Rustic bathroom decor makes a comeback

Home renovators are breaking away from the clean, contemporary style that has long been popular in bathrooms, and are opting instead for a more rustic, individual look. Get some ideas for incorporating rustic bathroom decor in your home.

Row upon row of crisp white tiles and fittings with hard modern edges are one way to tackle a bathroom makeover. But for those wanting a more homely, lived-in feel to their bathroom, creating a rustic style is becoming a popular option.

Choosing the right mix of materials for the bathroom

According to Melbourne interior designer Joanne Patterson, rustic bathroom decor is easy to achieve by choosing the right mix of tiles and paint. She advises home renovators to stick with lineal textured tiles and either crisp white paint or textured paint, such as Wattyl i.d. Stone Effect, which is designed to imitate the worn look of stone.

Joanne suggests that a country style bathroom would work best in a renovated Victorian home or in a new home that is away from the city. "The style of the bathroom should complement the architecture, rather than standing out," she says. "In saying that, you can still create a contemporary bathroom with a rustic feel if you're careful."

Timber flooring to complement the bathroom design

Those after a rustic look for their bathroom should consider timber flooring if money isn't an issue, or even rammed earth as a feature wall. Other elements worth contemplating are a stone benchtop and timber veneer cabinets. Joanne adds that mirrors and natural lighting are still important, no matter what look you're going for.

Old antiques for the rustic feel

For those considering tackling a rustic bathroom makeover, try scouring your local antique stores or second-hand shops for some distinctive and individual-looking fittings. Old-fashioned towel racks and shelving with a cracked paint finish are a great way to complete the rustic look. Antique or stylishly-aged rustic bathroom vanities and mirrors are also sometimes found hiding in second-hand furniture stores.

Bathroom lighting options

Rustic bathroom lighting will add to the overall effect too: antique, copper or bronze style vanity light sets are available and exude old-world charm. For much less, candles in metallic holders and a small cluster of animal figurines by your basin will add to the rustic feel of the space.

If your budget doesn't quite stretch to antique pieces, there are low-cost alternatives for rustic bathroom decor. Leaning an old ladder against a wall and using it to store folded towels and pretty bottles of lotions and potions is just one way of achieving a country look for less.

If you don't have the time to shop around for country style bathroom decor, an interior designer can help put together a look for you: