Friday 6 January 2012

What 2012 might have in-store for bathroom design!




Welcome to 2012! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic festive season, filled with family, friends and frivolity.

Now that the partying is over and we’re all back at work (boo!), it’s time for people like me to start thinking about interior design trends again. According to sources back in the summer, 2012 is all set to be the year of ‘English Eccentricity’ in interior design: think Alice in Wonderland over-sizing and some crazy pattern and colour.

But while I can see a home for potion bottles in the bathroom (decant your regular shampoos, lotions and... erm... potions into them and display on open shelving for an elegant look), I’m less sure about indulging in true eccentricity in this space. The bathroom is somewhere we all spend a lot of time, and it’s a practical place. You need the room’s layout and design to fulfil its purpose, and you should create somewhere that you’re going to want to spend your time.

After a hectic festive season full of spending, you’ll be looking to save a little on any home renovation you undertake. I’d suggest that you keep it simple on sanitaryware and pick timeless designs that will resist aging: shop around in the January sales and you’re sure to find something to suit.

Add interest (muted or bright) to simple bathroom furniture through coordinated bathroom accessories, interesting hardware for your bathroom cabinets, or striking paints and wallpapers. This way, you’ll be indulging your tastes, but you’ll have the scope (and the cash) to change your room scheme as your tastes change - without giving your bank manager a breakdown.

Bathroom re-design, the Helen Davies’ way: a lesson in lavish frugality for 2012.