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Country cottage bathroom design ideas


Cottage bathroom ideas – design inspiration for rural homes

(Image credit: Future/Chris Everard)

Cottage bathrooms are renowned for offering quaint proportions and quirky alcoves, so it can be a challenge to create a bathing suite that feels really special.

But, just because your cottage bathroom is small, that doesn't mean that you have to compromise on style. From perfectly proportioned bath tubs to stunning loft conversions as well as design ideas and expert advice, we've rounded up the very best cottage bathroom ideas that are sure to inspire your own project.

See: Bathroom ideas – winning ways to get a charming, characterful look

Maintaining the character of your cottage home is key in designing a cottage bathroom. Making a feature of beams, panelling and original flooring, and opting for neutral pieces and complementary materials lets your cottage bathroom's stunning character take center stage.  

'Entertaining spaces are usually where people tend to focus their attention,' explains Neptune Fulham’s Home Designer, George. 'But, actually, it’s rooms like restrooms, bedrooms and home studies that can make the biggest difference to your day-to-day life.' 

This is perhaps most true of the cottage bathroom, which offers a private sanctuary, shut off from the world. So giving it the attention it deserves will create a space where you can really relax. 

Cottage bathroom ideas

Read on to discover how to transform your rustic bathroom into your dream sanctuary. 

See: Cottage decorating ideas – charming ways to get a characterful look

1. Install a roll-top bath to instantly give your cottage bathroom the period treatment

(Image credit: Future/Kasia Fiszer)

The roll-top bath is an iconic piece that will add authentic appeal to a cottage bathroom. With its sweeping curves and ornate feet, this bath is a classic luxury fitting. We love the soft sage shade of this understated slipper bath. 

Choosing a bath that stands on feet, rather than the floor, helps to make the room feel larger, as it keeps your beautiful flooring on show, rather than boxing it off. This is ideal for cottage bathrooms, which are often on the smaller size. 

If you face the challenge of undulating floors, then look for a roll-top bath with adjustable feet which are essential for levelling your bath. 

2. Give your cottage bathroom personality with a bespoke colored bath

(Image credit: Kasia Fiszer)

The bath is the largest piece of furniture in the cottage bathroom, and gives you space to be bold. Opting for a shade like this rich orange color, adds instant warmth to the room and immediately draws the eye to its stunning silhouette.

If you want to give your roll-top bath a statement update, its fairly straightforward. 'It’s essential that you remove any rust with a proprietary rust remover before painting, then need to prime your bath with an oil-based metal primer. ' says Lauren Foulds, Product Manager at Heritage Bathrooms . 'Regardless of whether your bath is older or a new investment, paint it with acrylic, polyurethane or epoxy-based paint for added durability.'

Alternatively, for a stress-free color experience, opt for a pre-painted bath – there are endless shades to choose from. 

3. Brighten your cottage bathroom with a mirror

(Image credit: Fiona (bowen) Walker-Arnott T/a Fwa Photography)

'If your space is on the smaller side, mirrors are a great way to create an illusion of more room. You want your cottage bathroom to be bright and airy, so placing a mirror opposite a window is an effective way of reflecting any natural light that comes in,' Scarlett Blakey, creative partner of Ophelia Blake Interior Design .

4. Careful planning helps you make the most of small spaces

(Image credit: Albion Bath Company)

With a tiny cottage comes an even smaller cottage bathroom. But even the smallest space include the luxury of a bath. Measuring only 4ft in length, Albion Bath Company ’s Tubby tub is the perfect solution for cottage bathrooms. 

Although small in stature, it is deceptively deep, easily allowing an average-sized person to fully submerge themselves. Pair with an over-bath shower to create a versatile design that offers both the day-to-day practicality of a shower, while still maintaining the luxury of bathing.

See: Cottage curtain ideas – inspiration for a pretty, cozy home

This feature was created by H&G's sister brand, Period Living magazine 

Subscribe to Period Living for more inspiration    Period Living is the UK's best-selling period homes magazine. A subscription provides you with all you need to know about caring for and improving a traditional house and garden.

5.

