Colours, materials, and graphics all come together to form perfect backdrops for unique bathroom spaces. Mallika Thakker of Vibe Design Lab takes us through her vibrant commercial and residential projects to show us how it’s done…

Art on the Ceiling: This bathroom was made for a corporate office with a young staff profile. While we were required to create a fairly formal look, we added a splash of bold red and black to the ceiling, and a pop of colour with a red basin, in keeping with the young user profile. The ceiling here was hand painted by a team of artists specially commissioned for this project.

Vintage Inspirations: Part of a residential project for a family of three, we designed this space to go with the French classical look that we created for the house. A traditional floor tile with rich, deep colours is offset by the navy and white tones on the wall. The fittings and fixtures are of a vintage finish.

Quirky Business: A bathroom made for a large office of a media company. They reflect the fun and quirky nature of the business and the staff. A play of graphics, both print and hand-painted, were extensively used to create the final quirky look.

Mallika’s Tips On Getting Creative With Ceilings

Dress up your ceilings where possible. Coordinate the colour with your fittings and accessories to create a dramatic effect

As AC pipes, geysers or water storage tanks are hidden above in the bathroom ceilings, it’s imperative that these spaces be accessible for servicing. Remember to creatively build access doors within the ceiling without making them too obvious or compromising on the overall look of the space

Use materials like Gypsum, POP, ACP, wood slats, laminates, metal grids or mesh for ceilings. Hand-painted graphics or even wallpapers are great ways to highlight ceilings. They add an element of drama, and become an extra dimension to the overall design

In smaller apartments, it might work best to have minimally designed, clean ceiling that gives bathrooms a more open, roomier look

Lighting plays an important role in creating dramatic effects in the ceiling as well, so make sure to integrate lighting designs right at the beginning of the project

Mallika Thakker, Founder, Vibe Design Lab, Mumbai

“Established in 2006, Vibe Design Lab is a multi-disciplinary design firm co-founded by my husband Priyal and I. We love to experiment with design in all forms and at all scales, and have been lucky to have been exposed to a variety of projects throughout our careers.”

Website: www.instagram.com/vibedesignlab

Text by: The Blue Pencil Design Company

Images courtesy: Vibe Design Lab