Want to upgrade your space this year? Our new series of blogs taps into the minds of some of Ireland’s top interior designers to get their top trends and space-maximising tips for 2024.
Sick of your bathroom décor being boring? There are countless ways to inject some colour and personality into your bathroom this year, whether you want to do some quick DIY or overhaul your space completely.
Take some inspiration from Ireland’s interior designers on the key considerations to update your bathroom.
Upcycling can inject some personality into your bathroom
Brenda Sorensen of Aspect Interiors is a big advocate of DIY and upcycling – to her, the bathroom is a great space to have fun with your design choices. “Bathrooms are great rooms to have fun with. A great tip is to rework an old table or cupboard and make it into the vanity unit by adding a stone top, a countertop basin, and a standing tap. Visiting antique stores or car boot sales and upcycling what you find really plays with the sustainability element of design. A fun but practical addition to a bathroom is to add a nook or angled bar in your shower to aid when shaving your legs. It’s a game changer!”
Tile choice is about more than just the colour
It can be tempting to dive right into a bright feature bathroom tile design without considering how it can impact the room – and your routine going forward. Niamh McKenna of NMcK Design says: “Make sure your bathroom floor tiles have a good anti-slip rating (at least R11). Porcelain tiles are more hardwearing than ceramic tiles, and absorb less water, making them more suitable for wet rooms. However, porcelain tiles are more expensive - but if they become chipped, the colour runs through the tile so it won’t be easily noticed, whereas with ceramic tiles, the chip will be very visible. If easy cleaning is a priority, choose tiles with a smooth, flat texture, and also utilise larger tiles for less grout lines.”
Consider how much storage you really need
Worried about finding space for storage in a small bathroom? Megan Arbuthnott of Canny Creative wonders if a clear out might bring some new perspective. “It sounds very basic, but surprisingly, a lot of us forgot to have a good think about what we are actually storing, lLarge bottles of bleach and shampoo or lots of small toiletries? When you figure out what your main sizes are, it’ll help to shape the storage needed. I tend to opt for a majority of closed storage with some smaller decorative shelves to display perfumes and plants.”
Natural elements are a must in 2024
Marette Cronin advises going with a more rustic, natural vibe for your new bathroom. “Use natural elements as much as possible. Either real or natural stone-effect tiles and wooden units, panelling, or shelves can make a big impact. Your lighting is very important so use your architectural lighting in shadow gaps or hidden in niches, then use wall lights and concealed downlights to compliment.”
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