11 Ideas for Creating a Modern Country Retreat in Your Bathroom
Blend contemporary touches with farmhouse – or, indeed, farm outbuilding – charm. Even city bathrooms can work this relaxed look
Traditional ingredients, such as rattan, tongue-and-groove, stone floors, claw-foot tubs and pedestal basins are time-proven country classics, but they can easily be brought up to date with modern touches. And for a more industrial spin, incorporate raw, natural materials, such as bare bricks, reclaimed timber, concrete and zinc. Pick and mix your favourite elements and prepare to dream of green and pleasant fields outside your bathroom window.
Consider your seating
A great chair can make a big difference to a bathroom’s look. This compact buttoned number helps create a smart-country, heritage feel. Modern fittings, including the bath, tap and loo, signify we’re in the 21st century, but even though it’s decidedly modern, this chunky, freestanding tub is still a nod to country-house style.
A vase of flowers on a windowsill is a country detail anyone can try. Meanwhile, the mini table is a neat solution to the lack of a flat edge around many freestanding baths, providing somewhere to balance the bubble bath.
A great chair can make a big difference to a bathroom’s look. This compact buttoned number helps create a smart-country, heritage feel. Modern fittings, including the bath, tap and loo, signify we’re in the 21st century, but even though it’s decidedly modern, this chunky, freestanding tub is still a nod to country-house style.
A vase of flowers on a windowsill is a country detail anyone can try. Meanwhile, the mini table is a neat solution to the lack of a flat edge around many freestanding baths, providing somewhere to balance the bubble bath.
Freshen with white
Clean white walls work beautifully with battered country beams and trusses. Polished boards would be a trad rustic accompaniment, but you could take your whitewash one step further and paint your floor pale, too. It’s a touch that immediately updates this unmistakably rustic bathroom without killing any of its country character.
A faded cotton rug, rather than a bath mat, is a great addition in a space with ultra-modern details you may want to soften (in this case, that beautiful shower); it instantly gives the room a more relaxed feel.
Clean white walls work beautifully with battered country beams and trusses. Polished boards would be a trad rustic accompaniment, but you could take your whitewash one step further and paint your floor pale, too. It’s a touch that immediately updates this unmistakably rustic bathroom without killing any of its country character.
A faded cotton rug, rather than a bath mat, is a great addition in a space with ultra-modern details you may want to soften (in this case, that beautiful shower); it instantly gives the room a more relaxed feel.
Bare your bricks
This bathing retreat ticks several boxes for modern rustic style. The exposed brick has an industrial feel, yet adds warmth as well as rawness; the tongue-and-groove is a time-tested favourite; and the indulgent tub features contemporary dark grey sides, adding depth. However, the devil is in the detail: the rural pitcher, woven wreath and curly metal stand all help soften any hard edges.
This bathing retreat ticks several boxes for modern rustic style. The exposed brick has an industrial feel, yet adds warmth as well as rawness; the tongue-and-groove is a time-tested favourite; and the indulgent tub features contemporary dark grey sides, adding depth. However, the devil is in the detail: the rural pitcher, woven wreath and curly metal stand all help soften any hard edges.
Reboot tongue-and-groove
Tongue-and-groove is an established country classic. If whites and pastels are too traditional for you, however, go for on-trend eau de nil and combine it with contemporary grey for relaxed boutique hotel luxe, rather than full-on log cabin style.
If you don’t have a freestanding bath to paint as a companion piece, look at painting windows and doors or the bath panel in your complementary neutral. It’s a simple way to freshen things up and make a big impact if you’re on a strict budget.
Tongue-and-groove is an established country classic. If whites and pastels are too traditional for you, however, go for on-trend eau de nil and combine it with contemporary grey for relaxed boutique hotel luxe, rather than full-on log cabin style.
If you don’t have a freestanding bath to paint as a companion piece, look at painting windows and doors or the bath panel in your complementary neutral. It’s a simple way to freshen things up and make a big impact if you’re on a strict budget.
Embrace rawness
If the rough and ready look is for you – think farming shed or rural shack – take inspiration from this room, which features corrugated tin instead of tiles, a concrete bath, wooden walls and a copper rain shower. The overall effect is modern and cool yet still decidedly rustic, while using recycled materials means it’s more eco, too.
Check out a stylish barn makeover featuring corrugated tin walls
If the rough and ready look is for you – think farming shed or rural shack – take inspiration from this room, which features corrugated tin instead of tiles, a concrete bath, wooden walls and a copper rain shower. The overall effect is modern and cool yet still decidedly rustic, while using recycled materials means it’s more eco, too.
