I’m standing in my bathroom in the middle of a rainy Manchester morning. Electric toothbrush humming away, staring at the blue walls I painted three years ago. I chose the colour ‘Heron Blue’ – I had maybe 15 different shades I’d plastered onto the wall and spent hours obsessing over. This blue has a unique quality to it; depending on the amount of light available it transforms dramatically. A drizzly morning and the blue gives off a moody sophistication. On a sunny afternoon and the same blue walls take on a calm, spa-like quality.
My mum (and possibly many others) simply don’t understand why I would choose blue walls for a bathroom. “Why blue?” she asked when she first saw it. “That’s a pretty safe choice isn’t it…predictable?” To be honest, three years on and I am still happy with it. Happy is probably an understatement. Extremely happy. In fact, extremely happy with a few caveats.
It took me ages to decide whether to choose blue or white for my bathroom walls. There is obviously logic behind painting walls white in a small space. More light, less clutter etc. However, my little bathroom already felt very clinical and sterile – adding even more white wouldn’t help anything. Therefore I began researching color psychology – yes, I admit, using my analytical developer mind to pick out paint colors. And each time I returned to blue being ideal for bathrooms.
Finding the perfect shade of blue however took me a long time. First sample I tried was a brilliant blue/turquoise that gave me a vision of a swimming pool. Second sample was so grey it was effectively flat dullness – as my friend Dev described it when he visited to see the chaos, it was like a cloudless day that will never end. Third and final sample was Heron Blue. When I applied the test patch to the wall – bingo. The blue provided the exact combination of coolness that created a sense of openness within such a small space – yet also enough warmth that the space didn’t become cold against the white suite.
So here’s what I’ve learned – having blue walls means absolutely nothing unless you decorate the rest of your space properly. My initial attempt to decorate this area involved painting the entire room blue – then just white everything. White towels, white shower curtain, white toilet roll holder, white soap dispenser. It resembled a mid-range hotel. Worse than most hotels because at least they have some sort of personality – albeit terrible.
When I changed all of the chrome fixtures for brass ones, things began to fall into place. Cost me approximately £160 for new towel rails, toilet paper holder, mirror & cabinet handles – seems a lot for what are essentially just shiny metal bits – but made a huge difference to the overall appearance. Brass warm tones against the cool blue suddenly made everything appear intended and not coincidental. Made it seem as if I had thoughtfully considered how to combine colour as opposed to randomly applying paint to the walls and praying it looks acceptable.
After searching high and low for a suitable alternative to replace my previous plastic shower curtain (which although did the job aesthetically looked cheap), I discovered a lovely linen shower curtain online. Although slightly pricier than alternatives, it has a beautiful textured finish which adds to making the space feel more mature. Natural materials in bathrooms give an air of luxury and as if you’re spending time in a higher-end establishment versus preparing for another day of writing code.
Storage has been instrumental in maintaining an attractive aesthetic as opposed to merely functional. I installed some oak floating shelves above where I store toiletries – and as you might expect, I’m perhaps overly enthusiastic about what I display upon them. All items are stored within glass jars or ceramic containers – no bright plastic bottles or various packaging options. While it takes an additional couple of minutes when restocking products, it has created an incredibly peaceful environment. Additionally, my spreadsheet-based brain appreciates the organisation process.
It took me months to obtain lighting that suited the area. Original fixture was one of those awful circular LED lights that seemed to wash everything out and produce a harsh, clinical effect. I eventually opted for softer overhead lighting combined with two sconce-style lights situated either side of the mirror. These provide gentle illumination by casting light both upwards and downwards – creating an ambient glow on the blue walls as opposed to a stark flat surface.
Plants have greatly contributed towards reducing the cold/clinical aspect of blue walls. As long as you have adequate ventilation in your home (which thankfully my home provides), you can successfully grow plants that thrive in humid environments. Presently I have a small Fiddle Leaf Fig located in the corner – they generally tolerate humid conditions well. I also regularly switch between smaller plants on the shelf. At present it consists of a Snake Plant and Trailing Pothos, which is performing better than expected.
A common error people make when designing their bathroom is overusing the chosen colour. Having blue walls, blue towels, blue accessories and blue in general creates a monotone atmosphere quickly. Instead of exclusively using blue as a base layer – I utilise multiple colours and textures to add interest. For example, my towels are cream coloured with thin stripe patterns, bathmat is natural Jute material and I have artwork on my walls featuring warm-tones that support rather than compete with the blue.
For similar reasons, I decided to try and explore using deeper shades of blue in my downstairs W.C. as an experiment to see how different blues work within tight spaces. Ultimately proved successful – navy-coloured walls provide an atmosphere of drama whilst not increasing feelings of confinement due to surrounding light sources (white Subway Tiles), brass fixtures and large mirror providing ample reflection from adjacent areas.
Treating the blue walls as a background and allowing for flexibility within the space allows for the space to evolve with you – rather than becoming stale. What maintains the continued evolution of this space is continually viewing the blue walls as a canvas for your personal creativity – rather than solely focusing on aesthetics of design elements (the brass, wood, plants, fabrics). Swapping out accessories, changing artwork, replacing plants or swapping textiles offers numerous ways to maintain creative control over this space without losing sight of your desired atmosphere.
As you may imagine, my parents remain unconvinced regarding how serious I take bathroom decoration – “it’s just for washing” my dad remarks — yet every morning when I stand half-awake in front of these walls, they continue to evoke happiness within me. Not due to me being particularly fond of mornings — far from it — but primarily because this space has developed an air of intentionality and tranquility which belongs entirely to me.
