Refresh your bathroom with these design tips

A new set of towels will instantly refresh the look and feel of your bathroom

From Pooky’s IP-rated bathroom lighting range (Pooky)

It’s a known fact that bathrooms can turn into overflowing medicine cabinets quicker than you can say “open shelving”. Dreams of a restorative, tiled haven can seem out of reach, much like the new bottle of bodywash (refillable, of course) still sitting in your bag-for-life.

However, there are some easy design updates that can elevate your bathroom with little effort. The most practical place to start is with storage. Once your surfaces are clear, the fun really begins. A quick browse through aplaceforeverything.co.uk’s bathroom section brings up some truly brilliant storage pieces, such as a Villa Bellantonio rotating chest of drawers, inspired by the 1960s Boby Trolley by Joe Colombo. Five separate storage compartments comprise the neat and space-sensitive storage pillar, with rotating sections to provide access to all drawers simultaneously.

Kohler Components chrome single control lifestyle

Another great mid-century inspired option is string, a Swedish company that has been making minimalist style shelving since 1949. The shelving is modular, meaning you can add and take away pieces of the shelving system as your bathroom storage needs change. The closed cabinetry has a sliding door option too, perfect for the even the tiniest of bathrooms.

Once the unsightlies are tucked away (preferably in some Hinch-aware network of baskets), incorporate a decorative side table or plinth to display the bottles, candles and plants in a stylish and pleasing way. A number of brands are embracing the importance of great design credentials where bottles and packaging is concerned, such as the ubiquitous Aesop, New Zealand-based Ashley & Co and Malin + Goetz, co-Founded by Andrew Goetz and Matthew Malin. Once you narrow down the products you would like to display, choose a side table that you love, and keep it next to the bath or shower. The Eternity freestanding bathside table designed by Sebastian Conran and Vitra is, in my books, the platonic ideal of a side table, perfect for styling lotions and potions. And crucially, it comes with an integrated towel rail.

A new set of towels will instantly refresh the look and feel of your bathroom. Stacked artfully on some shelving or hung over a towel rail, they add texture, colour and sometimes a welcome hit of pattern. Imperium 11’s offering of design-led towels is inspired by Scandinavian simplicity and its new Luxury Fringed Cotton Two-Tone collection is bringing a statement stripe back to the towel market. For a more pared-back look, Sheridan Australia’s Luxury Retreat Towels come in muted jewel tones and fresh, contemporary tonals.

Luxury Striped Cotton Towel Petrol Blue, from £4

Changing up your lighting scheme is another way to transform the atmosphere of the bathroom. Steven Pearce of Penchard London, an interior design and property development studio based in London, believes that lighting can transform a bathroom, “adding atmosphere and a new mood to even the simplest of spaces”. He says: “Levels and layering is a must, so ensure a mix of fixtures for the perfect, adjustable lighting schemes.”

Davey Lighting, part of the Original BTC group, has created the Hampton wall light which combines the trend for glowing, orb-like glass shades with a traditional weathered brass swan arm. More swan arm options can be found in Pooky’s new collection, its first IP rated bathroom lighting range. Pooky Founder, Rohan Blacker, believes a well-lit bathroom is incredibly important. “For our new IP-rated range, we chose a wall light as they are by far the most popular request of those looking for bathroom lighting.”

He continues: “Restrictions with ceiling heights and floor space mean customers are more likely to use wall space to introduce stylish lighting into their bathrooms.”

Davey Lighting, Hampton Wall Light

Finally, replacing your taps goes to show that refitting isn’t the only way to give more permanent elements of your bathroom a new look. Mark Bickerstaffe, director of new product development, kitchen and bath Europe & Asia Pacific at Kohler, says: “The tap is the ideal piece for a creative pop of expression that can unify an interior.”

Kohler’s new Components collection is an homage to contemporary, industrial design and a true demonstration of the exciting possibilities of brass. Tangential to the core Components collection is the Ombre range, which was Awarded an Interior Design’s Best of Year Award – perfect if you’re looking for a sculptural piece of design to give your bathroom an edge.