Bathrooms We Are Loving Right Now – Nov 2021

When it comes to adding value to your home, you simply can’t look past the bathroom and kitchen for maximum impact. These two rooms are the most important features for buyers in the market and are surprisingly often overlooked. With the trend of DIY renovations looking like it’s here to stay plus the fact we are working from home more often, there is so much you can do to improve the style and functionality of your home at any budget.

Here are our top favourite bathrooms we’ve seen in our listings lately that inspire us.

Bathtubs of any size. As long as we can relax in them.

Gone are the days where you needed a bath fit for a queen. We’re all about relaxing after work and don’t mind if we only have a small space to do it in. Freestanding bathtubs look brilliant, like this one in Stanmore. Whether a compact 1300mm to an indulgent 1850mm, you can achieve a luxe look for any space. 

Larger than life tiles

This year has seen a rise in both vertical and horizontally placed large tiles. With a common cut of 300 x 600mm, these are not just stylish but can often be purchased affordably in bulk. The best part of large tiles is that they result in less grout lines, meaning your bathroom is easier to clean. Large tiles laid in the right way, like in this stunning St Kilda listing, gives an added depth and height to a room of any size. 

Backlit everything  

We can’t get enough of backlit cabinets and mirrors. This Caulfield home creates the ultimate black and white lighting magic with LED lighting under the mirrored cabinets. Backlit lighting is a luxurious touch for mirrors, while also giving them a floating appearance. If you’re looking at lighting strips for your bathroom, a good tip is to ensure you’re briefing the electrician before the cabinets go in. Once they’re in, it’s a lot trickier to do!

Engineered stone over marble

Marble is the ultimate indulgence when it comes to cabinetry in both kitchens and bathrooms. However it does have a great reputation for  being notoriously hard to clean and keep clean. The porous nature of marble means that although the grain of stone is beautiful to look at, it also absorbs the colouring and chemicals from everyday items – think: makeup, stripy toothpaste or a spilled glass of red wine! Marble is also relatively soft, meaning it is susceptible to scratching. More and more we are seeing some of our more expensive listings presented with stunning stone of the engineered kind. Engineered stone is just that: a composite material made up of crushed stone and bound together with an adhesive. All the beauty of marble with the practicality you need. 

A pop of colour

We love a surprise pop of colour in any room, so this listing from North Bondi was a particular hit. By using the blue and green hues of the home in the bathroom, the designers have tied together a modern aesthetic in a way that looks quite neat. Wooden v-groove cabinetry makes the perfect canvas for these colourways. The colour itself could match the home or surroundings or be something completely unique. Many paint shops offer custom paint matching solutions so if you have an idea, it’s always worth seeing how the professionals can help you bring it to life. 

Nature calls

Our final trend we are loving is a complete return to nature. Think wooden floors, cabinetry or ceilings and open clear windows that let greenery through. Of course, when it comes to windows you need to be practical. There are rules around opacity if your neighbours can see your bathroom and vice versa. However if you’re as lucky as the owners of this home in Brighton and have privacy, why not allow the option of a bright window to let nature shine in. Teal or navy towelling is a great way to highlight greenery and add that rainforest feel to your bathroom design.

Bathroom rules

When it comes to the bathroom, you’d be amazed at what you can achieve with a little effort. Unlike kitchens, which are usually the more expensive of the two rooms to renovate, bathrooms can be surprisingly stylish on a shoestring. It’s important to remember when it comes to bathroom renovations to ensure that while you may not be breaking the bank, you’re also not flooding the house. Before you start chipping away yourself, make sure you’ve enlisted the help of a plumber and tiler to make sure that your grand plan can be executed on budget. If you’re thinking about moving the location of a toilet around the room, decide whether it’s worth the cost of re-plumbing first. Likewise, if you’re thinking of a wall-hung loo, you’ll need ample wall space behind it to hang the recess. It’s these little things that are best left to an expert, of which there are plenty to tap into (excuse the pun).