryer. This is not the norm, but for me the convenience outweighed everything else. I have not regretted it for one day. Especially when I get out of my shower to a warm and toasty towel, fresh from the dryer.
I once read in a feng shui book that although our tendency is to want to do spa-blues and other cool colors in the bathroom, the best colors to use are earth tones because they create a sense of warmth and comfort to the senses. Personally, I like clean whites and subway tile just never gets old. It's cheap and clean. But my other new muse is patterned tile, which is now everywhere, bathrooms included. It adds a great richness. I'm also inspired by rustic and vintage-y vibes.
Here are the picks. What would you do if you could design the bathroom of your dreams? Or even just make a few small but meaningful changes to what you've got?
I think what attracts me to this one is the use of space and contrasting tile scale. 3X6 subway tile with a small black hex floor is just so classic. Great vintage inspired sink and upper cabinetry for storage. Also, love the pendants.
Totally different vibe here. Love the patterned tile floor and green lucite stool. The brass framed portrait contrasts so well with modern finishes.
Industrial, lots of concrete, lots of $$$$. Love.
Black cabinetry, wall mounted fixtures, patterned tile. And that rug.
The drama here is from tiling the outside of the tub in the same subway tile. Also, black windows are super trendy right now and I just love them.
The contrast of the matte red brick and super glossy silver tub is just so nice here.
And yes, I'll take this live plant wall and sunken concrete tub - thank you very much.
Never underestimate the power of adding millwork to walls - wainscoting, beadboard, etc. It just changes the game.
You don't think of wood in a bathroom, but it really adds a richness and a softness with all the other hard surfaces.
This bathroom in Spain just breaks all the rules and does so in the most beautiful way.
I'm not normally a fan of black trim, or any color for that matter, but with those french doors...who cares?
And THIS is making the most out of a teeny tiny space on a budget. IKEA pedestal with surface mount basin and spray painted black fixture. Leather drawer pulls switched out for an awesome custom touch. Small, black hex floor tile from Overstock (who knew?). Click here for this great before/after from one of my favorites designers, Amber Lewis.
This is a great niche for makeup and primping, again by Amber Lewis.
Great solution for adding value to a small space and still keeping it neat and clean.
And here are some great storage ideas. Storage in a bathroom is EVERYthing. Gone are the days where you have a cluttered mess under the sink. My ultimate favorite solution in a bathroom is a drawer vanity with organizers which makes getting ready SO easy.
Case in point my IKEA Godmorgon unit which I could not be more pleased with.
Whenever possible, create niches in a shower wall for products and use a contrasting, smaller scale tile for the inside of the cove.
A cute idea for makeup brush organization.
And finally, PLANTS! Plants in a bathroom are so vital!! Take advantage of the humidity and sources of water all around for easy watering. Tropical plants, terrariums, hanging plants -- they make a bathroom feel lush and nurturing.
Some of the big trends right now....Scandinavian (minimal design scheme of clean white, light woods, and pops of bright color), concrete, patterned tile, lots of tile, black window frames, Parisian Industrial, and Rustic Farmhouse-inspired.
Happy Designing!!! XO