Singapore’s top interior designers spill their secrets to creating the dream bathroom
27 March 2015
You’ve seen pictures of beautiful bathrooms, and you wonder why you can’t seem to achieve the same look in your own home. We speak to some of the top interior design firms in Singapore, and get them to spill their secrets to designing the dream bathroom.
“A dream bathroom, for me, is a room with plenty of space and a view to die for. There are few things more decadent and relaxing than lounging in a nice, warm bath with soft music in the background and a lovely view to gaze at. I would advise homeowners to use wallpaper in the bathroom. As long as the room is well ventilated, you can use wallpaper. Just make sure you keep it in areas that don’t get wet and you consider where the edges of the paper are.”
Nikki Hunt, Founder & Principal, Design Intervention
“Although mirrors can definitely make a space look bigger, it’s not necessarily a good idea to install them in the bathroom. Our humid weather means that most bathrooms in Singapore are inadequately ventilated. Over time, the mirrors will tarnish and end up looking dirty and unkempt, so I suggest keeping mirrors to a minimum. Instead, you can use controlled lighting to make the bathroom appear larger.”
Lee Chi Ho, Director, The Orange Cube
“There are a few tricks you can use to try to maximise the space usage in the bathroom. For example, you can use a semi-recessed washbasin to save a bit more space or reposition the bathroom entrance so the door won’t take up space when it’s open. And I suggest forgoing the bathtub as most bathrooms in local homes really can’t afford the space.” mthe sp
John Chan, Director, Neu Konceptz
“There aren’t many options for storage in the bathroom, so cabinets are still ideal. Always try to build them higher so they avoid getting splashed by water and are easier to clean. I also like to create little niches in the wall, or build concrete ledges in the shower area to hold the bottles.”
Katy Chong, Senior Designer, Artistroom
“I prefer using a lighter colour palette, like grey or off-white, in the bathroom. These colours work harmoniously with the sanitary ware, which are usually white. But designers are always restricted in the bathroom. Most homeowners usually want to box up the major sewage pipes to hide them, but this ends up taking up a lot of space and making the space even smaller.”
Vincent Ang, Director, Black N White House
“Everyone knows that it’s generally not easy using wood in the bathroom, especially in our weather. But that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to use wood surfaces in the bathroom. I would love the opportunity to design a toilet using specially treated wood on both the walls and floor. I think it’d be amazing to have a forest-theme or a back-to-nature feel in the bathroom.”
Sheryl Tan, Director, Pavillion Creation
“In Asian homes, the bathrooms are usually the least prioritised space in the house. But I think it’s worthwhile to design a bigger bathroom and making it as comfortable and as inviting as a bedroom. My perfect bathroom would be spacious and luxurious, complete with rustic stones and full pebble-wash.”
Terence Neo, Director, eightytwo
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