Create your space: Bathrooms

All-white, basic bathrooms are classics for a reason: they are safe, with a broad appeal. To infuse your space with a little (budget-friendly) personality, check out these tips.

• Apply dowel to your vanity to bring warm timber tones into your room. The timber will add a natural element to the bathroom, while providing a contrast against the ceramic of your vanity or other fittings.
• Paint your walls with a neutral but softer tone, like this beautiful colour called "Twill" by Taubmans. A pure white can appear harsh, so by choosing a slightly warmer tone (with yellow or red undertones), you will complement the timber and soften the space. A warm white paint is especially suited to darker, north-facing rooms, and is ideal for a bathroom that doesn’t have huge windows.
• Add timber accessories like a shelf and a duckboard, which will pair with your new vanity design.
• Use greenery and styling accessories to complement your new paint colour. Indoor plants are proven air purifiers, stress relievers and mood boosters, making them the perfect accessory for your new bathroom. Just make sure you choose the right ones – air plants or Boston ferns are great, as they don’t require a lot of light and love moisture.

Ready to stretch your D.I.Y. skills or have a little more budget to play with? Check out these upgrades.

• Replace your fixtures, such as the tapware, showerhead, and accessories with a matt black range for an instant contemporary look. Just make sure you consider the length, height and scale when choosing new fixtures and fittings – there is a risk of getting the proportions wrong (pairing a large tap with a small vanity, for example). You may need to call in a tradie to help with the replacement, depending on the type of fixture and local regulations.
• Use bold colours on the wall – this will create a point of interest and it can create the mood for the room. If your bathroom is long and narrow, paint the end wall in a darker hue to create the illusion of a squarer space. If your space features large windows, paint the opposite wall a cooler tone to absorb excess light and ground the space. If you want to create a welcoming and intimate space, choose warmer tones. Of course, a bold wall doesn’t just mean a coat of paint – you can achieve the same effect with tiles or wallpaper.
• Your vanity is the ultimate blank canvas, so why not take advantage and create a unique design? One option is to jazz up the front with scalloped panelling and black hardware, or simply give it a lick of paint to match the overall aesthetic.

Harness your advanced D.I.Y. skills with this expert and more involved transformation.

Tip: Relocating plumbing can be costly and requires specialist trades, so it’s best to leave it alone.

• Measure and mark where all your desired products will go. This will give you a great indication of the ideal sizes of your fixtures and alert you to any potential issues.
• Do your research to come up with a well-considered and functional design. You will need to consider how everything will function when using the bathroom. For example: what happens when you open the doors of your vanity? Is there enough room between the bathtub and the vanity? Is there any wasted or dead space that could be better utilised?
• Take your tiles to the ceiling. We’ve used a white terrazzo floor tile, which has all the characteristics of natural stone without the maintenance. It continues all the way up to the ceiling and into the shower zone, helping to make the space appear larger. The crisp, straight lines create an optical illusion that makes small spaces look bigger than they are. Tiles can also protect your walls from excess moisture and are a low-maintenance option for cleaning.
• Tiles are also a fantastic way to add a point of contrast without introducing too many competing features. A textured subway tile adds interest, bringing a designer look to your bathroom while allowing other elements to shine.
• Bigger is better when it comes to vanities, as they provide more storage options. Paired with a round mirror and curved-edge tapware, it creates a contemporary aesthetic and satisfies both form and function.
• Add a feature bath for a show-stopping centrepiece that also offers added flexibility. While standard bathtubs normally have to be placed against a wall, a freestanding bath can be placed anywhere and raised off the ground, giving you a chance to show off your flooring. It also offers a little more variety in terms of design – you have the option of metal or porcelain materials, as well as a range of shapes and sizes to suit your space. Most importantly, a freestanding tub can add a sense of luxury to your bathroom and it can even add to the potential resale value of your home.
• Finish your brand-new bathroom off with gentle styling and soft timbers, providing a contrast to the larger statement pieces and ensuring your space remains inviting and relaxing.