It’s where we wake up and make-up – so be sure your bathroom is best-dressed. Here, three designers show us perfect bathroom inspiration ideas.

Retro drama

Set designer and art director Anna Burns’ dark, decadent bathroom comes complete with a drinks trolley for cocktails in the tub.

What inspired the design? Initially I was looking at art-deco bathrooms – particularly the green one from The Shining – as my reference. The dance floor in Saturday Night Fever and the bathtub scene in Performance were also an inspiration. I wanted it to be homely but dramatic; somewhere you can spend a lot of time… Cocktails in the bath, basically!

Why did you choose black for the bathroom suite and tiles? I was toying with the idea of using a lot of jewel-like colours on the floor, so I wanted something that complemented that. Black is such a decadent colour for interiors and if the finish is glossy and reflective you still get plenty of light into the room. The salmon-pink ceiling – another art-deco reference – reflects nicely in them, too.

The suite is vintage, from a salvage yard in Norfolk called Mongers of Hingham. It took a while, but I was chuffed to find a bathtub with brass details. The mirror, ceiling light and drinks trolley are from August Interiors, which has a great selection of vintage Italian pieces.

The floor is very striking…I wanted it to be decadent but playful, and the idea of lavish crazy paving started rolling around my head. I approached the marble supplier Diespeker and we spent time in its yard finding random pieces of marble to fit the design. Some of the offcuts had been there for years because they were too small or oddly shaped to be used, but worked perfectly for this project.

Classic elegance 

Fabric and wallpaper designer Neisha Crosland shares the historical inspirations that lie behind her glamorous en-suite bathroom

What were your reference points for this look? Old French and Italian pharmacies like Santa Maria Novella; Venetian palaces with their elegant mix of marble, glass and subtle soft colours. And my grandmother’s bathroom: the best room in an otherwise gloomy house, which had a very modern jade-green 1930s suite with a sunken bath.

It also had very simple metal mirrored cabinets above the sink. I recreated the look with the help of my sister, [the interior designer] Charlotte Crosland, who had the mirrored shelving made for me.

How would you describe the end result?Elegant and comfortable, like a 1930s or ’40s five-star hotel. The twin basins are made from rose aurora marble in the softest pinky cream, and the pretty French taps are based on an old style from THG Pompadour. I chose them in nickel rather than chrome as it gives a lovely softness of colour, which adds a feeling of luxury.

Why did you choose carpet for the floor? To create cosiness. And I put down a lovely knobbly bath mat from The White Company to step on to so the carpet doesn’t get wet. If you prefer tiling, vinyl is warmer than ceramic.

Practically perfect 

Form and function come together beautifully in brand consultant Jess Tully’s trad-with-a-twist bathroom

What inspired the design scheme?Colour is really important to me. When I moved into my house I became obsessed with terracotta colours, so I decided on Farrow & Ball’s Picture Gallery Red. It just felt right. As it’s a Victorian terrace, I decided on traditional fittings with a few modern touches.

When we bought the house it had a 1980s bathroom complete with an oval corner bath and mirrored wall, so it felt a bit like a swingers’ party room! I’m relieved to have got rid of that. Storage is tight, but I wanted a space for collections of things, so I added the shelves and some ceramics. I wanted it to feel more like a room – a social place – rather than just a bathroom.

The red grout is a bold choice… When I worked for [the interior designer] Ilse Crawford, one of my first design projects had coloured grout and I’ve been waiting to use it myself ever since. Mapei has a fantastic spectrum of colours. It allows you to use tiles that are cheap as chips without them looking too dull.

I’ve also laid Marmoleum flooring throughout the house. It’s easy to keep clean, feels warm underfoot and is natural – it’s made from wood and linseed oil. I love this deep green colour.

Tell us about the statement bathtub.I wanted a free-standing bath rather than something just shoved into a corner. The overhead rail with integrated piping and taps is from Albion Bath Co, which also developed the Iso Enamel material for the bath base. It has a solid feel but weighs far less than cast iron and retains heat better. I hate plastic baths that buckle when you get in, so that was non-negotiable.