Bathroom Suites | SuiteBathrooms.co.uk

Seaside, seashore and nautical themes have become a great source of inspiration for designers in recent years.  The memories of a childhood seaside holiday, and the freshness of the clear blue sea, can easily be captured within the design of a room.  Both colour and texture play their part.  There are a great number of blue shades of paint from which to choose to reflect the sea and the sky. Moreover, a warm gold paint for the sand, and a clean white for the clouds on a sunny day are a good starting point. This can be combined with the smooth texture of sun-bleached timbers that have been washed up on the shore.

The secret to a well-designed themed room is the ability to adapt or disguise the principal elements needed.  For example, it is not difficult to unify bathroom cupboards with their surroundings and create a complete look, simply be using paint finishes that are complementary to the colourwash chosen to decorate the walls.  Accessories draw the eye towards them so in a seashore themed bathroom, sea and fish ceramic shapes can be stuck to plain tiles to provide textural interest.  A handful of shells can be utilized.  A simple border can be made by stamping motifs of shells onto plain paper.  Collections of sea themed accessories can add more personality and character to a room than the most carefully chosen manufactured wallpaper.

Many modern bathrooms or en suites are now built without the benefit of a window.  Not only does this mean that you are reliant on artificial lighting but it can also have the psychological effect of looking claustrophobic, regardless of how large the room is.  One answer to this would be to create a false window.  This can be achieved by building wooden shutters into a frame resembling a window recess.  Then the whole is dressed using a sheer muslin curtain and some accessories added to make it look like there is a narrow window ledge.

Bedrooms with ensuite  bathrooms are increasingly popular.  The luxury of being able to step from the privacy of one room to the other is an indulgence many people now take for granted.  Linking the two rooms can provide extra space, which may be used for a related purpose.  For instance, this area is ideal for a dressing-room, wardbrobe and storage area, or boudoir in which to dress and undress, or just relax.  However, it is important to remember that  bathrooms that double as dressing-rooms, or are part of a bedroom where clothes are stored, should be well ventilated to prevent clothes becoming damp and musty.

Turning a small spare bedroom into an extra bathroom often provides the kind of room that gives enough space for activities other than bathing.  For instance, such a room can become a study or a den, with armchairs and stacks of books or magazines. However, it is dangerous to use electirical equipment  such as PC’s or printers in any area close to water.  To create a room within a room or to shield an area, a screen or group of screens can be used to make a movable wall.

Those bathrooms with large areas of wall space can be transformed into a picture gallery with paintings or family photographs.  Displays of collections such as china, fans or other artefacts can also provide an interesting feature.

With the current interest in keeping fit a large bathroom with plenty of floor space is an ideal place to keep equipment such as rowing or cycling machines.  The floor area can also be used for doing sit-ups and other exercises.  After building up a sweat from strenuous activity it is ideal to  be able to strip off and step straight into the shower.  If the bathroom is used for exercise and activity, the area may be tiled – both walls and floor – and the windows covered by a roller- or slat-blind, exphasizing the sense of industry and energy.