Stunning bathroom design inspiration from around the world
Have you ever ventured abroad and spent a significant amount of time admiring the bathrooms of whatever locale you happen to be spending your holiday in?
The chances are the answer to that question is ‘no’, although you’ve probably spent some time wondering what on Earth a ‘bidet’ is.
More fool you, we say; our cousins from across the various ponds of the world are responsible for some of the grandest and beautiful bathroom design trends in the world, the kind of trends we could all do with taking some inspiration from.
Luckily for you, we’ve taken a quick trip around the globe (via the medium of the internet) to bring you some of the finest bathroom design trends from around the world.
Parisian design
Ah, Paris. The home of all things stylish, sophisticated and romantic. The city is so romantic, in fact, that even their bathrooms – traditionally the least romantic of all the rooms in a home – look like something out of a Renaissance painting.
Image credit: Paris by Wilhelm Lappe on Flickr
We’ve discussed Parisian-inspired design on the blog before and creating your own French-inspired bathroom retreat is actually quite simple. Combine pastel shades with the odd flash of silver and gold; the older the gold or silver looks, the better. Generally, the bathroom should look stylishly shabby, so try and secure some kitschy accessories (such as the wheeled little drinks tray-cum-towel holder in the image above).
Try and buy accessories with an artistic edge too, such as a curved bathtub, or a round bathroom mirror with flourishes. If you really want to go all out, install an opulent Paris-style chandelier too!
Italian bathroom design
A quick hop over the Baltic states and we find ourselves in Italy, that other style capital of the world. And, just like France, there’s plenty of inspiration to be had from the bathrooms of Rome, Milan and Veneto.
Image source: House to Home
As you can see from the image above, Italian design is all about clean lines and classic shades; think of a classic Italian suit, all dark, dapper and sharp. Obviously it may not be practical to buy a square bathtub, but dark-brown square storage boxes, boxing around the pipes of your sink and a rectangular LED mirror can all add to the effect. Just think geometrically, and you’ll be on to a winner.
Spanish design
A nice cruise on the Mediterranean and we’re in Spain, home of sunny design that is guaranteed to put a spring in your step.
Image credit: Spain by Roger Davies on Flickr
The bathroom pictured above is quite busy, and we wouldn’t exactly advocate going quite as extreme as in the photo above. However, there is a lot we can take from this bathroom; the use of warm colours; the combination of tiling, stone and wood; the arty style of the mirrors; the use of flowers and so on. The real eye-catcher, however, is the decorative tiling that lines the walls – mosaic-style tiling is the quickest way to achieve Spanish style in your home.
Scandinavian design
And finally, a quick jaunt over to Scandinavia for some rustic inspiration.
Installing a sauna-style bathroom in your home is bound to leave jaws on the floor and surprisingly, it might not cost as much as you think. Waterfall faucets are a good idea for this kind of bathroom, as are vessel sinks. To achieve the wooden wall look (without having to tear out your current walls and install costly replacements), you could invest in wood look wallpaper. While it’s not ideal to cover a whole room, it can provide a lovely accent. For more tips on using wood in the bathroom, check out this blog post.
Have you ever been inspired by a bathroom you’ve seen abroad? Let us know on Twitter @bathroom_mirror or on Facebook, and don’t be afraid to send pictures either! Otherwise, feel free to shop a little closer to home and browse our vast collection of illuminated bathroom cabinets!
