Our bathrooms are usually very modern and sleek, with Arabescato Marble, white walls, a timber vanity unit and polished chrome, creating a bright and serene space. So, when I was invited to design a bathroom for C.P. Hart’s extensive Waterloo showroom, I saw it as a wonderful opportunity to create something quite different from what you would find in one of our hotels.
What could be more romantic than a bathroom bathed in moonlight with stars and moons floating in marble, velvety midnight blue tiles and flashes of bright red coral?
For our moonlit bathroom, we created under-lit star and moon-insets on the marble floor, which add a soft glow. On the walls we developed a custom colourway of my ‘Travelling Light’ wallpaper on seagrass, which is perfect for wet spaces. Below the dado, we specially designed midnight blue ceramic tiles with Balineum, to echo the wallpaper design. The deep, dark blue tiling adds a more contemporary feel to the space.
For the shower, we have created a hand painted tile mural, based on my RIKRAK fabric design for Christopher Farr Cloth, which echoes the movement of fresh falling water.
Above the free-standing gunmetal blue bath is a bullseye infinity mirror which acts as an imaginary window, adding depth and starlight beyond the room. The organic coral shaped lights on the walls are from Balineum and the more graphic wall lights besides the vanity mirror are from Porta Romana.
As a final touch, our signature mannequin wears a kimono in my ‘Over the Moon’ fabric trimmed in our latest border design.
A lot of thought and design knowledge is put into designing a bathroom which is relaxing and practical. Below are our suggested dos and don’ts for designing a bathroom.
1. DO consider the layout
Bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes and the freestanding bath you have your eye on might not be practical. If there isn’t much space around the bath it will look squashed and be difficult to clean. A bath is a real luxury but you need to think about whether you want to be climbing over the side for your morning shower. Instead go for a spacious walk-in shower.
2. DO plan out your fittings
It’s best to position the basins or bath in the main line of sight. Where possible, try to keep the toilet behind the door or on the least visible elevation. Try to centre fittings, for example a toilet opposite a basin, so that the layout looks considered.
3. DON’T forget a niche
There’s nothing worse than seeing bottles on the side of a bath or on the shower floor. A built-in niche keeps your products out of sight and easy to reach. Add an LED light strip inset into the recess to create a warm glow.
4. DON’T forget lighting
Levels of lighting are important in a bathroom. Proper task lighting is important, so some strategically placed spotlights by the entrance and above the shower are required. The best lighting for in front of the mirror is wall lights placed either side. We like to use pillar lights from Original BTC as these give an even and flattering light. Courtesy lights can be useful for night time as they can be set on a sensor, so they come on automatically and they have a dim glow.
5. DON’T overdo it
Less is more. A bathroom should feel clean and relaxing. We use granite or marble for our bathrooms and particularly love the effect of Arabescato marble. It is easy to clean, gives a luxurious feel and the dramatic veining is so beautiful. We use it throughout the bathroom for all surfaces and keep the painted walls white and fresh.
6. DO think through accessories
Towel rails, toilet roll holders and radiators all need to be hung at the right height. There is a wealth of information out there but the Architect’s Pocket Book by Routledge is the go-to for architects. Don’t forget to heat your towel rail, there’s nothing like stepping out of the shower to a cosy, warm towel.
7. DO add mirror
If you have a large amount of wall space consider adding a mirrored wall. This will enhance the sense of light and space, especially when you don’t have a window. If you’re designing a bathroom in a small, windowless space an infinity mirror can add depth beyond the room. Another trick is to add a heated pad behind the mirror when installing so it doesn’t steam up.
