Are you giving your bathroom the attention it deserves? Following previous articles in January, April and July on how to make your house a home and design the ideal kitchen and living room, interior designers architect Paul Cuschieri and Malcolm Abela Sciberras from Rebirth Design Studio share the secret to how your bathroom can make the biggest impact, no matter the space.

When we think of interior design, our minds rarely land on bathrooms. Their importance is vastly underestimated despite being such a commonly visited room by guests and, therefore, key to leaving a lasting visual impression. Yet, it seems that bathrooms are only prioritised when purchasing a property. But, make no mistake, well-designed bathrooms are not only aesthetic and highly functional ‒ they enhance a home’s perceived value.

Meaningful Minimalism: "The wall behind the toilet was extended to add cabinets that seamlessly blend into the room’s design without taking away from its space."

At Rebirth, we believe that bathrooms should bring one word to mind: comfort. Even if the physical space is tight, there is no reason for a bathroom to feel cramped. Choosing colour, lighting and fittings thoughtfully can help maximise a bathroom’s space and place comfort at the forefront.

The bathroom design decisions you make must be carefully considered to both organise the space and ensure its functionality. That said, the process does not need to be complicated, and a simple design plan will help prevent the bathroom from becoming overpowering. The crucial components of an efficient bathroom layout are simple: it must be well-planned, well-lit and well-ventilated.

Combine functionality with aesthetics

An essential first step to designing a bathroom is to strike a balance between an aesthetic space and the less glamorous practicalities of cleaning and maintenance.

At Rebirth, we begin each project with a spatial study to establish the layout and design choices. We identify the bathroom’s primary use, which then influences the room’s stylistic and functional arrangement.

The layout and plan establish where certain facilities will be placed and enable us to assess the flexibility of materials to be used in the space. Whereas traditional bathrooms typically employ tiling from floor to ceiling, at Rebirth we tend to avoid this approach. Instead, we place an intentional difference on how a bathroom’s wall is handled. We tile areas that are in direct contact with moisture and use wallpaper or plaster on dry zones. This combination of different materials creates dynamic spaces within the room, serving to pique a visitor’s interest and add a unique sense of design.

An Eclectic Mansion-Apartment: "An elegant black and white bathroom finished with three-dimensional marble flooring and dark-toned cabinetry that maximises storage while complementing a free-standing bath tub and balancing the composition of the room."

Create space from composition

An impactful bathroom design can be achieved regardless of the room’s space or layout. Even if your bathroom is not blessed with size, the right combination of materials can maximise the design and function of the room, making it feel more spacious and inviting.

Lighting is paramount. The right lighting enhances the space available and can change how a room is perceived. A well-lit room, whether naturally or artificially, will appear bigger. Importantly, we discourage relying on a singular ceiling light in the middle of the room. Instead, we suggest opening up the room by using multiple light sources to establish the boundaries of the space without over-emphasising its size.

Nothing exaggerates a lack of size quite as dramatically as clutter. Yet, keeping a bathroom clutter-free is impossible without adequate storage solutions to house your essentials while keeping them accessible for daily use. In small bathrooms especially, a clever design that utilises all the available space is essential.

For instance, the main bathroom of a property we designed in Balluta Buildings required a smart approach to maximise storage without making the space look and feel crammed. It was then finished with three different kinds of marble to imbue the area with added depth and dynamism.

Don’t be afraid to be bold

A bathroom has so many components not typically found elsewhere in a house. While this might seem overwhelming, the opposite is also true.

The possible combinations of materials, finishings and fittings in a bathroom provide a unique opportunity to be adventurous, as well as the freedom to play with colours and accessories that will elevate the space. For us, we have recently been loving Moroccan-inspired bathrooms. They are so intricately designed that they feel rich within themselves.

Although creativity is the name of the game when designing bathrooms, remember that the room’s style should remain cohesive with the house’s overall concept. But this does not imply design restrictions. Rather, it serves as your design direction because stylistic elements can – and should – traverse the boundaries of rooms to mesh with the home’s holistic aesthetic.

A bathroom presents the chance to take a house’s overall style and dial it up a few notches. Given the creative freedom, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for designing bathrooms.

At Rebirth, we believe that with a cohesive plan to guide design choices and layout, you can experiment and push your aesthetic boundaries. The result? A bathroom that will leave a lasting visual impression on guests while giving you the relaxing space you need for self-care.

Are you giving your bathroom the attention it deserves? Following previous articles in January, April and July on how to make your house a home and design the ideal kitchen and living room, interior designers Architect Paul Cuschieri and Malcolm Abela Sciberras from Rebirth Design Studio share the secret to how your bathroom can make the biggest impact, no matter the space.