Caxton magazines staffFrom sleek double vanities to fabulous wallpaper, we look at six ways to create a truly luxurious bathroom space
1. STANDING TALL
Free-standing furniture adds both style and functionality to a bathroom, and it’s particularly effective in a high-ceilinged space. Here, a distressed Louis XV armoire from Le Château is paired with a couple of gilt chairs to give a sense of French country glamour. “This room was all about space and light,” says owner Marian Ternent who runs Bryanston decor store Pimlico. “We also planted jasmine and gardenia beneath the windows which creates a very calming atmosphere.”
2. PALE AND INTERESTING
Sue Nel of Everyday Interiors gutted her existing bathroom and dressing room to create a serene space with a sleek, boutique hotel appeal. “We wanted an unfussy, practical room and reconfigured the footprint to achieve a sense of symmetry and balance.”
Large marble floor tiles from Union Tiles create a clean, sophisticated finish, and Sue repeated the grey and white marble finish on the countertops.
“We intentionally kept the colouring soft, and that, together with the vintage free-standing bath, makes the contemporary space seem more feminine.” The bevelled subway tiles are from Victorian Bathrooms.
3. DEEPEST DARKEST
To create this luxurious earth-toned bathroom, interior designer David Muirhead papered the walls in Elitis’s Big Croco from St Leger & Viney. Not only does it add a beautiful texture, it’s the ideal foil for the two faceted mirrors from Hadeda. A gently-worn kelim, Bamileke side table and carved stool add interest and storage space for books and towels.
4. VANITY FLAIR
Avoid the toothpaste queue by having your very own basin, complete with a generous countertop for beautiful scent bottles. Owner Marian Ternent converted this distressed sideboard from Le Château by replacing the wooden top with marble, and adding the basins and taps. The unit provides useful storage for toiletries and linen. The shield-shaped mirrors from Rory Snell Design complete the sense of symmetry.
5. COLOUR CLASH
“A guest bathroom is a great space to be colourful and daring, especially if the rest of your home is more neutral,” says decorator Sue Nel. Sue papered this room from floor to ceiling in Eijffinger’s Un Bisou collection, design Galerie de Tableaux Crème, available at Home Fabrics. “This design really stood out as it’s funky, but still pretty and very interesting.” Sue paired the rich palette with a vintage chair and mirror, and added wall-mounted lights for a touch of old-world glamour.
6. TREAD LIGHTLY
“Loose carpets or kelims are a great way to bring a sense of luxury and comfort to a bathroom,” says Jo’burg decorator Claire Frost. This carpet from Needlepoint & Tapestry adds to the elegant French country feel, and offsets the full-length curtains in toile linen. “We hung a simple metal dome pendant light from The Gatehouse, which adds a reflective element to the room.”
