Take a stand against clinical white and embrace the dark side. This is the ideal bathroom inspiration for those looking for something a little different – it’s a long way from the sleek carrara marble that has been a bathrooms mainstay for years! Of course, there may be concerns when using all-over black that it shrinks the room or becomes too dark, but the examples we will share here, by some of the world’s top designers, show how black can in fact make compact bathrooms appear more spacious (it essentially blurs the room’s boundaries if used all over).
Want to maximise what light there is in the space? Use gloss finishes. Or, if your bathroom is naturally quite light, like this bathrooms in Birchgrove House (pictured above), a project by Australian architecture firm Carter Williamson, you can create a moody atmosphere with mate tiles. These brick-shaped examples are by Sydney-based supplier Di Lorenzo and draw attention to the house’s unique pill-shaped windows.
Stackable and modular, this design by Ludovica + Roberto Palomba will add a visual lightness to an all-black bathroom
Chunky and almost retro in form, this design is ideal for hanging robes and towels in style
This property in Vietnam’s Dong Ngac (pictured above), renovated by Locatelli Partners, is a tour de force when it comes to interesting use of black. The bespoke banana-leaf wallcovering here was moulded in terracotta and covered in beaten platinum to catch the light.
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Traditional logic would have it that you should avoid darker colours when space and light is limited, but that rulebook was thrown out by Spanish studio Febrero, whose recent H59 project in Madrid (pictured above) served as an excuse to experiment with high-gloss black tiles – a choice that disguises this room’s dimensions.
The monochrome handle of this brush is hand-finished using sustainably sourced recycled plastics
This Zellige tile has a subtle tonal variation and a handmade feel that will soften an all-black scheme
Those who think black is a one-note decorating choice should look to this space in Peninsula House on the Aussie coast by architects Wood Marsh (pictured above) – an artful combination of materials (glistening mosaic tiles, brushed metal, stone and smoked glass), it shows the many dimensions of black.
