The bathroom trends of the moment range from soothingly simple to wildly colourful, with the underlying thread being the intention to create feel-good spaces.
Bare Essentials
When intended as a space to reset and relax as well as cleanse, a bathroom should aim for calming tones and a lack of clutter to soothe body and mind.
Left: Consistent use of light-wood accents contributes another layer of warmth and texture to the overall bathroom design in this house in Montagu. Right: To echo the sleek design of the exterior of this Fresnaye apartment complex, lines were kept sharp and seamless by paying careful attention to the details from the bathroom mirrors (not pictured) which extend into the ceilings to the barely-there air-con vents.
The statuesque ceiling height transforms the shower area of this Vredehoek home into an extraordinary space. Standard 200×200 white tiles were cut into quarters here, creating textural variation.
READ MORE: How to Design a Guest Bathroom
Simple Sanctum
Often a space designed to nurture and inspire, the bathroom can serve as a sanctuary devoted to healing and reflection. Natural textures – and a nod to nature itself – are both contributing factors.
Left: Clean, elegant lines ensure the en-suite bathroom in the Kerala Estate cottage retains a sense of pared-down functionality. Right: A sense of space and immersion in nature is the ultimate luxury – the bathroom in this Yzerfontein beach house is generously proportioned with a large window (not pictured) to give light and a view of the outdoor space.
Left: Crisp and immaculate, the bathrooms combine waxed concrete and zellige tiles on the floor and counters with cupboards dressed in straw by local artisans at this house in Comporta. Right: The bathroom of the guest unit in this Klein Karoo farm house is finished in terrazzo and raw wood.
Fruit Salad
Offering an instant energy burst, colour in a bathroom can be approached on a sliding scale of boldness.
The en-suite bathroom in this Australian home features a curved shower and Artedomus-tiled countertop, with low windows looking out onto the garden. The surrounding landscape also informed the home’s palette – olive-green walls echo the bush surrounds and provide a subdued backdrop for the understated furnishings.
Taking cues from the textures and colours typical of Mexican architecture, deserts and cacti fields, the bathroom (and entire apartment) is a reflection of nature’s hand in design. The variety of natural green shades makes for an ultra-modern bathroom interior that is at once visually striking and calming.
Left: By using candy-pink paint and vintage finds, Etienne Hanekom added femininity to the industrial shell of this Robertson Cottage. Right: Ceramist Charlotte Barkowski designed this Moroccan bathroom according to the works of Piet Mondrian. The bathtub and floors are tadelakt.
READ MORE: Switched On: Bathroom Lighting Tips from The Experts
Clean Sweap
You don’t need much in the way of accessories, storage or even furniture to create impact in a bathroom if you select strong, dramatic surfaces. These bathrooms demonstrate the power of well-chosen materials.
Left: Inspired by brutalist architecture, the spaces of this Australian home (including the bathroom) feature an arresting juxtaposition of wood, marble, terrazzo, velvet, timber and glass. Right: A porthole allows light into the main bathroom of this Cape Town Penthouse which is tiled in solid-granite.
Dramatic changes in volume and dynamic angles contribute to the multidimensional experience of space in the bathroom of this Midrand home.
Zen Master
Pared down to essentials, consciously understated spaces with no superfluous detail whatsoever can be extremely restful.
Left: The wooden chevron throughout this Fresnaye home transitions to marble in the main understated black and white bathroom. Right: Floor-to-ceiling windows and welcome an abundance of natural light into this minimalist Dubai home.
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