April 18th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

More than the living room, the study or the bedroom, the bathroom is increasingly where we go to relax. Bathrooms don’t have to just be where we do all our gross stuff, they can be our own little sanctuaries, away from the world. If you’re a customer facing business, replicating that comfy, peaceful feeling in your washrooms is a sure-fire way to set you apart from your competition and build a trust in your brand. Washrooms are a great, subtle way of reinforcing the quality of your brand with your customers. To do that, everything needs to be consistent. If you run a vintage tea-room, a cyberpunk washroom with neon underlit mirrors may not be the way to go! Likewise, if you’re an edgy, modern bar, your customers might be a bit jarred if they step into a cosy Victorian-style bathroom. While you can’t totally replicate the atmosphere of a relaxing domestic bathroom (you can’t have candlelit baths after all!), you can still make your customers as comfortable as possible while letting them know what you’re all about with an on-trend, on-brand bathroom.

Clean and Modern

A clean and modern approach helps any colour you do use really pop An increasingly popular approach is to go for something clean and timeless. If you aren’t worried about a particular theme for your bathroom, a monochrome look full of clean lines will project a modern confidence onto your customers. Stainless steel fittings are always in fashion, and luckily you can find pretty much everything you need in stainless steel, from toilet brush holders to soap dispensers. Monochrome white tiling is always a safe bet and is easy to clean and maintain to boot. If you’re looking for something ultra-modern that’ll make an impression, black tiling or black marble countertops underneath low underlighting will give your bathroom an air of class. A monochrome palette will never let you down, but be aware that many brands also use this style, so you’ll need to invest in real quality fittings to make your washrooms memorable. All you need to remember as far as this style goes is the 3 Ms: Metal, Marble and Monochrome! Remember that mantra when picking your tiling, countertops and fittings and it’s hard to go wrong.

Good for: pretty much everyone!

Rustic Lodge

Statement lighting can make your rustic washroom look extra cosy! If you have an eco-friendly, outdoorsy theme for your business, for example if you’re a vegan restaurant or cosy spa, a quality wood finish will really impress your customers. Greens, browns and beige are the order of the day here to transport your customers into a relaxing ski lodge, if only for a few minutes. Consider some brown fittings, which may sound strange but they’ll look amazing in a bathroom that uses a lot of wood! Consider some cast-iron look lanterns to really drive the point home. If you want to go really out there, and you have a bit of space, consider some reclaimed wood furniture or ornaments to catch your customers’ eye. A bit of visual stimulation goes a long way! The great thing about going for a rustic washroom is it allows lots of room for creativity, so you have lots of chances to make your brand look warm and welcoming!

Good for: outdoorsy businesses, environmentally friendly restaurants and spas.

Pop Culture Kitsch

Pop culture art on your walls gives your customers a fun and friendly environment A bathroom style idea for any business wanting to project a fun-loving, playful and friendly atmosphere. This style is less about bathroom fittings and fixtures, and all about what you do with your walls. Classic movie posters, murals of music stars and stylish celebrities from days gone by are instantly recognisable and will instantly make your customers feel right at home. Add in some unique pop art if you’re after a nice little touch. You can cover the walls in whatever retro design takes your fancy (if it’s wallpaper make sure to coat it with a waterproof covering though!) and as long as you have some simple, bright lighting, your bathroom will always look great! Because this style is inspired by retro to begin with, it’ll never go out of style. As we mentioned earlier, your fittings don’t matter so much here as long as they work, but some zany coloured appliances may make things a bit more lively. You can find a range of kitsch wallpapers online, but if you really want to stand out, consider hiring an artist to do you a mural.

Good for: cinemas, music bars, retro themed diners and hipster cafes!

The Secret Garden

An imaginative and simple look that makes your customers feel like they’ve discovered a magical, well-kept secret, this look is all about exposed brickwork and smart use of plants. You can use real or fake plants to give the impression of an overgrown, mysterious washroom your customers will feel right at home exploring! Go for some bright pastel coloured walls, leaving some clean brickwork and piping exposed as a contrast. Bright, simple colours contrast amazingly with exposed brickwork and plants Contrast this with some simple, understated and clean fittings and this style is ready to go! It’s a really simple look that you can enhance with a careful choice of air freshener to give your customers the feel of an outdoors garden, while still being safely looked after in your washroom! Use an automatic air freshener dispenser, tucked out of sight above a door, with a natural-smelling fragrance for impressive results!

Good for: Cosy bars and tea rooms.

Neo-Noir

If none of the above is edgy enough to suit your brand, this could be the style for you. You will need quite a spacious washroom to make it work, as this style is all about getting the right mood lighting and giving it some space. Underlight everything – your hand dryer, your counter tops, and your mirrors. You can get some inexpensive stick-on underlights, or if you’re really committed to the idea you can always get some specialist ones installed when your bathroom is actually being put together. This harsh lighting should be contrasted with low light bulbs and black tiling or marble for a clean, moody look. Underlighting makes the lines of your room look extra powerful - but you need space to get the most out of them Get some minimalist fittings – simple chrome or steel taps, soap dispensers and hand dryers (or paper towel dispensers) will look great. Make sure you’re using your bathroom mirrors effectively to make the room look much more expansive and atmospheric with all your light features, and just be confident in the quality of your dark tiling! If you get the right contrast between low light, dark surfaces and chrome fittings, you’ll leave your customers mesmerised.

Good for: Edgy bars and nightclubs.