Bathroom Butler Looks Into Turkish Inspired Design

Bathroom Butler takes a look at where the Turkish design inspiration came from and what makes it so interesting.

Turkey, previously known as the Ottoman Empire was – from the 14th to 20th Century, a dominant force in the political and geographical establishment of modern day Mediterranean, that controlled much of Southeast and Central Europe, Western Asia, parts of Eastern Europe, Caucasus, North Africa and Ivory Coast.

The religious and cultural synthesis saw the traditions and symbolic antiquity of some 32 provinces from the Eastern and Western worlds combined in art forms used to gift and decorate mosques (which entire nations centred around) and the homes or estates of Empire leaders. Turkish design amalgamates elements from these vast geographical cornerstones so traces of design principles from these nations or areas are reflected in traditional Turkish design.

Carpets were and to some degree, are still a furnishing of significant importance in Turkey and are arguably one of the things Turkey is most famous for. They were rich in religious and symbolic meanings and the designs of these carpets often included plant, animal and bird motifs in chain or geometric patterns.

Here are some tips on how to decorate a bathroom using Turkish influence:

Considerations before you start:

• Start with a traditional Turkish item or visual that inspires you – this could be a rug, a hand carved wooden furniture like a door or chair, a hanging tapestry, a Turkish inspired ceramic item or hand embossed piece as some examples.
• Work with the (more often than not) bold, rich colours, natural textures and / or shapes of the specific piece and use these as the inspiration for the space you’re wanting to transform.
• Repeated patterns in geometric shapes make for interesting focal feature, and Turkish/Ottoman lights work beautifully as a stunning, ambient lighting option.

Creating the space

• Use the likes of Pinterest or Google images to generate ideas and concepts that you like and could work in the space.
• Decide on the focal or feature items you’d like to include.
• Decide on your bathroom accessories.
• Choose your colour palette.
• Work from the floor upwards.
• Don’t be afraid to take risks with shapes, patterns and textures, especially when selecting from the plethora of tile options available.

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