Colorful lives

There's no reason why the smaller rooms in the house can't express your personality. For this project, a Moroccan motif proved inspirational

The bath tub is set within a recessed bathroom, blue, floor, glass, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, tile, wall, window, white, gray — The bath tub is set within a recessed niche with an arched wall.

Tiles around the tub are laid in a angle, bathroom, floor, flooring, line, net, pattern, room, tile, wall, gray, white

A second family bathroom repeats the theme of bathroom, blue, estate, floor, home, interior design, property, room, tile, window, white

A view of bright yellow tiles edged with architecture, floor, flooring, interior design, room, tile, wall, gray, white

The attention to detail, evident in all the angle, floor, flooring, plumbing fixture, product design, sink, tile, yellow, orange, white

With the current decorating trend towards warm neutral tones, it can be easy to forget that there are plenty of other more colorful alternatives that work well in smaller rooms, such as bathrooms.

The bathrooms featured on these pages were inspired by Moroccan mosaics a design in keeping with the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of the house. Architect owner Mark Kirkhart says all the traditional elements associated with this architectural style have been fully assimilated into the design of the house. These include the plastered, thick-walled construction, and the use of arches and vaulted ceilings.

"To make the design work, the house had to have an immediate sense of history," says Kirkhart. "This meant ensuring it wasn't too predictable, and providing quirky touches that add character. It was also important to go beyond the architectural forms, and look at the finishes and surfaces. There needed to be a consistency throughout."

The two family bathrooms are good examples of this approach, says Kirkhart. Both rooms feature colorful, ceramic Moroccan tiles edged with black, and brightly painted vanity cabinets. One room has vivid yellow cabinetry and yellow and beige tiles on the vanity top and tub surround.

The other bathroom features sea-green and blue tiles with a matching cabinet. Tiles around the tub are laid in a traditional Moorish diamond pattern, with white grouting used for all tiling.

"It is often easier to use bright color in smaller spaces, where you wouldn't normally spend great amounts of time," says Kirkhart. "But these rooms also have a calming influence, with the white walls and the neutral wall and floor tiles."

Kirkhart says the style of the vanities, with their paneled doors and painted finish, imparts the sense of an older-style Spanish house, yet it is still a fresh and lively look for a young family.

The ceramic mosaic floor tiles reinforce the traditional Moorish elements of the design neutral beige tiles are offset by a border of dark-blue tiles.

The bath tub is recessed within a large niche and arched walls. The arch and the colored tiles are all bordered by black tiles, including a row of larger tiles at the floor edge. The bold definition provided by the black accents, which include mirror frames, creates a distinctive focal point for each room.

The bathroom fixtures and fittings, including the sink and bath faucets, reinforce the traditional styling.