How to design your bathroom with the skilful use of shapes, colours and light

Functional bathroom planning: purposefully playing with curves and edges

The deliberate choice of shapes plays a key role in your bathroom’s ambiance, giving it a certain feel as soon as you walk in. When planning your bathroom, ask yourself this: Which shapes best match my personality? It could be:

• linear edges,
• round curves,
• or the combination of various shapes.

Let’s take a closer look at the different shapes.

Straight lines

Corners and straight lines give a strong feeling of clarity and structure. We automatically associate qualities such as trustworthiness, practicality and reliability with straight lines and edges.

Curved shapes

We associate curves, circles and organic shapes with soothing concepts such as harmony, comfort and protection. They evoke feelings of openness and cosiness, which then flow through us.

A combination of various shapes

Contrasts breathe life into bathroom design. If you don’t have a clear preference for edges or curves, a combination of various shapes might be best for your bathroom.

• Round taps can be matched with a smart linear bathroom mirror displaying information such as the weather in digital format.
• A round, free-standing bath tub looks dramatic yet enticing. Contrasting four-sided flooring, such as tiles, can add stability to the look.
• A square wash basin looks practical and functional for your daily beauty regime. Round taps, circular or cylindrical lights or an organically shaped bath tub complement the edges with harmonious lines.
• If you prefer rectangular shapes for the wash basin, shower and bath tub, you could create a cosy accent with curvy taps, lights or pictures.

Just like shapes, colours have a direct impact on our conscious mind. Our visual perception triggers various emotions. After a long day at work, a hot shower relaxes us and helps us to let go of stress. Suitable colours can support this process. 

Colour psychologists divide the different wavelengths of light into cold and warm hues, which have different effects:

• Cold colours cool you down

• Warm colours have a stimulating effect

• Natural colours are soothing

Blue, green and turquoise are some of the classic colours that have a soothing and cooling effect – perfect for people who are sensitive when they respond to stress.

Yellow, orange, red and pink perk us up with their look – perfect for people who have trouble getting going early in the morning.

Sand, sage, sienna: Natural colours transform the bathroom into a relaxing oasis. They perfectly emphasise the element of water, as they are reminiscent of the beach or mountains, where water finds its source. 

You can add extra depth to natural tones on walls and floors with accents in bold colours. 

When planning your bathroom, you can add an element of surprise with unusual colours for wash basins, bath tubs and taps – for example through the use of built-in LED technology.

Flooring and walls
The colours on the floors and walls frame all other elements in your bathroom. The way you design the floors and walls will determine the level of drama you achieve. With matching shades of colour, you create a clearly defined atmosphere – blues are reminiscent of the ocean, while grey and sand are earthy.

Wash basins and bath tubs
Neutral white is the classic colour for bathroom furniture, as it goes with everything. But you could also replicate the colours used for the walls and flooring here – or strike a deliberate contrast. Elegant black is particularly dramatic.

Taps
Shiny chrome is a traditional surface finish for taps. Brushed metal or matt black and white can add an element of surprise. A polished gold colour adds a hint of luxury, for example with a black background.

In modern bathroom planning, light is the element that you can be really flexible in playing with. Thanks to smart technology, you can now immerse your bathroom in any light colour you choose and achieve a wide range of stunning effects. 

We also advise you to adjust the light source to suit the time of day. We need strong light in the morning, which we can dim to a relaxing level in the evening. For the daily beauty regime, however, we recommend light that emulates natural daylight. 

Bathroom lighting concepts therefore usually feature basic lights on the ceiling. The luminosity can be perfectly adapted to suit your needs through the use of additional lights on the walls or in the mirror.

Want to know more about lighting concepts for the bathroom? Read our in-depth article on bathroom lighting here. 

Plan your perfect bathroom with colours, shapes and light

Colours, shapes and light directly influence us through our perception. They determine the ambiance and design. When you plan your bathroom, you should take these factors into consideration early on. 

The fundamental question for these elements is: Am I going in one specific direction or should I combine different effects in one overall design?