Take a look around your local bathroom dealer and you’d be forgiven for thinking that the only colour on the market is an inoffensive shade of ‘neutral’ when it comes to suites and loos. But as the nation becomes braver in our interior choices, as we seek out more ways to make our homes a true reflection of those who live within it, colour is starting to trickle its way back into our favour. Far from the avocado bathrooms of yesteryear, where colour-blocked rooms have been deemed just “too much”, and too-quickly dated, colour is now being carefully considered yet wholly embraced by a number of fantastic brands. Exciting for us, a bathroom renovation is imminent so I’ve been doing some serious research, pulling moodboards together and trying to narrow down choices – and I’m really excited! These are the brands which have popped up on my searches, giving us more option than ever to test the waters with a splash of your favourite hue.
1. Vola
“Made only in Horsens, Denmark, VOLA prides itself on its design heritage and exceptional craftsmanship”
vola.com
Like so many fantastic bathrooms, I first discovered VOLA on Instagram and was, as ever, pleased as punch to see another interiors brand, Scandinavian in its dedication to its craft, but done so in a celebration of colour and not the monochrome stereotype associated with this type of design. VOLA were actually one of the first brands to shy away from standardised finishes of bathroom (and kitchen) taps with a range of 10 colour shades in the 70s which has since expanded for a fully customisable offering. Wallpaper have written a fantastic feature on the VOLA colour wheel if you’d like to know more, but it’s important to understand that with such quality and attention to detail comes a price tag, and for many average-priced UK bathrooms, these taps can be considered a splurge. The HV1 bathroom basic mixer is available in around 18 colours and can be found online sitting somewhere between £450 and £700.
Images sourced from Wallpaper.com
2. Cielo
“CIELO’s mission is to bring ceramics beyond the known limits, through shapes, sizes, thicknesses, surfaces, colors”
ceramicacielo.it
Cielo’s Catini range is one of my favourites spotted online to date. Available in 4 shape variations, depending on whether you’re going for curves or edge, the premise of this collection is based on a freestanding ceramic basin, supported by steel frames and marble or ceramic storage which doesn’t look like your bog-standard bathroom drawers. It is certainly another brand with a designer price tag but Ceramico offer their range of ceramics in an impressive 16 shades all in beautiful dusky hues so that you can add a splash of colour but in an understated way. Oh, and you can match the metallics on your frame too – a bonus if you’re not a fan of the standard chrome which dominates this industry. Prices aren’t widely available online, likely due to the customisation method of ordering, but if you’re going for the designer bathroom look and want some depth, the colour range here is well worth looking at.
Images Sourced: gemiceramiche.com | ceramicacielo.it
3. Christy
Whilst towels are readily available just about everywhere these days, including in the supermarket, the reason Christy deserves to be in my list is a matter of quality and great colour range. Christy launched the towel as we know it today back in the 1850s and as the supplier of Wimbledon towels, you know you’ll be getting a good product. The reality is, not everyone can rip out a bathroom suite and start again when you want a new look. It doesn’t fit everyone’s lifestyle or budget, and let’s not neglect those who want to jazz up a rental property – but through towels, you can really add a burst of life to a space without the long-term commitment. My in-laws have a fantastic method of creating an annual “bathroom in a box” filled with a new towel set and colour-matched decorative pieces. Perfect way to spruce up a traditional white suite without huge costs or typical renovation mess. I’ve personally splurged on many towels over the years and Christy’s are the only ones which have upheld their quality over time.
Images Sourced: Christy.co.uk
4. Elle and James Concrete
“We have designed a range of basins and kitchen surfaces to show the versatility of concrete and it can be anything you want it to be…Imagination is the key ingredient, there really are no limits and endless possibilities.”
elleandjamesconcrete.com
Located in South Manchester, Elle and James are creative designers and manufacturers of handcrafted concrete, with some truly unique geometric designs, finished in a small but punchy colour range. This is a brand smashing away the idea that concrete can only give a harsh and industrial vibe, and adding playfulness to bathrooms through unorthodox colour and shape combos. Hexagon sink anyone? There are no prices currently available on site (at time of me writing this at least) but all basins are handmade to order with bespoke sizes and colours available upon request. A new web store is said to be on its way and I’ve been loving seeing their custom made projects on Instagram – I’m excited to see what this local (to me) brand does next!
Images sourced: Elle and James
5. Bisque Radiators
More brands than ever have started offering custom-coloured radiators (special mention to Soak and Column Rads) but what’s great about Bisque Radiators is that they offer stylish radiators which can be echoed throughout your home uniformly. So if you want all your radiators powder pink, then there will be one for your bathroom as well as your living room, just waiting to be ordered – especially great if you are looking to keep to a specific design era or style and don’t want the hassle of ordering from multiple suppliers. Better yet, you can colour match your radiators, so if you’re happy with your existing exterior but need to upgrade your heating solutions, you can find a radiator which will fit in seamlessly. For me, my search has fallen short when it comes to non-chrome Victorian radiator/towel-rail combos. Thankfully, Bisque offer not only a mix of colour options, but are available with other metal fixtures too. I adore this pink column radiator with gold towel rail, pictured above, but fair warning, it does come with a retail price of over £2,000 from the Balmoral range.
