Ideas for a modern bathroom
There's something awfully attractive about a sleek, modern bathroom; it's a room where clean lines and surfaces make perfect sense. Indeed, it is ideal that your bathroom decor coalesce with the rest of your home's aesthetic, so keeping modern is key if your home fits the bill. However, for those in need of a renovation (but can't commit to the full Monty), updating your bathroom is the perfect start to fulfilling your wildest decorating dreams. For those in favour of the modern look, here are some up-to-date bathroom design ideas to inspire (and copy).
While all-white bathrooms such as the one found in Veere Grenney's barn-style holiday house usually have the reputation for anointing a bathroom modern, by no means does modern have to mean surgically white, however: graphically patterned tiles (as seen in the bathroom of this ground floor home), bold colour-blocking, and even colourful bathroom suites feel very of the moment.
Crittall or plain glass shower screens with a bold border can add a touch of industrial chic to the room, as can old-fashioned subway tiling, like in Paul and Caroline Weiland's London house. Matte textures, too, are a welcome break from the gleaming chrome or nickel that usually dominates bathroom fixtures – take inspiration, for instance, from the Belgian blue stone used in the guest bathroom of the historic manor house at the Nyetimber Estate.
Surprisingly, antiques are not an oxymoron in a modern bathroom. Indeed, finding appropriate pieces – regardless of age – can help to update your bathroom's look. Take inspiration from the 1930s-era ceiling lamp Marie-Louise Sjögren installed in this glorious apartment in the Swedish capital, for example, or the hydrotherapy bathroom with its original Edwardian-era fixtures at the Carskiey Estate.
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Magnus Mårding1/30The bathroom in Marie-Louise Sjogren's apartment has a double shower and sauna opposite a bathtub by Waterworks with vintage stools alongside it. A vintage alabaster ceiling lamp hangs above and the custom commode is made from elm burl.
Anson Smart2/30The luxury of proportion and the softness of light and colour transform the master ensuite in this Arent &Pyke project into a dreamy, nurturing space. The walls and ceiling are painted in Dulux's Bongo Drum and harmonise beautifully with the milky hand-glazed Moroccan wall tiles, the Calacatta Viola marble and burl of the vanity, and the peach terrazzo floors. Floating curtains gently distil the light, enhancing the gracious quality of this elegant room.
Paul Massey3/30The long rectangular bath in this modern country house on the edge of the meadows and woods of the Chilterns, has a limestone surround which echoes the Le Corbusier-style windows.
Mark Anthony Fox4/30Blurring the lines between house and garden was a priority for the owners of this east London terrace, so the architects designed glass apertures and an internal courtyard to create an expansive feel, and used a mix of timbers that marry beautifully with the outside space. In the bathroom, original BTC’s ‘Extra Narrow Pillar’ lights frame a Fifties Vinterior-sourced Italian mirror above a Catalano basin. The reclaimed floor tiles are from Bert & May.
Paul Massey5/30This historic manor house, at the heart of the Nyetimber sparkling wine estate in Sussex, has been thoughtfully restored to create a beautiful family home. On the floor below the attic there this spare bathroom. The vanity top, carved from a block of Belgian blue stone, adds rustic, pared back modernity to the space. The room's simple - but not ascetic - quality is a prime example of excellent modern bathroom design.
Paul Massey6/30Finding a compromise between the minimalist tastes of its owner and her love of tactile fabrics and pattern, Rita Konig has subtly enhanced the airy interiors of this Manhattan house. The bathroom features a cream basin inset into a wood counter with matching mirror. The pastel blue lampshade adds a subtle splash of colour and cleverly doubles as a jewellery tree.
Sarah Hogan7/30Designers Nicholas Spencer and Sophie von Wedekind had carte blanche to restructure and decorate this west London flat, using ingenious storage solutions and detailed accents to enhance the feeling of light and space. The house's bathroom was a unique space which required forethought to properly modernise it. The pair of mirrors creates symmetry above the centred basin; their off-to-the-side placements, too, still allow sunlight to pour in.
