HOME STYLING DARK INTENTIONS
Adam Chard, bathroom expert at
VictoriaPlum.com looks at one of the latest trends to hit bathroom interiors – ‘dark and dramatic’ – and offers practical advice, hints and tips on how to achieve it
C
hances are that in most bathroom projects, most self-builders will be looking to order white tiles and include plenty of neutral colours like beige, cream or light brown. If they are trying to be a little more on-trend, it may be a monochrome colour scheme with blacks, whites and greys mixed in. Pretty unadventurous, if you think about it. On the whole, modern bathrooms tend to have a simple, pale colour scheme. In fact, these days, you won’t find many, if any, coloured bathroom suites, like the salmon pink or avocado travesties of the 1970s and 80s!
Colour is a big decision when choosing a bathroom, and it might even dictate the elements you incorporate into the design. For example, furniture with a certain wood finish or colour may be more appropriate for a certain colour palette. It can often be one of the last things you’d think about – after all you’re not an artist! But being bolder and braver, while it might seem risky, can pay off – as shown by one of the latest trends hitting bathrooms.
WHAT IS THE TREND?
Put simply, one of the latest trends in bathroom design is the use of darker colours to create a more theatrical, dramatic setting. If you take a look around you the next time you’re in a fashionable clothing shop, hotel or bar, you’ll start to realise where this trend has come from.
Before you start thinking that all sounds a bit depressing, it is worth stressing: dark doesn’t have to be gloomy. On the contrary, with darker colours, reflective finishes and intriguing textures, you can
26
www.sbhonline.co.uk
add real character to bathroom interiors. There are many ways you can approach this, either by using a monochrome colour scheme, which relies more heavily on the darker elements (e.g. black and dark grey) or you could look at richer, darker colours. Burgundy, teal and purple have all been favourites in recent years.
SOME TIPS AND TRICKS TO HELP WITH COLOUR One of the top tips for using colour within your bathroom is the 60:30:10 ratio. This involves using three main colours, with around 60 per cent of surfaces in your main chosen colour (in this case, a dark hue), 30 per cent in your secondary colour, and finally 10 per cent as an accent colour (usually picked out in accessories).
Of course, as previously mentioned, the overwhelming majority of bathroom suites these days are white, following homeowners’ tastes. However, there are clever ways to introduce darker elements, for example a black bath surround, black framed shower enclosures, dark shower trays and even black brassware in the form of taps, showers and valves. You needn’t just stick to black. A great way to add an on-trend edge to your design is to incorporate a specific metallic finish. Copper, silver, gold and rose gold are all popular choices for modern bathrooms, where chrome is a bit old hat. You can even add matching accessories like basin traps, wastes and shelving. A statement wall or floor is another great way to incorporate a darker theme. Patterned floor tiles draw the eye immediately, whilst a darker wall can be easily achieved by using decorative brick tiles or wall panels which can be fitted
directly on top of tiles, helping to save on your costs.
When it comes to choosing furniture, darker wood finishes like walnut or dark oak can be a great choice, especially if you’re after a more natural look. As an alternative to wood or stone flooring, keep an eye out for modern vinyl or laminate alternatives. They are much easier to install, offer an incredibly hardwearing surface, plus they are nice and easy to clean, so you’ll thank yourself in the long run!
USING LIGHT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE Of course, with all these dark surfaces and textures, you don’t want your bathroom design to feel oppressive or
march/april 2019
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