If you're short of space create a luxurious cottage bathroom in the attic

(Image credit: Future/Kasia Fiszer)

Many period homes have a downstairs bathroom, but you can add an extra bath by considering converting the loft into a master suite, to provide you with the benefit of an extra bedroom and en suite, without having to sacrifice space elsewhere. Install a roof window to flood the room with natural light.

6. Use patterned tiles to add personality to a cottage bathroom

(Image credit: Bert & May/Marina Denisova)

'Cottage bathrooms often have a quirky character all of their own, which will encourage you to express your creativity and personality.' says Lee Thornley, founder of Bert & May . 

'Pattern and texture add interest, and our encaustic tiles have a chalky finish, which look particularly striking when combined with raw plaster and natural materials that lend themselves to the cottage aesthetic. Alternatively, colorful gloss tiles laid in a herringbone pattern will add character without overwhelming the space. '

Don't miss our cottage lighting ideas for pretty, practical solutions.

7. Use dark colors to create an intimate atmosphere

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

'Dark colors work particularly well for a small  cottage bathroom with little light as this will make the room feel more intimate and relaxing and draw the eye away from the size.' says Charlotte Cosby, head of creative at Farrow & Ball 'Rich warm tones such as Brinjal are ideal for creating a cosy atmosphere, perfect for a cottage bathroom.'

8. For a unique feel, choose a bathroom wallpaper

(Image credit: Future/Chris Everard)

Embrace the vintage charm that is integral to the quintessential cottage-look with a floral print. Many of us would never think of wallpapering our bathroom, but it's been done to great effect in this cottage home. This wildflower print adds a beautiful burst of color and pattern and draws the eye to the statement piece of the room.

Alternatively take the cottage wallflower feel to blinds, to evoke a similar cottage bathroom ambience.

9. Use window treatments to create a private sanctuary

(Image credit: Future/James French)

Being able to shut off from the world is essential in creating a soapy sanctuary, but bathroom window treatments can be challenging as curtains and fabric blinds don’t stand up well to the damp conditions. Louvered shutters are an ideal solution, being impervious to water and providing privacy, whether open or closed. 

10. Complement your home's natural materials with a copper bath

(Image credit: William Holland)

A copper bath is a stunning addition to any home but will particularly shine in a cottage bathroom. Its polished exterior ages gradually over time, transforming from a deep pinkish hue to a warming red-brown, that will complement you home's original charm. 

Plus, copper’s inherent properties means that it heats up faster and retains its warmth longer than enamel or acrylic tubs. The deep style of this bateau bath with artisan tin interior from William Holland allows you to fully immerse yourself for the ultimate soak.

See: Traditional bathroom ideas – timeless styles and classic decor inspiration

11. Pick a soothing color scheme

(Image credit: Annie Sloan)

Cottage bathrooms are sometimes a little dark and cool feeling, so it is important to consider the color scheme really carefully. Grey bathrooms are, of course, classic and elegant, but picking a warm shade is vital; and accessorizing the grey with warmer colors in the same tone will add extra warmth.

12. Add pretty decorative touches with these cottage bathroom ideas 

(Image credit: Christopher Drake for Carlos Garcia Interiors)

Cottage bathrooms are all about the detailing – whether a pretty light fitting or a printed fabric skirt on a vanity unit, antique furniture or a characterful mirror frame. Note, too, in this bathroom, how muted the colors are – this approach to a color scheme will create a more traditional, authentic look for a period cottage.

Find more decorative inspiration from our take on the renewed trend for frills and ruffles in interiors.

Having graduated with a first class degree in English Literature four years ago, Holly started her career as a features writer and sub-editor at Period Living magazine, Homes & Gardens' sister title. Working on Period Living brought with it insight into the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decorating through to choosing the right windows and the challenges of extending. This has led to a passion for traditional interiors, particularly the country-look. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, alongside regular features for Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has enabled her to broaden her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature.  

21 English Country Bathroom Designs to Inspire You

These charming English country bathrooms are quintessentially British in style and design. We love a good bathroom design and even more so from a rustic country home or farmhouse. You will fall in love with these English cottage bathrooms just as we did!

