Black & White Traditional Bathroom Ideas

Walls

• Paint is usually the quickest, most inexpensive option for covering walls, and the look is clean and simple enough for a traditional style. A variety of combinations work with black and white, and a number of them are appropriate for the traditional style. Choose to cover all walls in either black or white and color baseboards in the contrasting shade. If four black walls feel a little dark and cramped, paint one wall white as an accent. For a bit more texture, choose a patterned wall paper in black and white. Traditional style will do best with simple florals, stripes or a small plaid pattern.

Floors

• The bathroom tends to be a difficult room for flooring, as it is exposed to more water and humidity than most other rooms in the house. Because of these conditions, some flooring options are preferable to others, most of which come in both black and white. For a traditional look, seek out natural materials. Ceramic or stone tiles are among the most widely used flooring options on the market, do well in the bathroom and are diverse enough in style to work with traditional style décor. Select just one color for the whole floor or design a pattern -- a black and white checkerboard will add visual interest and create balance to prevent one color from overpowering the other. Concrete is another durable option, as are slate or engineered hardwood, all of which will work with a traditional bathroom.

Pattern

• If the walls and flooring are kept simple and solid in color, patterned pieces are an excellent addition. Even if done in black and white, adding some kind of pattern -- wall art, curtains, towels or a shower curtain, for example -- will increase the visual interest of the space and add polish to a traditional style. If walls are heavily patterned or textured, stick to primarily solid fabrics and simple wall hangings. Balance pattern scale by adding a variety of large, medium and small patterns and keep them from feeling overwhelming by tempering them with solid pieces. Combine pieces with florals, checks and stripes, but keep the overall look simple. Avoid anything too ostentatious or loud, as traditional style is meant to feel soothing and comfortable.

Accents

• The type of accents that provide the finishing touches will depend largely on the type of design desired. In traditional styling, furnishings are commonly arranged in pairs, so select a single black vanity with a double sink, or two separate vanities with one sink each. The vanity should be designed with simple straight lines and possibly a bit of light carving. Select accents in traditional colors, particularly jewel tones. Gold also works well against the black and white. Additional color options include gray, rich red, rose, blue and beige.