Michael Sinclair8/30With her innate sense of proportion and symmetry, interior designer Pallas Kalamotusis has capitalised on the lofty dimensions of a hotchpotch mansion flat in west London to create a harmonious home. The bathroom is modern bliss. The Bathers by John Lessore hangs above Kaldewei’s ‘Classic Duo Oval’ bath and subtly accents the room's wooden doors.
Magnus Mårding9/30For interior designer and furniture dealer Marie-Louise Sjögren, this glorious apartment in the Swedish capital is both a showcase of her beloved early 20th-century Scandinavian design and a comfortable family home. Marie-Louise designed the bathroom commode in elm burl, marble and brass with integrated mirrors, whose ‘floating’ quality gives an updated, modern twist to the traditional commode. A 1930s vintage ceiling lamp - which looks modern as ever - hangs above.
Joachim Wichmann10/30Light-filled and balanced, this ground floor home is a chic blend of natural woods, earth tones and Scandinavian-influenced design. The bathroom is embraces an eclectic modernity. The black and white bathroom tiles are from Bert and May, and the taps and shower fittings are from Lefroy Brooks. The opaque ceiling light is from Trainspotters.
Lucas Allen11/30On a plot of farmland on the Atlantic coast of Long Island, a firm of Manhattan architects and a London-based interior designer have created a barn-style holiday house for their clients that is appropriate to its rural setting, yet has all the accoutrements of stylish modern living. Despite the vintage bath and double basin, the bathroom still maintains a modern quality, helped by its clean, white and light-filled qualities.
James McDonald12/30Gallerist Tobias Vernon’s cottage in Somerset is a study in juxtaposition, with white walls throughout providing a background for his creative arrangements of art and eclectic pieces. Tobais' bathroom is an all-white wonder, with occasional dashes of colour from various objets d'art. The wood panelling, an unexpected departure from the typical tiled bathroom, adds a homey, warm quality to the room, too.
Paul Massey13/30A well proportioned London flat was the ideal setting for interior designer Emma Grant’s trove of eclectic finds, with each piece shaping her vision for the space. The bathroom is a great showcase of integrating modernity into pre-existing, old-school design. Here, the scalloped sink was carved from a single block of marble - a fanciful, updated take on the more traditional frilly porcelain sink.
Paul Massey14/30Having outgrown their previous space and style, Sarah Corbett-Winder and her husband Ned have devised their own playful take on traditional grandeur in their north London house, combining handsome pieces with a bold, quirky aesthetic. A Slim Aarons print from Galerie Prints hangs above a Burlington bath in the couple’s en-suite bathroom, adding a special artistic flair to the space.
Mariell Lind Hansen15/30When Louis Hagen Hall was asked to reinvent the home of two musicians in Primrose Hill, the trio’s enthusiasm for 1970s LA architecture dovetailed perfectly. The bathroom's colour scheme is a muted conversation of dusty pinks, light browns and white, with gold accents. The globular lights over the his-and-her sink give a warm glow and add a retro touch to the modern room. The side of the bath and floor were both clad in cork tile.
Paul Massey16/30Her eponymous clothing label is desired for the quality of its designs and the attention to detail - attributes that couturier Anna Valentine has also employed in the renovation of her London flat. Like the rest of her modern home, Anna's bathroom has a white colour scheme and features earthenware pottery.
Christopher Horwood17/30Digital creative and brand consultant Lucy Williams has tackled her first renovation with confidence and flair, filling the Victorian terrace with bold colour and considered pieces. Lucy's primary en suite bathroom is a calm, modern oasis, painted in White Tie by Farrow & Ball and chosen for its “calming and soft” nature. The bath is clad in reclaimed wooden flooring from Lawsons Yard whilst the Rojo Alicante marble was sourced from Lapicida. Above the bath, window treatments by East London Cloth and a wall light by Flos hang.
Paul Massey18/30At Paul and Caroline Weiland's crisp, modern London house, a pale green sink and bath from The Water Monopoly's 'Rockwell' collection add a bit of retro charm to the sleek white bathroom.