English country decor is known for its floral decorations, chintz walls, pale colors and rustic country style. We are going to share some modern as well as traditional examples of English bathrooms in the countryside. There are many beautiful English estates to take design inspiration from as you decorate your home!

The bathroom is a very intimate space. For cleaning up, doing our makeup, and doing our business this is a small yet very practical room in the house! You want to make sure that your bathroom suits all your needs and is comfortable at the same time. You may even want to soak in the tub after a long day. These ideas will help you create the perfect English bathroom oasis.

We hope you love these English bathroom ideas from across the internet.

Skirted Side Table

Skirted furniture is a quintessentially English design choice. This gorgeous bathroom has a clawfoot tub and skirted side table nearby.

Holker Estate

Tufted Chaise Lounge

I adore this luxurious English bathroom! The turquoise tufted chaise lounge nearby the bathtub is the perfect area to lounge. The teal floral wallpaper makes this space so relaxing.

Babington House UK

Vintage Style

This vintage style English bathroom has beautiful floral wallpaper and plenty of fresh flowers on a small able near the bathtub. A crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling above. A wood armoire holds bath linens nearby.

Unknown

Skirted Sink

This bathroom vanity has a skirted sink for a feminine bathroom design.

@carlosgarciainteriors

Red Clawfoot Tub

This unique bathroom has a red clawfoot tub and an exposed wood ceiling beam.

Charles O’Connor and Edward Greenall House and Garden

Marble Bathroom Sink Vanity

How gorgeous is this marble bathroom sink vanity?

Rupert and Anna Bradstock

Thick Curtains

It gets quite cold in the English countryside, so be sure to install some thick curtains to keep your bathroom warm during the harsh English winters.

Somerleyton Hall Estate / Elle Decor

Blue and White Damask Wallpaper

This bold damask wallpaper has navy blue and cream white tones.

Babington House

Gray English Bathroom

Gray is a smart choice for a modern English bathroom design.

Caroline Holdaway

Vintage Mirror

This modern bathroom design has a single vintage mirror giving it extra unique charm.

Mark Taylor Design

Marble Bathroom Fireplace

Winters in England can be quite cold so having a fireplace in the bathroom is a very practical choice for heating the room where we take our clothes off to bathe!

Will Fisher for the Telegraph

Green Walls

Many English country rooms have colorful walls to brighten up the dreary cloudy winter days!

Mount Algidus House & Garden

Charming Clutter

Since many English cottage bathrooms tend to be small, I noticed that many of them are quite cluttered! I think that this gives them so much charm, however Having little bits and bobs stashed in every nook and cranny shows that the house is truly “lived in” and not just a showroom for a magazine or pretentious family.

Unknown

Floral Wallpaper

You can’t go wrong with floral wallpaper! Put some family photos and a gallery wall display over it to create an interesting wall decor design.

@danielpieckielonslowik

Bath & Closet Combination Room

This English bathroom doubles as a closet! The owners garments hang from the armoires and built-in closets against the wall, making this a double purpose space – a dressing room and a bathroom!

Alice Naylor-Leyland / Architectural Digest

Traditional Chintz Walls

You can’t have an English country decorating article without traditional chintz wallpaper!

House & Garden Simon Upton

Gallery Wall

This gorgeous English bathroom has nan extensive gallery wall filled with old photos and botanical drawings. It certainly gives you something to look at while soaking in the tub!

“The English Country House” by James Peill & James Fennell

Wainscoting Walls

Wainscoting is a beautiful English wall design element.

@neptunehomeofficial

Shower Stall Design

Have you ever seen a more glamorous shower stall? This bathroom with pale green walls has a clawfoot shower stall with brushed nickel hardware.

Edward Bulmer Queen Anne Country House

Traditional Floral Curtains

This traditional English bathroom has thick floral curtains, polka dotted pink floral wallpaper, and a makeup vanity with a small mirror.

The English Home May 2013

Wood Stool

Every country bathroom needs a rustic wood stool to keep bathroom accessories!

Ben Thompson Heckfield Place

I hope you liked these English country bathroom ideas from the UK! As you can see, British bathrooms have a lot of charming elements that we can all take some design inspiration from. 

