It’s All in the Details: How Small Choices Elevate Bathroom Design

A bathroom renovation or a new build is anything but simple. From structure and plumbing to choosing the perfect fixtures and accessories, it can feel like an endless array of decisions to make and design pieces to order.

But every bathroom, from a full master bath to a small powder room for guests, can make a statement. Whether you go for bold colors or subtle accents, modern bathrooms are about both function and flair.

Let’s take a look at how accessories and other unique design choices can set every bathroom apart.

The Oasis

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This room talks about another time and place. From the plaster-finished walls to the luxurious brass fixtures, a bathroom like this makes you think about quiet mornings in a Turkish bath. It’s a place to relax and rejuvenate, while the sun pours through eastern windows.

The Little Details

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Obviously, the wall-to-wall shower is the statement piece in this room. Between the contrasting floor and wall tiles and the movement created by the marble veins, it’s impossible not to look at the shower first.

But what we really like about this room is the subtle accents outside the shower. The shiplap on the wall and matching detail lines along the bottom of the bathtub mimic the geometric lines of the tile grout creating visual interest, instead of what could easily be plain, flat white walls overshadowed by the tile behind it.

The Hidden Nook

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Sometimes it’s the details you almost don’t see that really set a design apart. With these dark blue granite walls, it’s easy to picture this shower is actually in a hidden cave or at the foot of a waterfall. And small features like this recessed alcove for soap and other toiletries help to keep the daydream alive, without disrupting the overall look of the room.

Fathoms Below

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Speaking of daydreams, we love this subtly nautical design of this bathroom. From the giant porthole mirror to the whale skeleton wallpaper and matte black, industrial-look faucet, it’s easy to imagine we’re fathoms deep in a submarine, instead of getting ready for work. This bathroom is under the sea with a twist, and it works because all of the details contribute to the overall aesthetic.

The Balancing Act

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We’ll be the first to admit there’s a lot going on here in a relatively small space. But it works because it’s operating in very tight confines, both in terms of the room and also the shape and color scheme.

This bathroom uses three colors: gold, white and black. By simplifying the color scheme, each of the accessories has a chance to stand out, while harmonizing with the other features around it.

And almost everything here comes in one shape: a rectangle. From the mirror to the drawer pulls to the faucets to the wall art and even to the towel. Less is more when it comes to maximizing a small bathroom, and this room does it with ease.

Full Exposure

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If you’re going for a modern shabby chic look, then why not leave everything out in the open? This room starts with exposed beams overhead and plays with that theme all the way down.

From the exposed plumbing under the sink to the faucet and towel rack that also give the impression of exposed pipes, this is one room that hides nothing. Even the plant on the window sill is practically tumbling out of its bag.

Coming At You

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Here’s another example where a simple shape—the rectangle—is used in a creative way.

By setting everything from the vanity to the mirror and the bench off-center, and giving them different depths, the designer is fully taking advantage of all three dimensions, giving this relatively small space the sense of a much bigger room. Even the geometric soap dispenser draws the eye back, like Alice going down an increasingly narrow hallway.

The 80s Are Back!

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The circular vanity mirror here, coupled with the bright pink vanity makes you think of the 80s, where bigger was better and neon was king. Bring in the pink and green shower tiles that are slowly encroaching on the minimalist white below, and we’re pretty sure the 80s are here to stay.

The Hidden Treasures

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Even the smallest bathroom can shoulder a big pattern. Guests here will lose a few minutes trying to pick out the hidden shapes in the walls, like watching clouds go by. And the designer has taken it one step further with the whimsical figurine on the sink, matched with the unconventionally-shaped faucet. Their dark finish almost makes them disappear, turning them into a delightful surprise when you find them.

Through the Looking Glass

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The accents of this room walk the line between classic and fantastic. Iron drawer pulls in a farm table vanity coupled with chicken figurines make us think of an old country house. But the pear tree wallpaper, lantern light fixtures and decorative mirror say that adventure is just around the corner.

Which Accessories Will You Pick?

From a well-placed towel rack to the retro lines of a new faucet, accessories are the features that take a bathroom from every day to astonishing. For more inspiration on your next design, visit the Watermark website.