Relaxed bathroom design ideas

There is no better place to relax and unwind than the bathroom. A room that can become a complete haven from everyday life, it’s important that you get your bathroom design just right, so that it can become a place to escape to and indulge in.

Bathrooms don’t have to be utilitarian spaces, but can reflect your personality and the rest of your home with warm and cosy additions that create a calm and happy atmosphere. Whether it’s through clever choice of colour, or inventive use of furniture and the natural space of your bathroom, there are so many ways to achieve a relaxing bathroom environment.

If you want to update your bathroom with just a lick of paint, pretty pastels will instantly give your room a soft and calm backdrop. Alternatively, go all out with pastel furniture, wallpaper and accessories to create a delicate and feminine bathroom you will love to relax in. Try painting the bath a different shade to the walls and add in candy pinks and stripes to mix patterns as well as colours.

If you prefer a more minimalist approach, choose light and airy colours, such as soft greys teamed with brilliant white, or natural wood and creamy hues. This uncluttered approach will open up a small bathroom and feel much calmer than a cramped space. Keeping the rest of your bathroom paired back also allows you to make a statement with one feature, such as a free-standing bath or a fireplace.

You can also theme your bathroom for a kitsch finish. Coastal themes are a striking and fitting choice for a bathroom, or choose floral fabrics and vintage accessories to create a country chic vibe that’s homely and personal to you.

Green and blue bathroom with wooden house and white fireplace

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Turn your bathroom into a coastal haven

Evoke the happy emotions felt on holiday by bringing a coastal feel to your bathroom. Mirror the colours seen in a seaside town - sea blue and turquoise married with candy pinks.

Green chest of drawers with pink stripe wallpaper

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Use pastel shades

Pastel colours instantly evoke a calming atmosphere. Implement colours through a mix of patterns - such as stripes and delicate stencils - for added interest.

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Keep it neutral

Soft grey has a naturally soothing feel to it, so teamed with crisp white it delivers an ultimately serene look. This colour palette also works well to open up a small bathroom space, allowing light to flow through.

White bathroom with shelve and framed pictures

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Create a personalised space

Personalise your bathroom with photographs, memorabilia and treasured finds, creating a homely look. Thin shelves are all that is needed for display purposes, saving on space.

Bathroom with lilac walls, floral curtains and vintage mirrors

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Add florals to your bathroom

Floral prints, both delicate and large scale, bring a whimsical, country feel to a bathroom. Here, the lilac tone matches with the beautiful colour of the flowers, while vintage finds add to the country look.

Bathroom with white walls and a pine bath and floor

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Use natural materials

Natural materials bring an earthy feel to a room, evoking a calm, spa-chic atmosphere. Continuing the wood from the floor onto the bath creates a seamless look.

White bathroom with free-standing bath and pine shelves

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Clear your bathroom of clutter

Keeping your bathroom free from clutter using simple wooden shelves means the space can breathe and you can relax. Placing a freestanding bath on a raised wooden block transforms it into a centrepiece, thus making bathing a real occasion.

Bathroom with white walls and wooden beams

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Make the most of original beams

Allow wooden beams to become the focal of a scheme, bringing a cosy look to the bathroom. Other original features, such as a lattice window, can bring added charm.

Bathroom with fireplace and cream cabinet

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Include a fireplace

A fireplace is a great way to create a 'wind down' environment in your bathroom. Candles add another dimension to the mood.

Green bathroom with white free-standing bath

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Use tongue-and-groove panelling

Tongue-and-groove panelling adds texture to a bathroom, softening what can be a utilitarian space, especially if all white. Painted floorboards with an uneven and worn effect create a lived-in feel.

For more bathroom decorating ideas visit our bathroom channel, and take a look at our pick of the best traditional, modern and country bathrooms. Don't miss any of the latest features by following us on Twitter and Facebook.