Anson Smart19/30Interiors studio Arent&Pyke has anchored this Sydney Harbour newbuild firmly in the Australian vernacular with indigenous art, native hardwoods and a palette of outback-inspired tones, to create comfortable and compelling interiors. On the walls of the bathroom, ‘Really Russet’ paint by Taubmans picks up on the warm terrazzo below. The ‘Lavamani’ sink is by Falper from Rogerseller.
Alexander James20/30White walls, wooden floors, and a gorgeous freestanding bath make this bathroom in an Edwardian villa designed by William Smalley an appealing space. The original Edwardian bedroom chimneypiece has been retained.
Paul Massey21/30Pale Arabescata marble has been used for the elegant bath surround and splashback in the ensuite of a Sussex cottage by Beata Heuman. The distinctive coral-themed hanging light is a design by Vaughan. Lighting a bathroom can be tricky, but we've put together a gallery of reliable choices for affordable bathroom lights chosen by interior designers.
James McDonald22/30Designer Martin Brudnizki's compact west London flat perfectly demonstrates the cleverly layered look of which he is a master. Best known for his work designing hotels such as Soho Beach House in Miami and The Beekman in New York, Martin Brudnizki's forte is creating 'homes from home', he wants his work to be grand and glamorous, but there is also a sense of intimacy and comfort. The bathroom, covered with small marble metro tiles, is the epitome of understated glamour, with brass accessories and industrial-style light fittings.
Lucas Allen23/30Suzy Hoodless, known for her eclecticism and smart monochrome backgrounds, designed this bold patterned bathroom for a Notting Hill townhouse. The geometric tiles create a sense of division and space and are complemented by the brass taps and reclaimed wash stand. The cement tiles used here are bespoke, but the 'Cube No. 65' from Emery & Cie is similar.
Michael Sinclair24/30After sensitively reconfiguring its interior to suit the needs of their family, the owners of this Welsh cottage have furnished it with an appealing mix of homely pieces gathered over the years. Yellow tiles from Mosaic del Sur brighten up the children’s bathroom, which has a salvaged ceramic sink and a glass Crittall-style screen for the wet-room shower.
Paul Massey25/30Playing on the lack of natural light in the bathroom of her London house, interior designer Rita Konig had the bath area covered in horizontal and vertical boards and painted in a high-gloss 'Deep Brunswick Green' from Papers and Paints. The unusual, thoroughly unexpected, colour choice is what makes this otherwise simple bathroom interesting and contemporary.
Paul Massey26/30Caroline O'Donnell's London flat is mainly painted in various shades of white but there are with a few well-placed hits of bold, modern colour. The ensuite wet-room is tiled in electric blue Bisazza mosaic tiles. 'I loved the idea of Caroline waking up to this rich blue, which is offset perfectly by the glamourous gold fixtures and fittings,' explains designer Harriet Anstruther.
Davide Lovatti27/30The industrial style hydrotherapy bathroom of Carskiey Estate has its original shower, bath and teak wet-room floor. The Edwardian plumbing still survives, with taps displaying hot and cold saltwater and hot and cold freshwater in the magnificent bathrooms - though the salt water pipes have now corroded and are no longer in use. The antiquarian fittings do not, however, make for a classic scheme. The no-frills framework of this bathroom and its insistence on practicality lend a distinctly modern air to the room.
Simon Upton28/30At the Notting Hill home of Keith McNally, reclaimed industrial tiles have been used to create a modern look in the bathroom. This proves that to achieve a modern look in your bathroom you needn't go out and buy all new fittings - modernising can be about reworking rather than overhauling.
Richard Powers29/30The bathroom is clad in woods of various warm tones in a luxurious, provençal holiday home designed by Andrzej Zarzycki. This includes oak by the vanity area, fumed oak on the floors and oiled teak on the William Garvey bath. The chair was bought at the Marché aux Puces in Paris.
Paul Massey30/30This bathroom in architect Johnny Holland's Richmond mansion flat is simple yet luxurious. The Carrara-marble-clad bathroom has contrasting brass fixtures from Barber Wilsons while the walls have been painted a deep blue-black. This colour is unusual for a bathroom but it reflects the natural light beautifully, proving that sometimes the unlikely choice is the right one!
