Tonal

Tonal interiors feature a hero colour or group that is repeated throughout the space, sometimes in graduating shades to create a balanced and calming design — making it the perfect trend to use in a bathroom.

One of our favourite bathrooms (possibly of all time) that does this well is located in photographer Eve Wilson’s palette-perfect family home by Studio Bright. Floor-to-ceiling tiles drench the space in a luxurious deep green hue, reflecting the same tones used elsewhere in the interiors.

This pretty pink-themed bathroom in Bonnie Ashley and Neil Downie’s Melbourne house uses textured tiles to create a cohesive backdrop, layered with lighter, pastel pink joinery, and a multi-coloured mosaic floor. It feels immersed in colour, but the subtle variation makes it feel less overwhelming.

Texture

A big part of the way a bathroom feels is down to picking the right materials and textures. The shape and finish of your tiles plays a role too, for example, the bathroom in this renovated mid-century Beaumaris home combines smooth, large grey square tiles with rows of smaller red kit-kat tiles in the shower to create an eye-catching rippling effect.

Taking inspiration from Japanese bath houses, architect Emily Sandstrom mixed and matched timber with tiny blue and grey tiles in her South Marrickville home. The simple bathroom has a very ceremonious feel, and the timber decking seamlessly conceals the drainage points for a spa-like aesthetic!

Or with just one slab of terrazzo, you can introduce a mix of texture and colour into your space — see the ‘punchy’ terrazzo floor in Il Duomo by Wowowa for inspiration.

Pattern

Checkerboard floors or tiles have been a classic bathroom feature for decades, and we love how the grand (former) Sydney home of Olli Ella founder Chloe Brookman puts a contemporary spin on the trend, using pink and white tiles in a children’s bathroom.

The bathtub of this Perth mid-century house by Design Theory features a mosaic of tiny glass tiles, with random placements of red, grey, navy and salmon pink — against a soothing backdrop of lime green — for a more authentic retro look.

Instead of tiles, you can also use wallpaper to make a big splash, like this sunny yellow bathroom inside a Portsea holiday house redesigned by Edwina Glenn. And the elegance of the Carrara marble vanity is the perfect addition to help balance the bold design of the walls.

Contrast

If you’re looking to turn your bathroom into a showstopper, contrasting colours always make a big splash. Flack Studio show how it’s done in the bathroom of this spectacular Tamarama project, where glossy orange coral tiles provide a dominant backdrop, paired with terracotta brown colour blocking on the floors and joinery.

It works especially well when the rest of the rooms are more muted. In designer Alison Lewis’ own family home, the bathroom features green-tiled walls alongside a beautiful Tiberio marble splashback with rich burgundy veins and blush tones — cleverly playing with tones from opposite ends of the colour wheel.