Bathroom design ideas: Take the plunge with our top tips

Lara Sargent

Lara loves writing about every aspect of the home – from the latest colour trends to emerging designs. She has a lot of experience writing about home trends and interior advice for leading titles such as The Telegraph, Metro, and Homes & Gardens.

Bathrooms are not just a functional zone for a quick wash and brush up, they need to look good, feel good and function brilliantly.

How you design and decorate your bathroom needs to reflect your lifestyle. You also need to consider how much space you have for different bathroom layout ideas.

Do you want a calm sanctuary for enjoying a long hot soak at the end of the day? Or an extra shower room to avoid the morning queues? Perhaps both.

Are you updating a family bathroom, squeezing in an en-suite or remodelling a tired shower room?

Before you splash out on a fancy double basin, freestanding tub and baby pink tiles, be inspired by our bathroom design ideas.

Our bathroom remodel ideas will help you maximise the potential of what is often the smallest yet one of the most important rooms in the house.

Bathroom tile ideas

Choosing tiles is a big part of your new bathroom. From mini mosaics to large marble slabs, tiles can switch a style mood from ordinary to extraordinary so easily.

Let us show you how to create a personality-packed space with our top five bathroom tile ideas.

1. Pastel power

Try out today’s retro mood with gelato pink, mint green and lilac bathroom tiles.

2. Play around with colourful grout

You can easily add a contemporary twist to a bog standard white tile with pink or blue grout!

3. Herringbone and chevron

Tiling in a chevron and herringbone layout is one of our favourite design tricks.

4. Consider different finishes

Choose matt, gloss or a combination of both finishes and you’ll get a stylish look.

5. Keep it classic with stone

Grey and white marble tiles are a luxurious choice that will never let you down.

Bathroom shower ideas

Wake up or wind down with a powerful shower. Here we’ll explore some of the latest bathroom shower ideas.

Overbath showers

This is the ideal choice if you haven’t got space for a separate shower and bath. You can keep it classic with a plain glass screen or inject a flamboyant touch with a colourful curtain. The beauty of a shower curtain is that you can simply switch up the look for very little.

Compact showers

If you’re tight on space, try a sliding or concertina style shower door that won’t intrude on valuable floor space. Corner quadrant showers with curved sliding doors are also a good way to help you utilise an unused area of a small bathroom.

Shower doors

Make a statement with a black framed shower door or sheer panels of smoked or ribbed glass. The sleeker the better. If you want to harness a super contemporary look, go for a simple, frameless piece of glass fixed in position.

Shower controls

If you love vintage style bathrooms, pick a huge overhead shower rose. Slick chrome showers will help you achieve a contemporary look. Gold and brushed brass fittings are making a comeback too.

Tiling

Pretty mosaics or a colourful tile will help make your shower the star of the room. Pair with a charcoal coloured grout to add serious design clout. Great on a practical level too as dark tile grout doesn’t get grubby.

Bathroom floor tile ideas

Bathroom floor tiles need to be anti-slip for practical purposes, but they will also help you achieve an extra layer of design.

Here are some of our favourite bathroom floor tile ideas.

1. Introduce pattern

Patterned floor tiles are eye catching and will help you add interest to a plain white bathroom. Try a Marrakesh-style cement tile (or a modern-day porcelain version).

2. Check mate

If you like chequerboard square tiles, why not make it super modern by using a bright colour instead of the usual black and white.

3. Fake it

Timber floors aren’t always the best option for the bathroom. Achieve the same look with a durable wood effect vinyl or porcelain tile.

4. Marvel at mosaics

Laying mosaic tiles on the floor is an effective way to introduce texture and style.

5. Go large

Large format floor tiles will help you stretch the space visually – a must for cramped rooms.

Bathroom wall tiles

Bathroom walls are a major part of any new bathroom design.

We reveal a few top tile trends to help elevate your bathroom wall tile ideas.

• Add drama with jewel coloured tiles: If you fancy a luxurious touch, try emerald or cobalt blue tiles for a rich, deep hue
• Go for unusual shapes: Today’s tiles think outside the box – literally. Tiles with a scalloped edge for example will help you create a distinct, upmarket look
• Try a new twist on white: If you love white, look at introducing an all-white tile with a modern relief pattern. Super contemporary!
• Pick a bold pattern: Tiling walls and floors in the same busy, bold pattern will definitely help offset a plain white bathroom suite

Bathroom wallpaper ideas

Bathroom wallpaper is a great way to add a seriously cool design statement.

Here are some of our favourite bathroom wallpaper ideas.

• Colourful abstract prints will help you achieve a joyful mood
• Try harnessing the biophilic trend with big botanical patterns
• Pairing wallpaper with panelling underneath is a good way to create a top-end look
• Use wallpapers designed especially for bathrooms in a smaller area
• Standard wallpaper should be okay if you have a large bathroom and good ventilation
• Choosing a wallpaper with a slight shimmer will help add radiance to a room

Luxury bathroom design

If you have a bigger budget to play with, why not splash out on some of these luxury bathroom design ideas. Go on – you and your bathroom deserve it.

Consider these luxury bathroom design tips and tricks.

