Long held as an afterthought, and often addressed with a DIY treatment, bathrooms are now taking more of the spotlight in design planning, as they have turned into a featured space with luxury finishes and fixtures.
Speaking with Sarah Gallop, owner and director of design at Sarah Gallop Design Inc. and a long-standing member and chair of the HAVAN Designers’ Council, Sarah points out, “The bathroom continues to be more of an ‘experience’ space of immersive spa-like pleasure and increasing in square footage.”
With so much of the home planned around family and social gatherings, Sarah believes it is important to save space for private and quiet personal time. And, with more space and budget being invested in the bathroom, comes the desire for great design!
“People are using bathrooms to experiment with bolder design choices, as there is a perceived notion that it is a lesser undertaking to change the space if it becomes tired or outdated,” she explains. “Designing bathrooms to be timeless, while still giving them that ‘wow factor’, can be realized by choosing the right design elements.”
Despite bathrooms providing the possibility for bold design, we still want the home to keep a cohesive stylish appeal — after all, that is what great design is all about. Be sure to consider visibility throughout your home. If you want to make a big splash with colour in your bathroom, keep it clear of sightlines from more calm and neutral spaces. While you may now want to get adventurous, try to make your selections complement the rest of the home.
The right design elements to create a ‘timeless’ bathroom
- Vanities, in both contemporary and traditional spaces, are using clean lines featuring floating vanities, either fully open underneath or having legs to create a furniture style.
- Appealing colours are being applied in an approachable way, with soft tones of blue, green, gray, and taupe replacing the white standard.
- Surfaces are less likely to become dated with simple large tile and slab application versus smaller, intricately patterned and coloured tiles that will have more of an era attached to them.
- Fixtures should remain cleanly styled and matched, as smaller spaces tend to accentuate mismatched features. Wall-mounted fixtures and statement sinks, tubs and toilets are gaining popularity — make these choices using quality materials that will age well.
To explore award-winning bathroom designs, head to havan.ca/awards