5 items I always add to a bathroom to make it look better instantly as a professional interior stylist

When you're planning a bathroom, focusing on tiles and shower fittings, it's usual to leave the smaller accessories to last. However, if you want your bathroom to shine, these are the details that will instantly make your bathroom look better.

As a stylist, I shoot lots of bathrooms, some big, some small, and there are some standard accessories I always keep to hand to give these, often sterile-looking spaces, some character and personality.

Whereas in other rooms, like living rooms and bedrooms, you have lots of soft furnishings to show off pattern and colour, bathrooms can be full of hard, shiny surfaces, and if you're not careful, they can quickly feel cold and clinical.

I'm here to share my top five items with you and ensure your bathroom proves a splash.

1. Patterned towels

Soft towels are a must for any bathroom, but if you want your room to look interesting, then adding a design with a pattern is key. I like to mix and match towels, rather than having them all matching – just like this image with one plain pink traditional design and one grey stripe Hamman towel.

Whether you layer them over a heated towel radiator, hang from hooks, fold them on shelves or drape them over a bath, it's the best way of adding not only pattern and colour, but also a softer touch to your bathroom.

Plus, old, tired-looking towels are never going to elevate your bathroom, so keep them looking fresh and super snuggly!

2. Attractive toiletries

Now, this might seem obvious, but having some beautiful looking toiletries on display is going to help your bathroom look much more decadent. I like to display a few on a tray as a smart bathroom storage idea, like these ones here, as well as on shelves.

Keep them grouped together rather than scattered about (to save your bathroom looking messy), and think about the type of toiletries you have out. Soaps may not be something you use, but they can help fragrance your bathroom and I often use one or two in a small soap dish as a finishing touch.

Choose bottles wisely – too many will just make your bathroom look cluttered, whereas a few considered high-end products can help to ramp up the luxe factor. A wooden back brush looks great hung from a hook, and a candle and some beautiful-smelling bath salts help turn your bathroom into a plain bathing space into a mini spa.

3. Handy bath rack

When trying to make a bathroom look better, the bath itself can often be quite a big expanse of white, which doesn't always look that appealing, so help 'break it up' by placing a bath rack along it. This is ideal for providing another surface on which to display plants and luxurious toiletries, a bath rack is easy to lift off when needed and it's one of the items I use most in bathroom photoshoots.

I tend to prefer a wooden design as it adds a softer, more natural touch. I display it about three-quarters of the way up the bath, as opposed to having it central, to help the overall look feel more relaxed and less about symmetry.

4. Personal artwork

Help your bathroom spring to life with some bathroom wall art ideas, like artwork that will give it a decorative touch. Whether it's just one standout piece, or a series of frames grouped together, artwork give your bathroom a much-needed styling boost.

On a photo shoot, I like to see what the room looks like and choose the artwork to fit – and sometimes a contradiction makes it feel all the more interesting. For example, a few quirky prints in a traditional bathroom will give it character, while some bold art in a neutral space will give it an injection of colour.

When hanging artwork for a bathroom, take time to look at which walls need it, rather than buying the artwork first and then trying to find a piece for it. That way, your bathroom scheme will be more considered, rather than having artwork placed haphazardly on any bit of spare wall.

5. Greenery and plants

In a room that's full of hard surfaces, I always pop some plants into a bathroom. Not only will bathroom plant ideas breathe some life into the room, but they'll also add colour, shape and texture. Add a large one in a pot on the floor, or add smaller plants on shelves or surfaces.

For photo shoots, I've also been known to hang a bunch of eucalyptus to the shower head – it helps give your bathroom an almost tropical look, and when the shower is on, the steam will help diffuse the fragrance, filling your bathroom with gorgeous scent.

Do you have any tricks you use to make your bathroom look better instantly?