• Coloured bathrooms are a luxury look that’s making a comeback. Anyone for a petal pink basin or lemon loo?
• Taking technology into the bathroom is a really smart move. Try digital showers, steam-free mirrors and sensor lighting
• Installing a twin basin will help you achieve a super-luxe bathroom vibe
• If you have the space, a freestanding roll top bath is undeniably luxurious. Take the look one step further with a glam copper finish
• Luxe up your lighting with a statement chandelier or chromotherapy, colour-changing lights. They’ll help enhance your mood and the time of day

Small bathroom décor ideas

Even if you have a compact bathroom, don’t despair. We have plenty of small bathroom décor ideas to help you maximise your small foot print.

• Using an all-over colour – walls, floors, even ceilings – in a small bathroom will help you achieve an inviting, snug space
• Installing an overbath shower is a great way to help you get the best of both worlds
• Hiding the clutter in clever storage solutions will help clear the decks for a streamlined look
• Laying tiles in horizontal stripes can visually trick the eye into thinking a shower area is wider and deeper
• Mirrors will help you bounce light around a small bathroom. Hang a large one above the basin

FAQs

Which tradespeople should you use for the job?

• A bathroom designer can expertly plan your new bathroom, including any tricky layouts
• A bathroom fitter to install your new bathroom to the design
• An electrician for any electrical work with lighting or extractor fans
• You may also need a tiler for your walls or flooring

How much does it cost to renovate a bathroom?

The average price of a low – medium quality bathroom is £7,000. You may also need to factor in a cost for the removal of your old bathroom, which could cost you an additional £1,000.

See our full breakdown of estimations for a new bathroom in our cost guide.

5 eco-friendly bathroom ideas

Think green for your new bathroom… but not the colour green. Green or eco-friendly changes to your bathroom.

Let the light in

Your bathroom is one area of the home where natural light is a priority.

Whether you’re getting ready for that all-important meeting or a day out with the girls, good lighting is essential. Instead of installing artificial lights, why not explore how you could increase natural light in your eco-friendly bathroom?

Even if your bathroom doesn’t have any windows, letting natural light in is still possible.

Installing skylights or sun tunnels is an excellent way to get direct sunlight into your bathroom, without cutting holes in your wall.

Incorporating natural lighting into the interior design of your bathroom is sure to reduce the cost of your utility bills, and contribute to saving the planet in the process.

While natural light isn’t available 24 hours a day, LED bulbs are an effective and efficient alternative, as they use less power without compromising on lighting.

Think natural materials

Swapping your bathroom accessories, such as towels, robes and bath mats, for natural materials may seem like a small thing – but if everyone opted for products made from cotton, hemp or bamboo, we could make a big difference.

Organically grown bamboo, hemp and cotton grow fast and have a smaller carbon footprint than other materials like polyester. By taking on this purchasing mindset, being savvy about your product choices is easy.

Although it may generally be the smallest room in the house, the possibilities are endless when it comes to giving your bathroom an eco-friendly update.

Go tankless

Contrary to popular belief, you can enjoy a hot shower, reduce the amount of energy you use and be environmentally friendly at the same time.

By switching from a tanked water heater to a tankless model, you can reduce your water use and energy consumption and do your bit for the environment.

Hot water heaters store gallons of hot water, waiting for someone to turn on the hot tap. By making this update, hot water will no longer be heating in the tank to maintain a set temperature throughout the day. As a tankless system only heats what’s needed, this will reduce the amount of energy it takes for you to enjoy a hot shower and contribute to saving the planet.

So, you don’t need to reduce your water consumption to do your bit for the environment, but why not double your efforts by using less water, too?

Watch water consumption

Reducing your water consumption is one of the best ways to make your bathroom more planet-friendly in the long term and if your eco-friendly updates fit into your daily routine without too much compromise, they’re also more likely to be sustainable. You don’t even need to compromise on your water pressure!

If you’re keen to cut down on water use without sacrificing pressure, low-flow faucets, toilets and shower heads are an efficient way to save water. The showerheads aerate water so that your water pressure stays the same, but your shower doesn’t use a ton of extra water. This way, you can cut down your usage of our planet’s water supply without adjusting your daily routine in any way.

Choose sustainable flooring

From cork to glass tiles, sustainable flooring is both fashionable and environmentally friendly.

Installing cork flooring is an eco-conscious solution that won’t mean compromising your luxury bathroom design. Cork can be finished in a variety of stains to suit any design theme imaginable and is extremely durable for bathroom use.

When cork is harvested, trees aren’t cut down in order to harvest the bark (which grows back every three years). An ideal renewable source!

Why not maximise the natural light in your bathroom by installing glass tiles? They reflect light and are exceptionally eco-friendly due to using old wine and beer bottles.

They are perfect for bathroom floors and walls due to being non-absorptive, meaning they won’t gather mildew or mould in damp environments. They’re also easy to maintain and come in a wide variety of colours and finishes, so there’s no need to compromise your design scheme.

With the evolution of eco-friendly materials, sustainable flooring doesn’t have to come at the expense of style.

We hope you’re inspired by our ideas for an eco-friendly update which will make your bathroom greener than ever before, without having to disrupt your daily routine or sacrifice a luxury interior design.

The smallest room in the house shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to doing your bit for the environment – so, what are you waiting for? Find your local expert bathroom fitter now.