I was at my friend Sarah’s house a couple of weeks ago, with a mug of hot tea in my hand and desperately trying not to spill anything on her brand-new bathroom floor, when it suddenly came together. You know that feeling you get when you step into a room and say to yourself “wow – this is great” – but you’re not entirely sure why? That was me standing in my socks and thinking this: she’d somehow created a space that seemed totally contemporary and fresh but would not appear ridiculously outdated in a few years’ time.
For months, Sarah had been telling me about her bathroom renovation plans – eight months of planning; countless hours spent agonizing over tile sizes; mounds of mood-boards plastered all over her kitchen. Honestly – when she showed me all these pictures of her Pinterest board featuring clean lines, beige tones, etc., i thought for sure she was headed directly into boring territory. Neutral-colored bathrooms are notoriously elegant but also incredibly bland – and, as anyone with a neutral bathroom can tell you, sometimes the best thing that can happen to an interior designer is for him/her to take a deep breath and realize that there is such a thing as too neutral.
However, standing there that morning, i finally understood. What Sarah had figured out — and what i had completely ignored during my own home renovation experiences — is the distinction between adhering to trends and designing something truly enduring. Lord knows i’ve spent enough money learning this lesson myself.
I was totally caught up in the herringbone subway tile craze when we first bought our house in Armley. Those beautiful-looking photos on Instagram looked stunning – an absolute disaster to live with. The grout lines sucked in everything and by eighteen months i was sick of staring at those disgusting grooves.
Every single time i bitched about cleaning them Phil said “i told you so.” The reason Sarah’s space worked is due to the manner in which she approached materials. Her choice of material for the vanity was white oak — not painted; not stained some trendy color that’ll seem utterly ridiculous in Three years; simply raw wood doing its job. As it ages, it’s going to look beautiful versus chipping off or fading like that painted vanity we had in our previous apartment.
The same logic applied to the stone. Rather than opting for super shiny marble that displays every water mark & every fingerprint, she opted for honed marble. As far as fixtures go – she demonstrated an abundance of good sense.
Do you remember when everything had to be rose gold?! Thank god those days are behind us now. She chose brushed brass – warm but not shouting; substantial but not flashy.
And the taps have weight to them – none of this flimsy crap that will begin wobbling after six months. I’ve had those cheap asses from B&Q that feel like they’re gonna fall off the wall every time you use them. There’s nothing quite like the luxury vibe being killed by a wobbly tap.
She did a fantastic job on her shower set-up too. Not overly complicated digital controls that will break down in Three years costing an arm and leg to repair. No steam features that sound utterly amazing until your wallet gets smashed.
Simply fantastic water pressure – a rain head that’s actually the right size for the space; not one of those monstrous ones that spray water everywhere on the floor; and a handheld on a slide bar. And the glass is completely clear because she finally figured out something that took me five years to learn: textured glass simply collects soap scum making your life miserable. And then lighting – oh man… she absolutely nailed it with that too.
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Three different types of lighting – all on separate switches – all dimmable. Ceiling-mounted recessed lights for general use, sconces either side of the mirror so you don’t have to look like a vampire while doing makeup, and that nice little pendant light above the bath that makes evenings spas feel like treats again. I’ve been in way too many bathrooms where someone got excited about bold tiles – you know, peacock blue or these geometric patterns that were everywhere a few years back – and then had to live with feeling fed up every single day they brush their teeth.
The color scheme was extremely understated. Warm white walls; natural stone; wood tones; just a hint of deeper colors in the soft furnishings. Nothing screaming for attention; nothing dating the space.
I’ve seen way too many bathrooms where someone got excited about bold tiles – and then had to live with feeling sick of looking at them every day. In terms of storage, function won over Instagram appeal. Deep drawers with real dividers (not just one big empty space where everything jingles around); a linen cupboard with adjustable shelves; and this brilliant idea – toe-kick drawers underneath the vanity for storing things you don’t need every day.
Everything had a place so surfaces stayed clean and the whole room felt calmer. I’m still working on this in our bathroom – currently our counter looks like a chemists has exploded. The bath deserves special mention.
Classic shape – simple – deep. Not some sculptural statement piece that sounds impressive in photos but is rubbish for actual soaking. This one holds heat properly – it’s comfortable for grown-ups – and it’ll be appropriate whether she changes everything else in five years or twenty.
Following form from function = never goes out of style. I probably think about ventilation more than most people, but she did this spot-on too. Proper exhaust fan – sized for the room; not just the cheapest option from screwfix; and a small window that actually opens.
Moisture is the enemy of every bathroom surface, and planning for it from the beginning saves so much hassle down the line. We learned this hard-way when our first bathroom developed gross black mold around the window because the ventilation was useless. Equally important as what she didn’t do.
No trendy tile patterns that’ll be ridiculous in two years. No statement lighting that dominates everything. No current trends that may feel fatigued next season.
No overcomplicated technology that may fail or become obsolete before you’ve paid for it. Quality basics + letting the materials & proportions create interest = contemporary bathroom without any particular design moment. When trends come back to maximalist baths or whatever comes next… this space will still look fresh & well designed.
That’s really it, isn’t it? Choosing products based upon their actual qualities rather than how popular they are this month/year/etc. Quality materials; reasonable proportions; proper lighting; thoughtful storage.
All the basic principles that make any space work well regardless of what’s hot right now
