Image source: Pixabay
Take a good look at your bathroom. What do you see? Let us guess. White tile, standard bathtub, PVC vanity and a mirror. Are we getting close? Isn’t that just plain boring? You’ll be happy to know that bathrooms don’t have to look so ordinary anymore. You can invest the same amount of creativity and enthusiasm in designing your bathroom as you did when you were designing your living room. Even the boundaries between the styles have become blurry, so you can combine two of the most interesting bathroom styles: contemporary and rustic. While the boundaries are blurry, they are not non-existent, and you should still try your best to make everything work together. Here’s how.
Image source: Pixabay
Declare the prevailing style with tile
Usually, when combining two styles, you need to set the backdrop with one prevailing approach. Tiles occupy the most space in your bathroom. This is the reason why it makes sense to let them speak the loudest. What’s your preferred style? If it is modern, we suggest going with large tiles of simple colour and design (e.g. black, grey or white). If you want to put rustic on the throne, consider using stone, Tuscan tile, or any other similarly warm design. A lavish wallpaper is often a feature of old-word bathrooms.
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Opposites do attract
Most of the charm of a rustic + contemporary bathroom resides in the fact that opposites attract. Use this knowledge to your favor by making the most unlikely combinations. For example, you can combine a farmhouse-chic shower with a rainfall showerhead and smart shower features (wireless Bluetooth speakers) or a white-washed wood vanity with a sleek black faucet (also smart, of course).
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The best of both worlds
When considering different bathroom units to include in your bathroom, you need to determine what you like the most about those two styles. No one can deny that one of the most beautiful characteristics of rustic bathrooms is reflected in freestanding bathtubs, especially if they are the alluring clawfoot tubs made of stone. Contemporary bathrooms, on the other hand, are winning when it comes to the use of glass in all its glory (e.g. frameless shower door).
Image source: Woohome.com
Say it with textures
If we were to look for the one characteristic where rustic and contemporary are the most different, that would be texture. The contemporary style glorifies clean lines and smooth surfaces, while the rustic design couldn’t be more different. Fortunately, this gives you something to play with. Celebrate the differences between these two design approaches by including clean uninterrupted lines and then disrupting them with uneven and imperfect textures like reclaimed wood, natural stone, old tree trunks and weathered wooden panels.
Image source: desiretoinspire.net
Mix up the materials
The best way to create an eclectic design is to use different materials, typical for the styles you want to include. In this case, that would be combining something like a traditional granite countertop with a glass tile backsplash. Mixing metals can also be very convenient since you can join gold and polish nickel (e.g. vintage gold chandelier and polished nickel faucets). 
Image Source: techvision.co.uk
Expect the unexpected
… or better yet, include the unexpected. A bathroom that is a combination of both styles should have something that stands out and speaks about your courage in design. Wooden beams on the wall? Why not?! A mirror that stretches from one end of the bathroom to the other? Most definitely yes! A vanity made out of an old bike? Shut up and take our money! A wall-mounted waterproof TV? Sure, if you are into those things.
Image source: Woohome.com
Rustic look, modern power
To be honest, the rustic style is born out of necessity, and the lighting it had back in the days was nowhere near the power we have today. However, it did showcase perfect aesthetics when it comes to lighting features. Just imagine chandeliers and sconces in wood and metal. Combine that with powerful and cost-efficient CFLs and LEDs, and you have the ideal rustic-contemporary marriage. Include modern task lights around the mirror, and you will even earn functionality points. 
Image source: flowersinspace.com
Let the accessories have the final word
Just like you would do when designing every other room in your home, you should finish your design project by scattering accessories around the bathroom. Since the bathroom is a very special room, due to its purpose, it is important to make most of these additions serve both form and function. This includes elements such as a towel rack (or even better, a towel warmer, or to be even more modern, towel spa), towel rail, hook rack, shelf units, toothbrush holders, toilet roll holders, storage baskets, etc. All of these elements come in various styles. It is up to you to combine them without creating a look that’s too chaotic. Arranging them in pairs or larger groups according to their style is a foolproof way to success.
Whoever says “out with the old, in with the new” has no idea how wonderful a bathroom can be when you keep both old and new and combine them in perfect harmony. Now you know how to do it, so give it a try!
Related:
A Touch of Glimmer in Your Home: Decorating with Metallic Finishes
Redecorating: Its Actually Not As Hard As You Think
5 Tips on Making Your Home More Relaxing
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