More English Country Home Ideas

If you are looking for more ideas on how to decorate an English country home or an English cottage then please continue reading our guides on this topic! Here are some related articles on British decorating and UK home decor:

Happy curating!

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135 photos of examples of bathroom interiors in a country houseDecor and interior design

Decor and interior design > Sitemap > Bathroom > Bathroom in a private house - stylish design and interesting design options (135 photos) If in terms of planning, building and laying communications, all bathrooms are equipped almost the same, and differ only in size, then the finish can be much more diverse.

Let's consider various ways of decorating, a photo of a bathroom in a private house, current design ideas.

Preparation for finishing

Before finishing the room, it is necessary to carry out a set of preparatory work. You need to start with the insulation of the walls and floor. This will eliminate the appearance of condensate and its accompanying negative phenomena, such as mold and fungus. Also, insulation will ensure the comfort of taking water procedures in the winter.

A bathroom in a private house is a room with high humidity. Therefore, finishing should be done only with moisture-resistant materials. Today their choice is quite large. Modern facing materials allow you to equip a comfortable and aesthetic room for receiving water procedures.

Ceramic tile finishing

The most demanded and actual bathroom finishing material is ceramic tile. It is distinguished by high moisture resistance, long service life, wear resistance and a wide choice of stylistic solutions.

Properly selected ceramic tiles will allow you to implement a practical modern bathroom design in your home. Choose the color of the tiles based on the style in which you want to decorate the room.

Matt tiles are highly recommended for flooring. It practically does not slip when wet, which is an important factor in terms of safety.

Plastic panels

If you want to save money, you should look at plastic panels. This is an inexpensive and easy-to-install material, characterized by good moisture resistance. However, plastic cannot be called an environmentally friendly material. Another disadvantage is low wear resistance.

Often only the ceiling in the bathroom is covered with plastic. The floor and walls can be finished with tiles, and the ceiling with plastic. The fact is that finishing the ceiling with tiles is a very laborious work and creates a noticeable load on the floor, since the structure is quite heavy.

Plastic panels are also available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

Walls to be painted

Walls can be finished without special materials, but simply painted. To do this, the surface is pre-leveled, covered with a layer of plaster, primed, and then painted. You can use textured paint, which allows you to create original visual effects.

Painting is a good solution for original designs. You can combine various shades. And for decoration, stencils with all kinds of patterns are used.

It is important to use only moisture-resistant paint, because the room is very humid.

The advantage of the solution lies in the ability to quickly update the design. To do this, simply repaint the walls, without the need to dismantle any finishing materials.

Natural wood finish

Natural wood finish in the bathroom looks very stylish and luxurious. This material will give an atmosphere of warmth and comfort. But, it is necessary to use special wood species that are resistant to moisture. And before installation, the material must be processed several times with special moisture protective agents.

Natural wood trim is quite an expensive option. This solution is ideal for a classic interior. But, using a tree of the appropriate species, you can decorate the room in one of the modern styles.

Are the walls in the bathroom covered with wallpaper?

Wallpaper is also an affordable finishing material. But, you can use only moisture-resistant models, otherwise the finish will quickly become unusable.

In areas where the walls are in direct contact with moisture (near the sink, bathtub, shower) do not glue the wallpaper. Even the highest quality moisture-resistant wallpaper will deteriorate after a while due to constant contact with water. In such areas, it is recommended to use other materials - tiles or plastic.

Finishing the floor

Before finishing the floor in the bathroom of a private house, it must be insulated and waterproofed. For insulation, you can use special materials with low thermal conductivity (polystyrene, mineral wool, etc.). But, a more modern solution is the installation of a floor heating system.

Waterproofing is required to protect the internal structure of the floor from moisture ingress, which will lead to the development of fungus and the gradual deterioration of the structure.

In a private house, you can use any floor covering for the bath - moisture-resistant laminate, tile, linoleum, artificial or natural stone, etc. It is also possible to use natural wood, but with a preliminary high-quality treatment with a moisture-proof agent.

Photo of a bathroom in a private house

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