OHLALA Homes

This room can be tiny (or not, mainly in the Middle East), but it is an essential area in any home and for good reason, it is called many names, such as toilet, restroom, washroom, powder room and so on. However, no matter the size or what it is called, you can transform it into a modern, private oasis or spa. Bathrooms are usually impersonal and not full of character, but the 2023 trend says it is time to say goodbye to white, muted, pristine and monochromatic palettes and go wild with the colour wheel. There are three main ways and strategies to add surprising elements to your bathroom.

Statement Piece

If you are building your house or renovating it, choosing an eye-catching bathroom fitting is a good idea to make it stand out – something like the ephemeral freestanding Reflex bathtub made with Crystalmood by antoniolupi. According to the brand’s website, the material used in this piece is resistant like a stone and transparent like crystal. Crystalmood is a coloured resin that is manually poured into moulds. The transparency of the surface makes it possible to observe this precious liquid’s flow and read its movement. An element to admire while trying to unwind from a stressful day. The resin comes in 14 translucent shades that are warm and bold, but desaturated for an elegant feel. You can also pick one of Ritmonio’s faucets and accessories for the bath area.

Focal Point

When creating a focus of attention, don’t forget to use colour. The best element to paint with your favourite hue is the vanity unit (which comprises the wash basin, a countertop and a mirror). However, you can be unconventional and embrace waterproof wallpapers specially designed for wet areas. The Tecnographica H2O is a special wallpaper made of fibreglass, enabling you to decorate the most humid environments, including the shower area. This material trend is about vivid and punchy shades in funky graphic designs for a modern and audacious approach.

The Inediti Project by Inkiostro Bianco brings unique designs with themes such as jungles, tropical forests, undersea animals and much more. These wallpapers are able to transform an anonymous and boring wall into an art installation. To complement a striking wall, add a round or oval mirror. Rounded mirrors are the latest trend when it comes to this essential item in a bathroom. They give a dynamic touch to the composition, breaking straight lines. They are also one of the most eye-catching elements due to the effect of the reflection. Talking about reflection, lighting is also an important feature. A good strategy is to backlight the circular mirror all around to obtain a grazing light to emphasise the wallpaper hues or your textured tile or mosaic – if you prefer a more traditional wall covering. A wall treatment or unusual wash bowl is a clever way to take away the attention from the toilet seat, which is never (even when painted in gold) an interesting view.

Large Format Tiles

This trend emerged a few years ago and has been showing improvements and getting bigger and bigger. Tiles have reached unbelievable sizes of 120x280cm and even 135x305cm – it basically means that with one tile, you can seamlessly clad a wall from floor to ceiling. This can create an incredible effect with a unified material and grouting visual pollution reduced to a minimum.

The wallpaper effect is also ‘contaminating’ the ceramic industry. Tiles with an array of designs and colours are being offered to create an exciting look on bathroom walls. Collections are less extensive than when it comes to wallpapers, but still in a great variety with many different patterns and trendy shades to add some pizzazz to your private area. The best way of using these elements is to create an accent wall; you can choose the one behind the vanity unit, inside the shower or behind a freestanding bathtub. Neutral shades can be used as a backdrop for other walls in different finishes like matte, full lappato (when the polishing process is stopped before the entire surface becomes polished, leaving some spots unpolished), glossy or texturised. For the floor, look for the coefficient R10 or R11, known for its anti-slip properties to provide safety in wet areas. RAK Ceramics is one of the largest ceramics brands in the world and offers a variety of great options.

For more information, connect with @antoniolupidesign, @ritmonio, @technograficaofficial, @inkiostrobianco and @rakceramicsofficial