How to choose the perfect bathroom surface
The surfaces in your bathroom – floors, walls and countertops – are not just a functional element of the space – chosen well, they can have a positive influence on the entire design. Whether you dream of a bold, glamourous feature wall or prefer to opt for a nature-inspired look, the surfaces chosen will be one of the first things noticed as you enter the room so it’s worth taking time to choose right. Bathroom surfaces must work hard too of course – they need to be water, scratch and stain resistant and the easier to keep clean they are, the more hygienic the space will be.
Looks aside, a bathroom surface needs to be:
• Resistant to wear and tear
• Stain resistant
• Splash resistant
• Easy to clean and care for
• Hygienic
Opting for a material that offers this durability, and is available in a wide choice of styles, such as Inalco MDi ensures you’re well covered for both form and function in the bathroom.
How to choose a bathroom surface colour
Practicalities taken care of, choosing a material that has a wide selection of aesthetics means you can create your preferred bathroom design. The colour chosen for large areas such as bathroom walls often dictates the whole feel of the space, so it’s worth considering whether the desired look is for light and open or comforting and cosy ahead of making your colour selection. Bear in mind too that, although lighter shades often make a space feel bigger and are therefore a popular choice for compact bathrooms, adding contrast with different colours or some bold patterning can add interest and personality.
Our top tip when choosing a surface colour for your bathroom is to start with a stand-out colour – whether it’s a crisp white with bold, marble-inspired patterning as seen on Inalco MDi Larsen, or the moody, sophisticated tones of Storm Negro and use this as your base theme. It’s then easier to choose materials and finishes to contrast or complement elsewhere in the room. Adding in accent colours that are more neutral if you’ve gone bold with your wall surface, for example, will help draw attention to the main feature of the bathroom – your walls.
Surfaces for small bathrooms
There are a few design tricks that can be handy to know when you’re choosing surfaces for a small bathroom. One of these is tile size. As a general rule, larger tiles of even large slab surfaces like Inalco MDi are a good choice for smaller spaces, as they create the illusion of space and have fewer grout lines which creates a streamlined impression. Another trick is to opt for the same or similar colourway surface on the bathroom walls and floor, to create more depth to the room. Visual interest can be added here in the form of a subtle pattern, to add an extra dimension.
How to introduce pattern to your bathroom walls
Bold patterns are an on-trend look and a great way to add character to the bathroom – use a patterned surface like the luxe marble-inspired Inalco MDi Larsen to create a feature wall in a larger space or to highlight a relatively small area, like a washbasin splashback in smaller. Contrast this with plain surfaces elsewhere to add an extra dynamic to the bathroom with no risk of overwhelm.
For bathroom design inspiration follow us on Pinterest or Instagram.