Clutter won't wash

When it comes to accessorising a bathroom it's harder to make the bold statements you can with the bath or shower, but the trends are the same: minimalism and multifunctionality.

Schming Chew, business development for B.S.C. Group, talks about clients' demands for purity in line and form - illustrated in Gessi's Mimi range of metal-free standing stools and towel rails. 'The shape across the whole range is supposed to characterise the soft and sensual feminine curve,' she says.

To strike a bold look, Jennifer Newton of Newton Concepts Interior Design recommends that contrasting materials are used for bathroom hardware and software. 'I do a lot of custom-made concrete baths and I like to use a sheet of driftwood over the bath to hold the accessories,' she says. 'It feels rustic and provides a good contrast to the concrete.'

The fluctuating temperatures and high humidity in bathrooms means that Newton suggests antique rather than new wood. It lasts well, is already weathered and you can chose one with a patina that suits your space. It's hard to get a good look in a bathroom that is home to a jumble of shampoo bottles, so rather than having a heap of plastic containers cluttering up your shower or bathtub ledge, Newton recommends on-the-wall dispensers.

These don't have to be the basic plastic ones beloved by gyms. Instead Newton plumps for handmade, hand-dyed dispensers made from fired clay.

'It looks so much neater than having a load of plastic bottles out,' she says. 'More minimalist, more streamlined.'

While you may be happy with your shower curtain, Ms Chew and Ms Newton agree that they are passe.

'The popularity of shower enclosures and walk-in showers means that shower curtains aren't popular anymore,' says Ms Chew, pointing out that it's glass frosted or coloured that's hot right now.