Green bathrooms might conjure up images of the avocado bathroom suites that terrorised a generation of homeowners in the seventies, but the modern green bathroom is a far more elegant affair. These projects from the archives show how soothing sage tones and rich, forest-inspired palettes are the perfect choice to achieve a spa-like feeling at home.
Unexpected materials define this London home
This London apartment by Sophie Ashby is a masterclass in pairing contrasting materials. The kitchen is a delicious combination of stainless steel, chocolate parquet flooring, a lime-green oven and a swirling marble splashback while in the bathroom, a cherry-red Ranieri lava stone vanity unit contrasts brilliantly with burl wood and pale green ‘Tavolozza’ wall tiles in ‘Meadow’ by Claybrook. The brushed stainless steel fixtures are Vola.
The stylish party pad in Shoreditch
Design studio Starreveld Forbes utilised unused space from the corridor to create an ensuite in this London home. The walls are colour-washed with ‘Brewer’ paint by Coat and ‘Nettuno Parkland’ tiles from Claybrook. ‘We worked closely with Studio Ore and Rutland London for the unlacquered-brass sanitaryware across all bathrooms, which will age over time with a natural patina,’ says Alex. The taps are paired with a ‘Victorian’ washstand from Devol while the reclaimed Victorian roll-top bathtub was sourced from a French château via Vintage France Design.
A seaside home inspired by the trees
‘The starting point was the landscape — the pines, the light, and the horizon line of the sea,’ says interior architect Sandrine Sarah Faivre of this home located at the summit of Le Roucas Blanc in Marseille. A key element of the build was preserving two pine trees during construction. ‘They were essential to the identity of the project, so protecting them became a priority from the very beginning,’ she adds. The materials palette – notably a pine wood floor – were directly informed by the landscape, with beautiful textured forest green bathroom tiles reflecting the verdant pines outside.
The Berlin bathroom clad in zellige tiles
Kasia Kronberger, the founder of Berlin-based Studio Bosko, combined emerald green and off white zellige tiles for graphic contrast in this Berlin bathroom. From the bathroom tiles to an emerald green stained oak shelving unit in the living room and a classic Camaleonda sofa in bottle green mohair, verdant shades define this home.
The city bathroom with a country soul
Interior designer Tommaso Franchi, of studio Tomèf, channelled the classic country look for this London bathroom. Morris & Co’s ‘Bird and Pomegranate’ proves to be a true classic, feeling as lively as it would have when released in 1926. Emerald green timber panelling is a punchy and ties the scheme together while a rust orange shower curtain picks up on the warm tones of the wallpaper.
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A luxe verdant bathroom in the Irish countryside
Designer Roisin Lafferty used a palette of ‘greys and faded greens, like the Irish countryside in winter’ for this modern farmhouse-style home in rural Leinster. The designer, known for her love of marble, used python quartzite on the bathroom floor – the green veins are highlighted by a soft sage paint colour on the walls.
The pink and green bathroom in London
Design studio Pirajean Lees is known for a deep appreciation for craftsmanship – in this London home they created bespoke, hand-finished tiles for the bathroom. The eucalyptus green tiles and wall colour are complemented by a faded salmon pink on the ceiling.
A zingy mint scheme in Milan
‘My philosophy is to encourage clients to follow their imaginations, leading them to make choices – sometimes a little daring – that they would not have had the courage to make without our help.’ Stefania Passera, founder of studio NAP Atelier, put these words into practise when designing her home/showroom in Milan – the mint and lime scheme in the bathroom features ‘Frutto Proibito’ wallpaper by Fornasetti and ‘Pixel 41’ tiles from 41Zero42, with Cole & Son’s ‘Verdure Tapestry’ visible through the doorframe.
A foresty bathroom in Primrose Hill
Interior-design and architectural salvage firm Retrouvious devised a gently verdant scheme in this London home with Chateau Vert marble and tiles from Galleria Elena in Naples, while a Tate Modern poster adds another jewel-toned pop of colour.
Wall-to-wall green tiles in a Melbourne home
‘We work with 3D rendering, so when we walk into a room we often feel like we’ve been there before, but this exceeded expectations. It has real zing,’ says Phoebe Lipscombe of Studio Doherty. The firm created this all-encompassing apple green bathroom for a family home in Melbourne using ‘Hacienda’ tiles by Inax.
The moss-coloured suite inspired by parklands
This elegant bathroom, on the earthy end of the green spectrum, speaks to this west London home’s palette inspired by the property’s red-brick front and greenery of the nearby park. The team at Daytrip studio paired ‘Hoxton Gloss’ tiles in ‘Olive’ from Mandarin Stone with a muted mossy wall colour to create a serene, spa-like sanctuary.
The Moroccan bathroom that overlooks greenery
Located in the stylish neighbourhood of Gueliz in Marrakesh, the home of ceramics and homeware designer Laurence Leenaert is an ode to artisanal craft. Overlooking the plant-filled internal patio, this bathroom captures the best of traditional Moroccan craftsmanship with its soft brown tadelakt-plaster walls and shimmering emerald green zellige tiles.
An oceanic bathroom in Sydney
Designer Greg Natale was briefed by his Sydney to client to create a bathroom that evoked the ocean, and he chose this statement-making Arcadia Quartzite for a moody aquatic feel. ‘Marble is so timeless, and with all the new coloured options from Brazil you can really have fun with it,’ he says.
Jaunty pattern in a Los Angeles powder room
Wallpaper is often overlooked in favour of tiles in the bathroom, but powder rooms can be the perfect spot to experiment with colour and pattern. Frances Merrill, founder of interior design studio Reath Design, applied the firm’s signature use of vivid colour and print in this colonial-style home in Los Feliz, adorning the powder room in ‘Nassau’ wallpaper by Jupiter 10.
A small but stylish bathroom in Paris
Interior designer Fleur Delesalle painted almost all the walls white in this Parisian home, with the exception of the bathroom and bedroom. She leant into the fact these rooms got less sunlight than the rest of the house, allowing colour to create ‘a more subdued atmosphere’. In the compact bathroom, green tones from the Antiqua marble in the shower co-ordinate pleasingly with the paintwork.
