Bathroom wall ideas
Bring life to blank walls with our bathroom wall ideas
Our bathrooms have evolved from purely functional spaces, to places where we can express our style and individuality. With four blank canvases, your bathroom walls are an ideal place to get creative and make a space that you’re proud of. To help you begin your bathroom design journey, we’ve outlined our top bathroom wall ideas.
Open shelving
If fitted bathroom furniture isn’t for you, open shelving is a great alternative. A stylish, minimalist option that won’t break the bank, open shelving is ideal for anyone looking to create an industrial style. This type of shelving can look cluttered if it isn’t organised, so use baskets and tumblers to keep everything neat.
Artwork
Traditionally, bathroom walls were bare and plain. However, in recent years we’ve seen an increase in the popularity of placing art on bathroom walls.
Installing artwork in your bathroom will bring a touch of your personality into the space, allowing you to express your own style and tastes. From small pictures above your toilet, to large prints on empty walls, your bathroom really is a blank canvas that you can make your own.
Artwork is also an easy way to create a more interesting cloakroom. This is the one room in your home all your guests will see, so take this opportunity to show off your personality, or make them smile! Whether it’s a city scene, a beautiful beach or a fun slogan, there’s a huge range of options for you to choose from.
Tile halfway up a wall
Sometimes, tiling all your bathroom walls can make the space feel smaller and claustrophobic. Tiling halfway up a wall will elongate it, which will make your bathroom feel larger.
This bathroom wall idea is perfect for anyone looking to tile on a budget, as fitting times and tile costs will be reduced with only half a wall to finish. Tiling half a wall also gives you the opportunity to experiment with different styles. You can try a different colour paint on the top half of the wall and if you change your mind at a later date, simply paint over it with a different colour.
Use mirrors to create depth
Bathrooms are spaces that can often feel small and cramped. Mirrors will add depth to a wall to make the space feel larger. They will also reflect light which can brighten up a dark bathroom. Most bathrooms will feature a large main mirror above the vanity unit but you don’t need to stop there. You can add an ornamental mirror on an empty wall or fit a small mirror above your toilet.
Wood panelling
Wood panelling is an increasingly popular addition to modern homes and the bathroom is no exception.
Installing a wood panel feature wall in your bathroom can add a natural, warm touch to a room which will often feel clinical and un-inviting. Wood can also bring some interesting textures to the space which will catch the eye when placed alongside the sleek materials which are the standard in modern bathrooms.
If you’re going to install wood panelling, we recommend choosing a wall which is away from areas with lots of water, such as your basin or shower. A popular choice is using wood panelling behind the toilet, or as a border halfway up the wall in a traditional bathroom. You can also create different visual effects depending on whether you fit the wood vertically or horizontally, and how big the gaps between the wood are.
Bare brick walls
A style straight out of a New York apartment, leaving a wall as bare brick is an increasingly popular design choice for those looking to create an industrial style space. Although this isn’t an option everyone will have available to them, the look of a brick wall can act as a striking contrast to the sleek finishes of modern bathrooms. Combine matt black or brushed brass fixtures with industrial lighting to create a truly stunning contemporary bathroom.
If you’re not lucky enough to have an intact brick wall in your bathroom, you can get the next best thing with brick effect bathroom wallpaper.
Colourful feature wall
As we’ve previously mentioned, our bathroom spaces can often feel cold and clinical. As this will often be the first place you go after you wake up in the morning, why not create a space which helps you feel positive and energised? Gone are the days when all bathroom walls needed to be white, so grab a paintbrush and create yourself a colourful feature wall. Whether it’s a subtle blush pink, a bright orange or relaxing blue, this is a simple and cost effective way to completely transform your bathroom.
Look out for specialist paints designed to deal with the moisture of bathrooms and remember to consider how your chosen colour will interact with your bathroom furniture.
Bathroom wallpaper
If you’re looking to add a focal point to your bathroom that will break up the style, look no further than bathroom wallpaper.
Offering almost endless colour and style opportunities, a wallpapered feature wall is a great way to add a personal touch to your bathroom. Whether you want to create a relaxing oasis with floral patterns, add some industrial style with brick effect, or indulge in your love for nature with animal prints, you’re sure to find a wallpaper to suit.
Textured bathroom tiles
Textured bathroom tiles can completely change up the look of a bathroom. Rather than looking sleek and uniform, textured tiles will bring your walls to life, taking on a different appearance as light hits them from different angles. Choosing tiles with textures can also help you create a wall that feels more authentic, not only through the tactile feel, but also the rougher, more natural look.
Splashwall bathroom panels
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to cover your bathroom walls, look no further than a splashwall panel. Available in a huge range of different colours and designs, Splashwall panels can help you create a sleek, seamless look in your shower. Not only do these panels look great, they’re also easy to install with no grouting required and little maintenance.
Metro tiles
If you’re looking to break away from standard bathroom tile sizes and patterns, consider laying metro tiles. Metro tiles are named after the subway systems where they were first installed. They gained popularity on these underground railways as their design was easy to fit on straight walls and curved ceilings alike. The metro tile has now become a popular choice for bathrooms as they are easy to lay and can be installed in various patterns to create a beautiful feature wall.
Metro tiles look great when installed in both modern and traditional bathrooms. Their small size and rectangular shape also gives you the ability to be creative with tile placement. You can break up the wall with rows of different coloured tiles, lay them in a herringbone pattern, or try different grout colours.
That concludes our top bathroom wall ideas. As you can see there’s no shortage of ways you can create a bathroom that’s exciting and unique, so grab a paint brush, some art or some new tiles and start transforming your own bathroom.