Design ideas for small bathrooms

The public ultimately chose the design by Danish architecture firm Bjerg as the winner of the competition. Its balanced design and the amount of storage space were particularly impressive. The idea behind “Serenity” is quite simply an appealing experience for the senses within the bathroom. Continuous surfaces, lots of inconspicuous storage space, warm wood tones and earthy colours make for a good start and end to the day in a relaxing environment.

“The timeless design brings calm and balance into the daily bathroom ritual,” says Carsten Wraae Jensen, project manager and architect at Bjerg Arkitektur. “The challenge is to focus more on one thing. Less is more.” (Read the interview)

Bathrooms are often used by several generations of a household, which is why the room should also cater to different needs. “For us, the bathroom of the future has to last a lifetime – or even several lifetimes,” says Nimi Attanayake from nimtim Architects (UK).

Her tip: when choosing arrangement systems, keep a certain flexibility with boxes or inserts in order to cater to future demands in the bathroom. At the same time, the materials and products should be durable and sustainable. This means the bathroom will still be up to scratch in the future.

Another design approach is to divide the bathroom into functional zones. These can be demarcated with room separators or decorations. For architect Andrin Schweizer (CH) it is the “harmoniously coordinated materials and a clever room structure that create elegance and intimacy.”

Every bathroom can be given an individual touch with plants and soft, flowing furnishings. As bathrooms are rooms for the senses, the aim is for users to feel comfortable and at ease. “We used very natural, haptic and sensual materials,” says Tilla Goldberg from the German Ippolito Fleitz Group. Her tip: plants of all shapes and sizes give the room something natural and inspiring. Plants “inhabit” the room, even when nobody is around.