Bachelor pads are often associated with extravagant parties and budget-friendly interiors. But thanks to a maturing population of millennials (and their high-class preferences) today’s bachelor homes are all the more luxurious and style-conscious.
This is especially true for modern bachelor bathrooms, which rely on materials like stone, leather and wood to create a masculine vibe. Here’s what you should know about designing a sophisticated bathroom for men.
Bachelor Remodeling Tips
There are a few key things to keep in mind when remodeling a bachelor’s bathroom. In particular, a single person can opt for a more minimalist look because they likely don’t need as much storage as would be required in a family bathroom.
Alyson Ward, features writer at Houston Chronicle, showcases a minimalist update in the bathroom remodel. Removing the clunky vanity cabinet in outdated beige with built-in sink, a smaller floating sink was put in. The new sink has less storage space underneath, but still meets the needs of someone who lives alone.
Sleek, simple bathrooms are a common choice among single men. However, these spaces should still maintain enough counter space for a man’s personal items. Jacob Hurwith at ImproveNet writes that a bachelor’s counter should be large enough to include essentials like a razor, shaving cream, deodorant and toothbrush. These items should be able to fit in a cabinet or on the counter where they’re easily accessible for daily routines.
Bachelor Colors
Choosing the right colors is essential for creating a sophisticated bachelor bathroom. According to Bachelor on a Budget, a resource for male-focused interior design, it’s important to use masculine color tones in a bathroom. These are cited as being blue, gray, brown and black. The hues look more intriguing when they appear in varying textures, and are sleek when paired with accented chrome or brushed metal fixtures.
MyDomaine decor editor Liz Lynch Foster agrees, saying that using dark hues can imbue a bathroom with rugged style and manly character. Using saturated colors “will move your space out of spa territory and into men's-club-lounge land.” As an example, she suggests a glossy navy blue and a dark, woodsy green.
Lighter colors can also work in a bachelor bathroom, as long as they’re balanced with a darker element. Southern-based design magazine StyleBlueprint looks at how this can work in a bachelor’s loft remodel, where a medium blue wall is balanced with a neutral tan wall that has a wood-like texture. The wooden vanity also assumes a much darker, bolder color to keep the bathroom grounded in a masculine feel.
Prestige Architects features another example of how light colors can be used to create a masculine space. This bachelor remodel features white walls balanced with multicolored stone gray tiles on the sink surface and across both walls of the built-in shower. The tile mosaic adds texture and intrigue to a space that might otherwise feel too stark.
Materials
Certain materials always have and always will evoke a more masculine vibe. Most commonly, these materials include wood, stone and leather.
Wood
Wood elements are enjoyed by men and women alike. When paired with the right colors and style elements, however, wood can assume a particularly masculine feel.
As seen in a design from interior stylist Stephanie Katz, wooden cabinetry works particularly well with warm colors. Katz pairs a taupe wall color with wall sconces to enhance the warmth of the cabinets and make the space feel inviting. These warm elements are also balanced with grays and shades of white in the shower.
Mahogany is a wood classically associated with men’s rooms. All About Interiors says that since mahogany is such a bold color, it should be used as an accent. This interior design site also suggests balancing this red-toned masculine color with greens and navy blues – both of which work well in a bathroom designed for men.
When wood isn’t an option, consider elements that will create the illusion of wood. An example of a faux wood look is seen in a bachelor bathroom by designer Ann Decker. Using herringbone striped wallpaper in multicolored brown preserved the theme of existing bathroom, which was situated in a historic home. It still provides the warm and masculine look that works so well in modern bachelor pads, yet it’s a cheaper and less fussy alternative.
Stone
Stone is another material that supports a masculine style. Marble works particularly well in bachelor baths that are seeking a higher level of sophistication.
Adele Brunner at Post Magazine features a Hong Kong-based bachelor pad with floor-to-ceiling marble in the bathroom. These tiles are crafted from varying shades of light gray and white, helping darker elements pop against the wall.
This same effect is seen in the bathroom of style writer Linda Zahora-Cathcart, who runs the blog Summery Umbrella. Although not a bachelor, she specifically crafted an industrial master bathroom that would make her husband feel comfortable and invited. Here, she balanced dark charcoal gray shower tiles with a border of light-colored stone set in the middle. The floor of the bathroom also features this light-colored stone for a striking contrast between the walls and the floors. This helps the dark gray color maintain a manly vibe without overwhelming the rest of the space.
Leather Furniture
Adding statement furniture to the bathroom can amp up the luxury feel. Consider a sleek bench like the one interior designer Danit Ben-Ari of Interior Transformations added to her client’s bachelor bathroom. This bench pairs a slate gray seat with metal legs for a distinctly industrial vibe. Bathroom furniture also provides an opportunity to incorporate leather into the bathroom, as seen with this bench.
Leather is an essential element of masculine decor, as pointed out by design team AphroChic. Leather comes in a wide variety of colors and finishes and it works well in almost any capacity. Depending on the other accessories and art featured in the bathroom, leather just might be the finishing touch a bachelor bathroom needs.
Accessories and Decor
Every bachelor bathroom should be finished off with masculine decor. There are many ways to approach this, depending on how playful or serious you’d like the space to be. For example, designer Carla Aston added a mustache print to a bachelor’s bathroom that she remodeled. The black and white color scheme keeps the image sophisticated, yet offers a touch of whimsy.
A statement mirror can be used instead of art or decor. To see how this could work, consider a luxurious bachelor pad featured by Simona Ganea at Homedit. In this home’s guest bathroom, an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling mirrors reflect the dark colors on the walls, adding depth to the masculine space.
Images by: Jodie Johnson/©123RF Stock Photo, rilueda/©123RF Stock Photo, skdesign/©123RF Stock Photo
