Mixing different design styles in your interior has become a hugely popular trend, especially when it comes to matching rustic, vintage-inspired elements with those more modern ones. You probably have plenty of ideas for your living room, bedroom and kitchen, but the bathroom always seems to end up a bit neglected, simply because it seems that you can’t do much with this particular space. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. Precisely because of the trend’s popularity, you can easily get the bathroom essentials you need nowadays to create a truly unique and personal environment that effectively mixes rustic and contemporary.
Play with tiles and wallpaper
There’s no better way to add a personal touch to your bathroom than by utilizing different tile and wallpaper designs. Tile is a natural choice for every bathroom, but don’t fear wallpaper as you can get vinyl wallpaper that’s moisture-resistant. That said, you have plenty of possibilities to exercise your creativity. For instance, if you want to use modern marble tiles for the inside of your shower, you can spice things up with a more vintage-like wallpaper for the rest of the bathroom. Also, you can always mix and match different tile styles. For instance, you can stick with plainer, more contemporary-looking designs on the most part and then break up the monotony with tiles featuring rustic and vintage patterns.
Make a statement with your tub
If you have room in your bathroom for an actual bath tub, you can make it a focal point of your bathroom by opting for the free-standing clawfoot tub. Obviously, the functionality is bound to provide modern standards but the looks are clearly more rustic. Put up a matching shelf above the tub to keep your bath necessities and effective décor, such as elaborate picture frames and vases, which will only warm up the look of otherwise modern bathroom space. In case you have a shower, you can still mix things up with your choice of shower battery and head, especially if you choose metal finishes such as antique gold or brass.
Mix things up with your sink and vanity
If you don’t have the space to use your bath tub as a statement focal piece in a rustic fashion, you can focus your attention on your sink and vanity area. Of course, you can get a pre-made vanity with a sink that already has that rustic vibe to it, or, you can play with other surfaces for a more interesting effect and then get a bathroom sink that complements the look perfectly. Darker wood, distressed wood and decoupage are perfect for the vanity area. You can keep your sink white or opt for a more rustic finish such as gold or brass, too. Together with matching fixtures, you can easily create a truly eye-pleasing area that’s perfect for your eclectic mix of styles.
Use accessories to the fullest
As mentioned, your floating shelves can mimic the rustic look in order to bring this element of uniqueness and warmth into your modern bathroom. But, aside from the shelves, you can also use your mirror to mix things up. Vintage mirror frames are really popular these days. In the same vein, fill up the empty space on your bathroom walls with pictures and picture frames in different design styles. If you have room for a proper gallery wall don’t hesitate to place it in your bathroom as well. Furthermore, you can always use more rustic and vintage-inspired towel hangers and hooks, especially if the dominant design is contemporary.
There’s no rule that states the perfect ratio of rustic and contemporary when it comes to introducing both of these design styles into your bathroom. The key here is to mix these two up in a way that feels most pleasant and effective to you personally. That said, all bathrooms are already rather modern and you can opt for a large makeover, using only the functionality and design of the bathroom utilities as a contemporary aspect, or you can stick with a mostly modern look but introduce the warmth with rustic colors, details and accessories.