Check out a stylish barn makeover featuring corrugated tin walls
Work reclaimed materials
Recycling has already been mentioned, and here exposed brick and recycled planks are real features. These details have become markers of urban coffee shops and craft beer outlets, but this edgy look can work at home, too – and a washroom can be a good place to experiment.
Ask your carpenter to lay reclaimed wood panelling horizontally to add a sense of space, and build in a ledge for essential toiletries (and to hide the cistern for that contemporary back-to-wall loo).
Do consider how you’ll clean and seal the wood before committing to too much – in a room like this, easy-to-clean practicality is key.
Recycling has already been mentioned, and here exposed brick and recycled planks are real features. These details have become markers of urban coffee shops and craft beer outlets, but this edgy look can work at home, too – and a washroom can be a good place to experiment.
Ask your carpenter to lay reclaimed wood panelling horizontally to add a sense of space, and build in a ledge for essential toiletries (and to hide the cistern for that contemporary back-to-wall loo).
Do consider how you’ll clean and seal the wood before committing to too much – in a room like this, easy-to-clean practicality is key.
Team metro tiles with wood
In the future, when we look back at the popular bathroom styles of the early 21st century, it will undoubtedly be the metro tile that defines it (itself a 1930s original). However, this utilitarian look definitely still has legs. Adding wood warms up tiles like these beautifully and takes the urban sheen off them, lending them a modern rustic charm. Try a wooden bath panel, as here, or simply a mirror frame.
To up the rustic side of things further, and if you’re up for a little work sanding and sealing, you could choose old scaffolding boards or other reclaimed planks.
In the future, when we look back at the popular bathroom styles of the early 21st century, it will undoubtedly be the metro tile that defines it (itself a 1930s original). However, this utilitarian look definitely still has legs. Adding wood warms up tiles like these beautifully and takes the urban sheen off them, lending them a modern rustic charm. Try a wooden bath panel, as here, or simply a mirror frame.
To up the rustic side of things further, and if you’re up for a little work sanding and sealing, you could choose old scaffolding boards or other reclaimed planks.
Darken the rustic mood
The country look of old may have been about twee pastel florals and orangey pine toilet roll holders, but today’s modern rustic can go dark and moody, if you wish.
In this fabulous barn conversion, the aged wood panelling, black tiles in the shower and dark slab under the basins work brilliantly with the original ceiling and brickwork. Hanging a large mirror so it reflects the window is a good way to retain some light in a dark space.
The country look of old may have been about twee pastel florals and orangey pine toilet roll holders, but today’s modern rustic can go dark and moody, if you wish.
In this fabulous barn conversion, the aged wood panelling, black tiles in the shower and dark slab under the basins work brilliantly with the original ceiling and brickwork. Hanging a large mirror so it reflects the window is a good way to retain some light in a dark space.
Power up a pedestal
OK, not everybody has a beautiful beamed room like this one, but you could still copy elements for a relaxed country air – such as the timber bath panels, wooden mat, wicker hamper and twiggy branches. It also demonstrates how a traditional pedestal basin and close-coupled toilet can still look modern.
OK, not everybody has a beautiful beamed room like this one, but you could still copy elements for a relaxed country air – such as the timber bath panels, wooden mat, wicker hamper and twiggy branches. It also demonstrates how a traditional pedestal basin and close-coupled toilet can still look modern.
Combine new and old
Concentrate on a couple of key elements for a clean-lined, modern farmhouse effect. Perching this freestanding bath on chunky wooden plinths adds drama and attitude. The slim wooden shelves break up the white wall, while a dash of pattern in the form of a Roman blind adds a trad touch. Always ensure a wooden floor in a bathroom is well sealed to ensure it lasts.
Have you tried modern rustic in your bathroom? Share your photos and ideas in the Comments below.
Concentrate on a couple of key elements for a clean-lined, modern farmhouse effect. Perching this freestanding bath on chunky wooden plinths adds drama and attitude. The slim wooden shelves break up the white wall, while a dash of pattern in the form of a Roman blind adds a trad touch. Always ensure a wooden floor in a bathroom is well sealed to ensure it lasts.
Have you tried modern rustic in your bathroom? Share your photos and ideas in the Comments below.
Taking rustic and updating it is as much about a feel and mood as a prescribed set of elements. In fact, it’s really about things not being too perfect or slick. So don’t be afraid to mix up colours and materials, just be sure to do it with panache!
This airy bathroom has enough space to rock a variety of style-appropriate finishes successfully: a stone floor, panelling, painted brick, painted plaster and recycled wood.
Tip Don’t automatically reach for white towels – see how beautifully navy and taupe work in this room.
Take a look at a range of freestanding baths