Bathroom

Replace the towels and bath mat in one considered colour, swap plastic dispensers and tumblers for ceramic or stone, and hang a framed mirror in place of a plain one. Add a plant that enjoys humidity, such as a fern, and a reed diffuser. These few touchpoints change how a bathroom looks and feels far more than their cost suggests.

Matching metal finishes, such as chrome with chrome or brushed brass with brushed brass, looks resolved and calm. If you prefer contrast, choose accessories in ceramic, stone or glass rather than a second metal, so the finishes do not compete. Chrome is enjoying a revival, so a chrome tap no longer needs disguising.

Use the wall above the toilet for shelves, choose a mirrored cabinet over the basin and hang hooks on the back of the door. Decant products into matching bottles on a tray to cut visual clutter. Keeping the floor clear, with wall-hung storage where possible, makes a compact bathroom feel larger and easier to clean.

Choose a large mirror, ideally as wide as the basin or wider, to reflect light and space. Keep towels and accessories to a tight palette of one or two colours, and choose wall-hung storage that leaves the floor visible. A clear glass shower screen instead of a curtain also keeps sightlines open.