Bathroom colour schemes: which one for you?

Yes, you know the rules: bathroom colour schemes should be understated and err on the side of neutral. But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice all your individuality for the sake of fashion.

"The neutral theme has really stuck for a while, but there is still the odd person out there who wants something colourful," says Sandra Mann from Triloka Designs, which specialises in hand-painted decorative panels and feature tiles.

"It's usually a woman living on her own who's going to go for it, because she doesn't have a husband telling her that he doesn't like pretty colours or patterns!"

Decorative colours and tiles for your bathroom

Sandra says that when it comes to using decorative tiles and murals in the bathroom, you are only limited by your imagination.

"Basically you can do anything on a flat surface that you could do on a canvas," she says. "It's going to have a slightly different look about it because of the glazing and the firing, but if someone wanted to have, say, the Eiffel Tower on tiles, there's no reason why they couldn't do that."

In fact, Sandra has fulfilled some unusual requests from clients over the years, including a 3m x 1m Great Barrier Reef underwater mural made up of 150mm x 150mm tiles, and gold tiles specially designed for a scene in Mission Impossible 2.

Colour schemes tailored to your needs

But if that sort of thing sounds a bit too Hollywood for your liking, ask a tile artist like Sandra to custom-design border or feature tiles to match your existing colour scheme.

"Decorative doesn't have to mean over the top," Sandra says. "A lot of people still like the classic look, so I can design a classic scroll in a single colour on a plain background. Or, for something a bit more contemporary, I can do an abstract flower in black or brown on a white or mocha background."

But it's not just your tiles that should get all the attention. Decorative painting on plaster walls, stencilling and even wallpaper can all be used in the bathroom to inject colour and style. For example, a decorative paint finish can be used to create a feature wall, or consider highlighting cornices and mouldings using colours that appear in your tiles and accessories.

Just be sure to use a high-quality sheen or semi-gloss paint that contains mildew protection as well as stain resistance. Several paint manufacturers have designed special bathroom paints that are specifically designed to accommodate wet areas, so shop around.

Contact an interior designer to discover ways you can bring bathroom colour schemes to life: