Bathroom colors, shapes, and light

How to plan your bathroom with skillful use of shapes, colors, and light

Bathroom with round bath tub and sink, wooden wall and pebbles
The round shapes of the freestanding bath tub and sink warm the cool blue tones and convey harmony. Wooden elements and pebbles connect the indoor world with the outdoors.

Functional bathroom planning: Deliberate play with edges and curves

Conscious choice of shapes will determine the atmosphere of your bathroom and immediately convey a certain sense of space when you enter. When you plan your bathroom, the question arises: Which shapes match your personality? Are they:

  • Square edges
  • Round curves
  • Or a combination of different shapes?

Let’s take a closer look at the different shapes!

Straight lines

Corners and straight lines convey a solid sense of clarity and structure. We automatically associate straight lines and edges with qualities like trustworthiness, practicality, and reliability.

Curved shapes

We associate curves, circles, and organic shapes with soft qualities like harmony and security. They bring out feelings like openness, coziness, and flow into us.

Combination of different shapes

Contrasts can also liven up the bathroom. If you don’t have a strong preference for edges or curves, a combination of different shapes can be a good idea when planning your bathroom.

  • Round faucets work well with an angular, smart bathroom mirror that digitally displays information like the weather.
  • Dramatic yet inviting: a round, freestanding bath tub, given visual stability with contrasting square flooring, such as tile.
  • Objective and functional: a square sink for daily grooming routines. Round faucets, circular or cylindrical lamps, or an organically shaped bath tub complement the edges with harmonious lines.
  • Do you prefer rectangular shapes for sinks, showers, and bath tubs? In this case, curvy faucets, lights, or pictures can create a cozy accent.

Expert use of colors in bathroom design

Gray walls, herringbone parquet floor, loft windows
Purism at its best: Elegant gray shades and straight lines shape the design of this bathroom.

Colors, like shapes, can have a direct effect on our consciousness. Visual perception triggers different emotions. After a long day at work, a hot shower relaxes us and helps us let go of stress. Matching color shades can support this process. 

Color psychologists divide the different wavelengths of light into cool and warm colors. These have different effects:

  • Cold colors cool us off

  • Warm colors have a stimulating effect

  • Natural shades calm us down

Blue, green, and turquoise are some of the classic colors with a calming, cooling effect – ideal for people who are sensitive to stress.

Yellow, orange, red, and pink cheer us up when we look at them – perfect for people who struggle to get going early in the morning.

Sand, sage, sienna: these natural colors make the bathroom a relaxing oasis. They're the perfect emphasis for the element of water, as they evoke the beach or the mountain, the original source of the flowing element. 

Natural tones on walls and floors can get even more depth with accents in bold colors. 

When planning your bathroom, you can create a surprise effect with unusual shades for the sink, bath tub, and faucets – through integrated LED technology, for example.

Flooring and walls
The colors on the floor and walls frame all the other elements in your bathroom. You can design the floor and walls differently to create a dramatic effect. A shared color hue can create a well-defined atmosphere – blue tones evoke the ocean, while gray and sand feel earthy.

Sink and bath tub
Neutral white is the classic color for bathroom furnishings, as it goes with everything. But you can also repeat the tones you chose for walls and floor – or deliberately set a contrast. Especially dramatic: elegant black.

Faucets
Shiny chrome is a traditional finish for faucets. Brushed metal or matte black and white can create a surprise effect. A polished gold shade adds a lush touch, such as on a black background.

Changeable light: the crucial third element in bathroom planning

Floor-level shower with straight lines, round mirrors
Clean lines define this bathroom with wooden elements. The round mirror and rounded sinks soften the strict lines.

In modern bathroom planning, light is the element you can play with in a particularly flexible way. Thanks to smart technology, you can now immerse your bathroom in any color light you want – and create different wow effects as desired. 

In addition, it's a good idea to adjust the light source to fit the time of day. In the morning we need strong light, which we can dim to a relaxing level in the evening. For daily grooming routines, however, light that corresponds to natural daylight is recommended. 

For this reason, bathroom lighting concepts usually consist of basic lighting on the ceiling. The light intensity can be perfectly adjusted to the respective requirements with additional luminaires, placed on walls or integrated into mirrors.

If you’d like to learn more about lighting concepts in the bathroom, read our detailed article on bathroom lighting here

Frequently asked questions about shapes and colors in bathroom planning

How do I find a guiding theme when planning a bathroom?

Your personality decides: Describe your bathroom needs and make some fundamental decisions. Rational or emotional shapes? Cold, warm, or neutral colors?

I’m a rational person; my family and friends think my style is too masculine. What shapes do I choose?

In this case, we recommend a combination of curves with edges – for example, a round sink on a straight-line base cabinet.

I’m afraid I’ll quickly get tired of a strong shade in the bathroom, but I find white boring. What do I do?

Natural shades like sand or sage are neutral enough to serve as a backdrop for strong color accents that can be easily replaced – for example, in lampshades or curtains.

My bathroom is very small. What colors do I choose?

Bright colors and multiple light sources can make any space look bigger.

How do I operate smart LED lights in the bathroom?

It depends on the product. hansgrohe offers a central control panel in the Rain system for showers, plus Bluetooth control buttons that you can place anywhere you like.

Plan your perfect bathroom with colors, shapes, and light

​​​​​​​Shapes, colors, and light can influence us directly through sensory perception. They determine atmosphere and design. When planning your bathroom, take these factors into account at an early stage. 

The fundamental decision for these elements is: ‘Do I choose a specific direction, or do I combine different effects to create an overall design?’

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