Images sourced: Bisque
6. Kast Concrete Basins
“Concrete is a unique material that combines the organic characteristics of natural stone with the ability to be cast into any shape. Using tints and precision blends of admixtures it can be manufactured with a vast spectrum of finishes.”
kastconcretebasins.com
Another one for the UK market and based in Nottinghamshire, Kast have around 25 designs of concrete basins on their site, available in approximately the same number of colours – so you can really design something to fit your style. Bespoke combinations are available if you’re looking for something no-one else will have. I love their great mix of bright shades and earthy tones for a more natural finish, combined with the grooved surfaces to really soften the concrete effect. And if their fantastic Wes Anderson-esque product imagery isn’t enough to persuade you, you can order colour samples of the concrete for around £5, to help moodboard your dream bathroom.
Images sourced: Kast Concrete
7. Nood
Nood may be a luxury concrete brand based in Australia, but they do ship worldwide! In fact, they even offer a sample pack of all 14 colours of concrete available for £3.95, which I believe to be great value and a non-negotiable if you’re considering splurging up to £1,000 on a sink – which is what you can expect from this site. Unapologetic for their luxury mix of form and function, Nood’s concrete basins would be a great addition for any modern bathroom with each basin available in a somewhat chalky finish and hue, meaning that if you want to do away with the whiter than white conventional sink, there are neutral versions from each colour family to choose from, offering a softer colour option as opposed to adding drama for drama’s sake. Who knew concrete could look so glamorous?
Images sourced: Nood | Domino | Colour Assembly
8. Room H20
Let’s start with the bad. The website is nothing exciting and the online presence of this brand is not great. BUT, I’m excited about what they are offering and haven’t seen anything else quite like it online! Room H20 are a UK brand who offer Drench bespoke coloured shower screens in absolutely any RAL colour you can think of, which equates to hundreds of colour choices. Now that is pretty amazing. If you have always dreamed of having a neon lime green shower frame, then this brand makes your dreams come true. More recently, the site has introduced a new matte shower screen collection offering four designs of shower screen – including the Hexagon option, pictured above – in 12 matte colours. For a bonus feature, you can even customise your glass, from fluted to frosted, so if you want the shower to be the showstopper of your bathroom, look no further.
Images sourced: Room H20
9. Villeroy & Boch
If concrete basins aren’t your thing, Villeroy & Boch have their own take on the coloured sink, using traditional white ceramics, with the shade of your choice on the exterior. The fact that this ceramics company launched almost 300 years ago should speak volumes for the quality they provide, but it also means that if you were hoping to opt for ceramics over concrete to reduce costs, this isn’t actually likely to be a saving. In fact, the Artis collection – available in 12 colours – is made from TitanCeram, a thinner ceramic allowing for sleeker design, but with a price tag around the £500 for a basin. Beautiful and innovative, but certainly an investment item.
Images source: Villeroy & Boch
10. Drummonds
Colourful tubs have really seen a growth in popularity over the past few years, particularly for those with a more heritage look. Thankfully it is in fact something you can do at home whether you’ve got an acrylic or cast iron bath so it can be a budget-friendly addition to your bathroom. However, if you’re looking for a bath with status Drummonds have nailed it with a fantastic range of bathtub designs, handmade and handfinished in the colour of your choice. And hey, if you already have a tin of your favourite shade at home, you can order your tub pre-primed. Due to the incredible attention to detail and artisan approach to the bath tub, expect to pay between £3,000 and £8,000 for a cast iron tub from Drummonds.
Images source: Drummonds
Are Colourful Bathrooms Back On Trend?
Over time, avocado-bathroom trends and pale pink powder rooms have been boxed into their 70s/80s category, leaving this idea behind that a colourful bathroom somehow looks dated, and as a result, cheap. However, if we consider that the average UK bathroom makeover costs somewhere between £2,000 and £5,000, any singular item that exceeds that budget must surely be considered a premium buy – as many of the above options do by quite some way. These colourful editions are slowly but surely becoming more widely available, meaning the cost will come down over time. But for now? It’s looking like those pops of colour are certainly living in the land of luxury. Just as well, as many homeowners still feel intimidated by colour, choosing to go the “less is more” approach. So if this is you, I hope you’ve found your next item to splurge on. Tell me, which is your favourite? And what other brands are nailing the colourful bathroom for you?
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