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With the larger half of the year behind us, we take a look at the most intriguing and luxurious decorative trends emerging in bathrooms.

A bathroom may be just that to most, but the most highly prized homes make a masterpiece of every space. If you are seeking to imbue your washrooms with greater value, look beyond what bathrooms should look like and seek inspiration in the trends that have evolved so far. With just over half the year in the bag, there has been a deluge of data from which we were able to discern this year’s progression of trends, and among the notable features what we have seen are encouraging pursuits of natural light, commendable efforts to maximise decorative potential with the very minimum of materials, in addition to some bold experimentations with colours beyond utilitarian white.

Glass Box

A bathroom that receives abundant sunlight during the day remains pleasant as it dries up faster – and there is nothing that dependably keeps a space hygienic like a regular wash of free ultraviolet light. But for a space that requires privacy as the average bathroom does, there is a tendency for few exterior windows providing natural light. In the course of this half year, we have seen a resurgence of bathroom fixtures boldly thrust into the sunlight by way of generous glass boxes, exterior windows, and skylights – as demonstrated in the pictured bathroom designed by Nu Infinity.

Earthy Enigma

Ordinary spaces rapidly fade from memory, while a boldly coloured space will often be remembered and known by its predominant shade. It takes a certain kind of bravery to experiment with colours beyond the confines of normalcy, especially with the results often literally set in stone, but striking uses of colour can elevate ordinary bathrooms to works of art. While the majority of bathrooms we have seen remain predominantly white for practical reasons, we have also come across some shining examples of earthy colours taking the lead – such as the desert beige tone of the pictured bathroom tiled in terracotta.

Tip: While the colour white is a practical choice for spaces where cleanliness is paramount, an all-white bathroom represents a missed opportunity to express oneself. Treat every plane as a canvas to be painted and you’ll end up with a truly memorable and unique bathroom.

Material Variety

Well-known pieces of art are often valued more for the sum of their parts than for the presence of any particular detail – and with that in mind, one could paint an attractive space with disparate materials held in a balanced composition. If conservation is the guiding principle, or if adequate supplies of a matching variety of tile are lacking, consider some unspoken codes of aesthetics – such as the rule of threes, as expressed in the pictured bathroom. The designers, ID Industries, opted for no more than three sets of tiles to paint this bathroom with inviting contrast and intriguing demarcation.

Tip: All materials provide a measure of colour and texture, but the contrasts don’t just end there. The styles and themes of wall treatments can also be combined to result in truly unique statements.

Dark Beauty

It is often said that style is cyclical – a sentiment that foretells of a return to the sombre and dark aesthetics of the roaring 1920s, an era that saw heights of prosperity unmatched until recent years. Directly contradicting the prevailing shade of modern bathrooms, a dark washroom speaks of a quality of elegance and luxury that is inherently masculine and still largely uncommon in the present age. If you are seeking to craft a truly unique bathroom, look to the dark side, as demonstrated by Maison Valentina, a luxury provider of high-end bathroom fixtures.

Tip: A dark décor typically benefits from limited doses of gilded metals and directed light to provide the space with a luxurious sheen.