How to design a sleek and contemporary bathroom for young adults

If you’re sharing your home with a young adult, either as a parent or guardian, trying to give them their own space is essential. A bathroom or ensuite is the perfect starting point to offer them a little privacy and a feeling of independence. 

One of the inescapable consequences of the current cost of living crisis is that an increasing number of young adults are opting to live with their parents. If you’re rethinking the layout of your home to give your grown-up children a bit of privacy with an ensuite or planning to revamp the old family bathroom the design team at Victoria Plum has shared some of their top tips for creating a  sleek and contemporary bathroom.

We know that the cost of redesigning a bathroom can spiral if you’re not careful with the budget, so we’ve included some clever places where you can save a little cash by doing some of the work yourself.

We’ve come up with a look that is both simple and sophisticated. It features sleek, contemporary products and a monochromatic colour scheme that can be adapted to fit your grown-up child's personality and style.

 1. Plan a fun, but functional design 

Pared-back minimalism is the name of the game with this bathroom design. Featuring a wet room-style walk-in shower and strategically placed storage, this space is both fun and functional.

The monochrome palette helps keep this bathroom light and uplifting, while contemporary products throughout keep lines streamlined and sleek, for on-trend appeal.

Some of the main things to consider when designing this bathroom include: 

• Plenty of storage space for all your essentials, including grooming products, soap, shower gel, etc.
• Handy shelving, both in the shower area and around the perimeter of the room, through the use of half-height false walls
• A large mirror - the one featured above is complete with LED and demister
• Baskets and boxes for dirty laundry, towel storage and cleaning products
• An assortment of plants to improve air quality and bring a touch of the outdoors in

 2. Add in sleek, tactile storage

With a striking chequerboard floor in place, the last thing you’d want to do is hide it from view. A wall-hung storage unit is perfect if you’re working with a small bathroom and want to maximise space. 

Vanity units like the Mode Oxman indigo wall-hung vanity unit are a great choice for modern bathrooms, adding much-needed storage in what is often an unused space. Opt for one in an accent colour or an intriguing tactile surface, the textural variation helps to break up flat surfaces.

Keep your floor space clear with a wall-hung vanity unit. The advantages that a vanity unit offers versus a simple pedestal basin are obvious. With a spacious drawer, there’s plenty of room for all your grooming products. 

3. Use your wall space effectively 

For a smaller bathroom, you need to think creatively about how you use your wall space. In this bathroom, half-height false walls on both sides allowed a wall-hung toilet to be fitted. This adds to the sleek appearance and keeps the floor space free. With fewer exposed parts (like the cistern or plumbing), it will also be much quicker and easier to clean.

Where floor space is at a premium, think vertically than horizontally, which is where this next piece of space-saving furniture comes into play. With a tall, slimline unit, you can easily store all those larger, bulkier items that would otherwise not fit into drawers. This Orchad Eden white tall storage unit from Victoria Plum's Eden furniture range fits the bill perfectly.

And it’s not just storage; vertical radiators are perfect for smaller bathrooms like this one. Make a feature of the radiator with a pop of accent colour like this subtle shade of indigo. 

 4. Prioritise a walk-in shower 

For those who are constantly on the go, which is probably most young adults these days, a walk in shower is ideal. With quick, level access, no restrictive doors to contend with, plus easy-clean surfaces, what’s not to like? 

One of the main things you’ll need to consider when creating your showering area is how to keep items like shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and the like within easy reach. One quick and simple way to do this is to fit a shelf at a comfortable height. This can also be used to store the odd plant, to bring an organic touch to your bathroom. Just make sure your shelf doesn’t cause any type of obstruction, which might restrict the enjoyment of your shower. 

5. Add the finishing touches 

Once you have all your main fixtures and fittings in place, it’s time for the real fun to begin! Accessories add the final finishing flourish to your bathroom, transforming a bare space into something more personal.

Your bathroom mirror is one of the first things you should consider when designing your space. It serves multiple purposes, from providing a place to check your appearance to reflecting light and creating the illusion of space.

Bathroom mirrors offer so much more in terms of functionality these days and we’ve opted for an oversized mirror to make the very most of the natural light flooding in through the skylights. This one comes with LEDs for task lighting and a de-mister, so you can use it immediately after emerging from the shower.

Finally, plant life is something any good bathroom should never be without. If you don’t have green fingers, there are plenty of succulents and hardy plants that are suited to bathrooms such as a hardy snake plant or ivy. 

When creating this new space our top tip would be to keep it timeless, and don’t forget to consult your kids for a second opinion - this is going to be their space after all.