I spotted this image on Pinterest via design blogger what wilson wants (thank you!). It caught my attention and so I thought I'd share it with you here on the blog.



I am not sure where the image originates from, but I'm assuming it's a hotel or spa due to the size of the room. Not many of us are lucky to have this much space for bathing, but that doesn't mean we can't appropriate elements of design schemes from grand spaces like this for our own homes. Initially the capiz shell ceiling was the thing which caught my eye. It's a pretty bold feature (imagine it in your own bathroom!) and yet here doesn't feel too dramatic. That got me thinking about why that was and what this design scheme does that makes it work. Here are my thoughts and theories about it, I'd love to hear your responses or ideas too - feel free to leave me a comment!

I think that whoever put this scheme together has done a wonderful job to create an unusual space which doesn't shout its design credentials at you, but rather just is. Here are my thoughts as to how they managed it:

1 - Repetition of shape

The capiz ceiling introduces a circular shape, which is reflected in the tiled floor below to create a sense of balance. There are also echoes of the shape in the bath, the dappled floor of the second room and the rolled towels. This use of repetition means that the capiz ceiling fits with the rest of the elements and feels part of the whole scheme. There is also repetition used to create a sense of flow from one room through to the next. The wide door frame is echoed in the three mirrors hung on the far wall, which draw your eye as a focal point. The wide door shape is also seen in the cupboards in the first room, which links both spaces together again. The careful use of these two shapes creates a real feel of balance.

2 - Use of natural finishes

The capiz shell comes from a mollusc known as the 'windowpane oyster'. The shell is tranlucent and textured and hung in this way is reminiscent of fronds of seaweed or the leaves of a tree. There is also a natural, organic textured effect seen on the unfinished walls of both rooms, the weathered wood, the shape and material used for the bath and the floor of the second chamber. To further emphasise the organic feel the second room has a 'green roof', the perfect finishing touch for a feel of the outdoors, indoors. Finally, note how nothing in either space looks glossy or shiny. There is a softness to the light and the finishes which gives the scheme harmony.

3 - Cool hues

There are tones of grey, blue, stone, cream, brown and wood throughout both spaces. There are no accent colours, only complementary tones of similar strength. The colour feels almost desaturated, making the most of the diffuse, dim natural light. The similar strength of the colours means that the only item (gently) highlighted is the bath in the second room. This clever use of colour - or lack of it - is one of my favourite things about the scheme. It's also the opposite of what most of us look for in our own bathroom, where we strive for lightness and brightness to emphasise the feeling of cleanliness and sparkle. The sparing use of artificial light also links in with the colour palette and the organic finishes used - real light, real materials, real colours - again giving us harmony in the design.

Those are my three key design elements that I think make this room really work. Do you agree that it has a sense of harmony, or does something here stick out to you? More importantly, do you like it?

What I really like about the space is that it is not showy or trying too hard, so it feels like it has real integrity. The designer hasn't created an ersatz waterfall to make a luxurious "rainforest" bathing space nor have they used natural finishes to create a highly glamorous, moneyed effect. They have created something which doesn't demand your attention, but gets it anyway. A real achievement in design, I feel.

I hope my musings on this lovely picture have been interesting and, if you're re-decorating,useful! Oh and if you know the provenance of the image please do share, I'd love to know where this gorgeous room was, in the hope of one day getting to use it!

Thanks for reading,

Becky