Rustic bathroom décor comprises an aesthetically attractive amalgamation of rough textures, earthy tones and natural elements. It’s a timeless style that boasts an enduring and broad appeal, even in modern settings.

Says Jasmin Kraneveldt from Bathroom Bizarre: “The blend of sleek contemporary sanitary ware and rustic architectural elements is a winning combination. The modern and lustrous feel of the sanitary ware is a great complement to the rugged appeal of rustic accessories, décor accents and general finishes.”

Mod sanitary ware and faucets

The Montreal free-standing bath, with rustic metal scrolls and feet, stands pride of place in this bathroom. Although modern in its design, the hand-forged metal scrolls give this bath a gentle organic flavour, which is echoed throughout the bathroom in the use of curved shapes and swirls throughout. For example, the Loma toilet and bidet set boast modern overtones, with understated curved finishes — making them a perfect addition to this room. The one meter NF10 Quarter Round shower enclosure endorses the curvy-theme, as do the two Didi Round countertop basins.

“The faucets featured throughout this bathroom come from Bathroom Bizarre’s Vienne range, and although they boast a sleek stainless steel appearance, their form also displays a mixture of geometric and gently curved lines to blend in with the organic flavour of this room. The chunky Vienne tall basin mixer is a great complement to the rustic theme, as is the Vienne shower mixer and Vienne free-standing bath mixer. For a truly luxurious showering experience, the oversized Sielo 8-inch rain shower rose has been included in the shower,” explains Kraneveldt.

Back to nature

The design principles behind creating a rustic bathroom are very simple — everything needs to take its inspiration from nature — from the colour palette, to the materials used, décor accessories and the finishes. Says Kraneveldt: “For this bathroom, the walls were painted with a very pale stone-coloured hue called Ravine Neu 05 from Plascon. To create a feature wall, the wall behind the bath was decorated using a block-mounted close-up image of a dandelion made from vinyl wallpaper, measuring a massive 3m by 2.7m.

“This is a great way of adding interest to any indoor area and creatively filling up empty wall space — simply select and download a stock image you like, or use a photo that you have taken yourself, and have it specially printed and block-mounted by a specialist printing company — and voila, you have yourself an attractive and unique wall feature. The beauty of it is that it is comparatively inexpensive, and if you tire of the image, you can choose another one and change it without having to re-wallpaper your entire wall,” advises Kraneveldt.

The flecked Katusha 1520 quartz countertop, which is supported by curvy metal Poseidon wall-mounted brackets, creates an earthy, antique-type aesthetic that is perfect for this setting. It is a character that is reiterated throughout the bathroom with the other Poseidon accessories, which include the Poseidon mirrors, double towel rails, toilet paper holder and the very useful Poseidon free-standing rail-and-shelf unit featured alongside the bath. All these accessories boast an antiqued-looking bronze-like metal finish, offering the room great textural appeal and a continuation of the curvy organic elements running through the rest of the room.

As hard as stone

The glazed porcelain Marble Dust tile, shown here in a 30 x 60 format, from Bathroom Bizarre’s Tile Corner, were selected for the flooring in this bathroom. Says Kraneveldt: “The beauty of these tiles is that they offer the gorgeous earthy flavour of natural travertine, but with the benefits of glazed porcelain tiles. The most practical option for bathrooms; glazed porcelain tiles are resistant to water, moisture and stains. They are also very durable and long-lasting, and they are generally easier on the pocket than other options.”

Created using Bathroom Bizarre’s 4285 Mount Loa mosaics from Douglas Jones, an interesting feature comprising horizontal lines of different thicknesses runs the entire width of the bathroom. Notes Kraneveldt: “These lines add a whole other dimension to the flooring — since this is a relatively large bathroom, the mosaics break up the vast floor space and lead the eye across the entire expanse of the room, from the bath and ending up at the basins. These mosaics comprise a selection of various harmonious hues of browns, beiges and whites, with a subtle mother of pearl finish for an added touch of glamour.”

The finishing touch

Choosing the finishing touches is an important step, as these will inevitably bring the whole space together and make it seem warmer and more inviting. A selection of luxurious brown bath sheets, various complementary rustic-looking metal candle holders, a weathered wooden frame and two mini metal Mexican sun mirrors set above each towel rail, reinforce the room’s rustic and earthy appeal. The Aragon 8-light chandelier form The Lighting Warehouse is the ideal source of ambient lighting, and the downlights set along the ceiling bulkheads provide ample task and general lighting for the space.