By most people’s standards, the bathroom is one of the most useful rooms in the house – but its layout, outfitting and decor become especially important if you’re someone who loves the ritual of a good skincare routine, a long soak in the bath or simply a place to get ready and take time out during the day. The problem is that many bathrooms miss the mark when it comes to ease of use and being a truly welcoming space.
Leanne Kilroy of Good Bones agrees that bathrooms can be tricky spaces to work with, which is exactly why they demand extra thought. ‘They require a lot of non-negotiables – a toilet, sink and the ability to shower or bathe – and they’re often small, sometimes without any natural light,’ she says. ‘They have to be both immensely practical, yet still speak to the intimate, comforting and routine part of our lives.’
Having visited plenty of hotel bathrooms in my time as a beauty editor – often beautiful but totally impractical – and also renovated my own, I’ve learned a few things about what makes a great and genuinely useful space, as well as what to avoid. Like many of us, it’s the room where I set the tone for the day ahead, refreshing my skin in the morning and taking make-up off at night. It’s where I wake up my limbs (thank you, dry body brush) and wash stressful days away in the bath. It’s a sanctuary, and I’m passionate that it should feel like one.
As with any room, it starts with a good layout. That looks different to everyone, so Leanne recommends asking what matters most to the people who will be using the space. Are two sinks a priority? Will you be doing your make-up there? Do you need extra storage? ‘Figure out the essentials first – such as the location of the toilet, as waste pipes can be really bossy and often dictate what goes where – and then deal with materials later,’ she says.
The most inviting bathrooms seem to beckon you in, so consider your eyeline view as you enter. Seeing a toilet first is a major pet peeve for Maria Lindgren and Adele Lonergan of Covet Noir, whereas a clear view of a beautiful vanity or bath tub offers far greater visual impact. ‘An ideal bathroom also benefits from good natural light – windows wherever possible – an intuitive floor plan and seamless privacy in all the right places,’ adds Kelsey Coppetti of Studio Marrant. If you’re starting at the renovation stage, these fundamentals are worth prioritising before any more aesthetic decisions come into play.
Then: let there be light. Some bathrooms are blessed with floor-to-ceiling windows and an abundance of natural light – but let’s face it, those are few and far between. In my own bathroom, we replaced clouded glass with clear in our not-insignificant single window, adding a sheer linen blind (made from East London Cloth’s Alvington) for privacy when needed. While my builder thought I was crazy, it transformed the way light diffuses through the space, and is a change I recommend highly.
Electrical lighting is absolutely crucial, especially if you’ll be spending any time looking in the mirror: ‘The secret to bathroom lighting that feels calm, flattering and practical is layering,’ says Mary Graham of Salvesen Graham. She recommends placing wall lights on either side of the mirror to create a soft, balanced glow; by contrast, harsh downlights directly overhead cast the kind of shadows that make eye bags look heavier and fine lines appear where they weren’t before.
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It doesn’t matter whether it’s a tub of Sudocrem or pot of La Mer, even minimalists end up with an array of lotions and potions in the bathroom. Everything needs a home, and some products look better on display than others, which is why storage is paramount. ‘Well-incorporated storage is where the magic happens,’ says Kelsey. ‘Some should feel intentional and design forward – like vanities (best keeping everyday products close at hand) and linen cupboards – while others should be less obtrusive or even hidden, such as wall niches for a select few eye-worthy objects or built-in cupboards painted to match the walls (a brilliant spot to store medicines, children's toys or infrequently used products).’
The stealthy storage in Kilroy’s own Islington bathroom is a perfect case in point. She maximised a partially opened chimney breast by building storage directly into the wall then concealing it behind a framed print. ‘It’s now where we keep all the things that have to live in the bathroom, like toilet paper, toothbrushes, vitamins and face wash,’ she says. She also incorporated a niche in the shower for shampoos and body wash.
On the topic of hidden storage, my laundry basket is hidden in a nearby cupboard, which makes both the space and the chores far easier to manage. In the same vein, a few cleverly placed hooks – see MG&Co’s Triple Clover Hook or Folie Chambre’s Hooks – are an excellent (and stylish) way to keep hand and face towels within arm’s reach. And one more tip: choose flannels that aren’t white to keep them looking fresher for longer. My favourites are Baina’s checkerboard numbers, and Marks & Spencer also do great options.
Other small touches can make a surprisingly big difference to how you navigate the bathroom. As someone who ends every day in the bath, a generous tub was central to my own bathroom scheme – but it’s the two lightweight stools beside it, home to various bath oils, books and magazines, that have helped the space look and feel more homely. Bath caddies are also a great way to keep products close at hand while bathing or showering – Rowen & Wren do good options.
A good mirror also makes beauty pursuits much easier, and those truly committed to the cause may even consider an extending magnifying mirror for an up-close-and-personal view of the skin. One of my gripes is when mirrors steam up, but Maria and Adele recommend fitting de-mister pads to the backs of both decorative mirrors and mirrored cabinets to prevent this.
And lest we forget taps and showerheads – the sort of things you barely notice when they work well, but definitely do when they don’t. ‘I think of them as jewellery’ says Leanne. ‘Taps work incredibly hard every day, and they can add – or detract – a great deal visually from the space. They’re worth the extra splurge, and they need to be in conversation with everything else happening in the bathroom.’
Functional though the bathroom may be, it should also be a space of pleasure and warmth – which is why incorporating beautiful fabrics, whether around the window or the basin, is essential. I also believe that introducing something upholstered, like a chair or stool if space allows, is the height of luxury. It turns even the simplest beauty routine into something that feels as if it’s taking place in a miniature boudoir.
Far more than a practical pit stop, a useful bathroom is the sum of its parts – and while every one will have its limitations, making thoughtful choices can make even the smallest or most awkward space feel considered, comforting and a joy to use.
