Art Deco Bathroom and Heritage Bathroom Design Ideas for Australian Homes

Why Heritage Bathroom Styles Are Making a Major Comeback

Lately I've been seeing some pretty exciting trends in Australian bathrooms, and no longer is it just about an all-white and minimalistic look. Heritage styles are making a very strong statement. No longer content with just clean lines and Scandi design, homeowners are now looking for bathrooms with character and a warm atmosphere. Whether you are renovating your Federation home in Melbourne or building your dream home in Brisbane, there is a real drive in homeowners to create spaces that have a story.
A heritage style art deco bathroom has bold geometrics, deep metallics and a certain sense of luxury that you would not expect. A farmhouse bathroom is more relaxed and feels so comfortable with the use of natural materials and soft touches like an unfussy hardware. And then you have the mid century modern bathroom design that has taken off from The Block and to the Instagram feeds, which is all organic shapes and retro colour palettes. These are the latest bathroom trends that are built upon true design movements with longevity.

Art Deco Bathrooms: Geometric Glamour for Modern Homes

Drama if you want it, then an art deco bathroom is definitely the answer to all your dreams. It all about the geometry, bold geometric patterns in the classic black and white hex floor tiles, or chevron on the walls, and arched mirrors that really give you a great sense of grandeur. Brushed gold tapware and accessories is the perfect complement, there are so many beautiful pieces out there with that warm metallics feel that go so well against darker colours such as deep greens or navy.
The timeless classic black and white hexagonal tile is still the most popular floor tile for art deco bathroom designs at $30 to $60 a sqm for quality porcelain tiles, then pair them with fluted panelling on walls or a fluted vanity (fluting is super popular at the moment) is the ideal way to complete the art deco bathroom look.
And what I love about it is the scale is great, a powder room with a bold geometric tile and a brushed gold basin mixer from Meir or Fienza and the arched mirror, would look stunning without breaking the bank.

Farmhouse and Mid-Century Modern: Timeless Australian Favourites

There are some pretty cosy bathroom styles to go through and a Farmhouse bathroom probably tops the list of cosiness with the most common features being the subway tile which is usually white or could be a sage green or duck egg blue, a freestanding bath and a matte black hardware, another feature of a farm house bathroom would be the shiplap wall panelling which could look great paired with either an open timber vanity or a painted MDF unit in a softer tone.
Whereas a mid century modern bathroom has more of an eclectic feel with its terrazzo like porcelain tiles and the use of timber and timber effect tiles for your vanity in a deep walnut colour, then you are thinking about the organic shapes such as a curved mirror, a sculptural tapware or even adding some bright accent tiles with a mustard or olive colour. Freestanding vanities with legs is a common look which starts from $238 for a PVC option up to $1,378 for a premium plywood option which shows the floor so the whole look is a bit more open to let the flooring breathe which fits the whole mid-century ethos.

Sourcing Vintage-Inspired Fixtures and Finishes

It's fun to find the right fixtures. You no longer have to scour salvage yards. Online Australian suppliers stock wide ranges of vintage-inspired tapware and vanities that have a retro look but with modern functionality. For example, a vintage bath vanity with a ceramic basin and soft-close drawers has the period feel but the convenience of modern. Timber vanities are ideal for the farmhouse and traditional look. In natural woodgrain finishes. Plywood is most durable in humid rooms.
A mid century bathroom vanity has clean lines, tapered legs and timber tones, most commonly walnut finish. The standard size starts at 600mm and extends to 1500mm. Aulic and CETO are solid mid century ranges with quality German hardware by Hafele.

Blending Heritage Charm with Modern Performance

A heritage bathroom has to work as well as any other bathroom, so it requires proper waterproofing, adequate ventilation and fixtures that comply with current standards, for example it needs WaterMark certification.
The easiest way to achieve a period look in a functional room is to combine statement pieces with modern essentials. Use heritage inspired tiles and a vanity for a period feel but use a modern shower screen, mixer taps and drainage. Matte black tapware, still the most popular tapware finish in Australia, can be used in an art deco style bathroom, a farmhouse or even a mid century bathroom. If your bathroom is large enough, adding a double vanity will also provide more storage space and a strong visual statement. A double vanity has a standard width that varies from 1200mm to 1800mm and the price can range from $600 to $2,828 for the more expensive option. A wall hung double vanity frees up space on the floor while freestanding units work better for heritage bathrooms.
A heritage style bathroom does not need to cost more than a standard bathroom. Focus your spending on the key pieces: a statement vanity, decorative tiles, quality tapware in the right finish. The rest can be simple.