Is a bathroom, just a bathroom?

What are the two things that sell a house?  Yes, kitchens and bathrooms.  Both of these rooms have changed exponentially over the years, both claiming the starring role. 

We all appreciate how important a kitchen is to the enhancement of family life and general well-being, but when it comes to bathrooms, we tend to focus on the practicalities of good quality sanitaryware and towel rails put into the right spot. 

What about lighting?  How much notice do we give lighting when we design/redesign a bathroom?  Lighting can create a mood, change a mood, bring attention to a certain object or perfectly illuminate one’s face, to alleviate shaving slip-ups and eye liner in the wrong direction. I have seen some lighting shockers in my time –  a single pendant light fitting in the centre of the room, creating a perma-shadow in front of the mirror, or a fluorescent tube sitting over the mirror, to ensure that everyone looks like they are in a police line-up, or worse still, some Hollywood lights on either side of the mirror, to wake you up completely when going to the loo in the middle of the night. 

Have a look at some of our recent projects, where lighting has played a key role in creating a beautiful harmonious place as well as keeping it functional and practical. 

Tiling and wall finishes are where you can really let your imagination go wild – bathrooms are fairly transient spaces, meaning that you can use finishes and textures that fill you with happiness. 

The powder room, now so common in many houses, is another room that can get the star treatment by creating a vibrant, welcoming, somewhat surprising vignette, using colours and fixtures that may or may not resonate with the rest of the house – it doesn’t matter!  It is a place that visitors will use probably more than the family and it should be an interesting, inspiring sojourn for your guests!