February 2, 2023
Creating your own bespoke bathroom feature wall is a shortcut to being part of the most important trend in bathroom décor—treating the family bathroom as a room rather than just a “facility”.
By adding an eye-catching, customised bathroom accent wall, the space is transformed into a proper room in the home. Here we have gathered the best bathroom feature wall ideas to provide you with inspiration to create your very own. Along with the best materials, we’ve also included some advice, as well as the optimal areas in the bathroom to create the feature wall and the best ways to construct it. Learn more below.
Increasingly, UK bathrooms are being conceived as home spas, places of recuperative therapy and pampering. Bathing helps reduce feelings of anxiety because of the healing properties of water. Today, the UK bathroom experience is as important for our mental health as our physical health. And the trend has only just started. In years to come, it’s going to be even richer and more ‘room’ like.
Once we have satisfied the plumbing basics and bathroom layout, we can then integrate decorative elements into the bathroom design. In order for a wall to be a “feature wall”, it implies that it should stand out or be “special” in some way. Bathroom tile feature wall ideas create a decorative flourish that treads the line between art and décor. This adds to the contemplative and restful aspects of the overall bathroom décor. Effectively, we are introducing ‘art’ into the bathroom.
In addition to wall tiles, there are many other ways to create a feature wall. The best bathroom feature wall ideas are based on the appropriate choice of material. That is conditioned by many factors. Here below, in no particular order, are our Top 10 recommendations.
Hands down, tiles are the most creative tool in customising your bathroom feature wall. Bathroom feature tiles include ceramic and porcelain options. These tiles have the looks, the easy maintenance and the properties to make a practical custom feature wall.
There is a type of natural stone for all tastes; slate, travertine and marble are just some of the finishes that add a unique patina and visual effect to the bathroom feature wall. Stone is a quality material and, most importantly, resistant to moisture, like the riverbed—where it has been sculpted by nature over Millenia.
The mosaic bathroom feature wall introduces art into the room through a mural. Not figurative artwork, but abstract art that is created through geometric tiles or other smaller elements that provide an overall coherent custom piece. Tile mosaics are recommended for their easy maintenance and hard-wearing qualities.
Incorporate wood or wood-effect tiles to create a warm and rustic feature wall in your bathroom. Wood is an organic material and evokes forests and lakes. The texture and colour of wood connect us back to these natural landscapes. Wood is one of the simplest and most effective ways to add a bathroom feature wall.
Nowadays, wallpaper has evolved to such an extent that it can easily resist humidity and repeated cleaning. These vinyl-coated papers can be bold and colourful and playful. Paper has the wonderful advantage of being easy to change if you change your mind.
Common or garden paint is one of the most underestimated ways of creating a bathroom feature wall. With the choice of amazing paints on the market today there is an endless variety of options. We recommend strong colours that create a dialogue with the other tiles and finishes in the bathroom.
Every bathroom requires a mirror, so why not convert it into a feature? For extra drama, make an entire wall into a mirror-wall feature. The reflective surface has the added advantage of making a smaller bathroom look larger, as well as amplifying the light.
Depending on the views, and your neighbours, a view of the garden or the landscape is unbeatable as a feature bathroom wall. Privacy if required can be provided with specialist glass or adding privacy controls, like shades or blinds.
A walk-in shower (with rainfall effect), a home spa, and a double Wash Hand Basin installation can all be treated as a feature wall. This is even more pronounced if the entire width of the space is occupied. Or in the case of the spa an integrated timber wall panel that includes an access door.
Sometimes we forget that storage is the key to order in the bathroom. Don’t treat it as an afterthought. Make it a bathroom feature wall with either floating shelving or built-in cabinets.
The location of the feature wall in bathroom design is as important as the choice of material. Every bathroom layout is slightly different, depending on space, natural light, ceiling height etc. A feature wall in the bathroom can be created in several locations, depending on the layout. It can occupy a part of a wall or the entire wall. Some popular bathroom feature wall options include the following.
The wall with the Wash Hand Basin is the most popular location for the bathroom feature wall. As we described above, the double WHB wall can be the feature wall just by combining the basin with the mirror and storage in an artful way. Typically, this is the brightest and most visible wall and the one we engage with the most while using the bathroom.
Products: Bottega Caliza 44.3X44.3 / Bottega Caliza 33.3X59.2 / Marbella Stone 33,3X59,2 / Urban-C Soft-Close – Toilet Seat Cover / City Shower Pack Chrome
Why not combine a functional necessity with a feature wall? For a shower cubicle and bathtub area (especially for the free-standing bathtub) we recommend floor-to-ceiling tiling. Choose a beautiful mosaic tile or a classic metro tile in an unusual colour choice to combine practical and aesthetic considerations. This works particularly well for bathrooms with a separate shower and bathtub, adjacent to one another.
Products: Bottega Caliza 25X44,3 / Marbella Stone 25X44,3 / Bottega Caliza 44,3X44,3 / Urban-C Soft-Close – Toilet Seat Cover / Hotels Roll Hold / Hotels Robe Hook / Hotels Wall/Free Standing Brush Holder / Hotels 45 cm Towel Rail / Work 120×80 cm – Shower Tray / City Shower Pack Chrome
Because we need head height around the WC area (to make sure we can comfortably stand while/after using it) the wall where it is installed is the ideal choice for a bathroom feature wall. Whatever the choice of material, the contrast between the porcelain WC fitting and the decorative wall adds drama to the bathroom.
Products: Acro Compact Toilet Set / Nantes Caliza 44.3×44.3 / Nantes Caliza 33.3×59.2 / Mosaico Nantes Caliza 33.3×59.2
Undoubtedly, if you want to make a big statement in the bathroom, consider creating a feature wall that covers the entire wall. The entire wall option is particularly suited to bathroom spaces that allow for a ‘free wall’. In other words, a wall with no installations or shelving etc. just simply a wall. You can, however, choose a wall that contains some of the bathroom fixtures, such as the sink, toilet, or shower. The end result will also be equally impressive.
Products: Durango Acero 33.3X100 / Durango Acero 59.6X59.6 / Deco Durango 33.3×100
Now that you’ve seen all of your options, it’s time to choose the one that best fits your bathroom. Still not sure which material or location to use? Visit your nearest store, where our advisors will be happy to assist you. You can also browse our selection of products in our online shop.
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