Bathroom With Floating Wood Vanity and Marble Walls

It is a white oval vessel basin that sits on top of the stone counter rather than dropping into it. Paired with a wall-mounted tap, it keeps the tap and its fixings off the counter, so there is nothing around the base to trap water and grime. A counter-top basin like this also lifts the bowl to a comfortable height and gives the vanity a cleaner, more finished top.

The large framed mirror has a light strip behind it that throws a soft glow onto the wall around it. That backlight fills in shadow on the face, which the downlights alone would leave, so it is the useful light for washing up or getting ready. It also makes the mirror seem to float off the marble. In a compact bathroom that soft edge stops the space feeling closed in.

It is a warm beige-brown marble carried across the walls, the floor and the counter, with slim brass lines picking out a geometric pattern on the backsplash. Running one stone over every surface makes a small room read as calmer, since the eye is not stopped by changes of material. The brass inlay is the one bit of detail, kept fine so it lifts the wall without shouting.

There is a wall-mounted tap over the basin, a health faucet on the side wall, and recessed spotlights in the false ceiling with a cove strip under the vanity. Putting the tap and the faucet on the wall keeps the counter and floor clear of fixings, which is both cleaner to look at and easier to wipe around. The door is a ribbed wood panel that ties back to the vanity timber.

It looks rich and wears well, but it does ask for care, which is the honest trade-off. Natural marble is porous, so the walls, floor and counter all need sealing to stop water and soap soaking in and staining. After that it wants a pH-neutral cleaner, never anything acidic, which etches the polish. Done right it lasts for years. A marble-look porcelain is the lower-maintenance route if that upkeep worries you.

The stone drives the figure. Cladding the walls, floor and counter in marble uses a lot of material and skilled fixing, and matching the veins across the slabs adds to the labour. The floating wood vanity and the brass inlay are the next costs. To bring it down, a marble-look large porcelain tile on the walls with a real stone counter gives much of the look for a good deal less outlay.

Wipe the wood down with a soft damp cloth and dry it, and keep standing water off the timber, since a bathroom is a wet room and wood and water are a poor mix over time. Make sure the finish is a sealed, moisture-resistant one when it is built. Check the wall fixings hold firm once a year, as a wall-hung unit carries its whole weight on the brackets.