When designing your bathroom, your bathroom fixtures are some of the major purchases you’ll make. There are a variety of brands, models, styles, and shapes to choose from, but is it okay to mix the different shapes?
You can mix and match round and square bathroom fixtures. No rule says that you can’t. In fact, combining shapes is part of good interior design. Ultimately, though, it comes down to your preferences and specific design aesthetic.
This article will go into further detail on the subject of bathroom fixtures and whether or not you should mix them. You will also learn some tips and tricks to keep in mind if you use round and square fixtures together. Keep reading to find out more!
Round vs. Square Fixtures
The following sections differentiate round and square fixtures and their effect on the bathroom space.
Round
When used in interior design, curved shapes and soft edges give a more delicate, feminine appearance.
Use rounded fixtures if you are going for a more traditionally styled bathroom.
Curves can give your bathroom a cozier and more personal feel.
Square
Hard lines, sharp angles, and geometric shapes will make your bathroom appear more masculine.
Square fixtures fit well with more contemporary-styled and minimalist bathrooms.
The lines and angles can also give off a clean, sleek, and polished look.
Can You Mix Bathroom Fixture Shapes?
You can mix different bathroom shapes. They don’t have to be all round or square. Mixing and matching isn’t a simple task, though. More than just your preference plays a role in deciding what shapes your fixtures should be.
When choosing your bathroom fixtures, you have to consider the style and look you want for your bathroom as a whole and how the appearance of those fixtures works together.
Principles of Interior Design
There are many principles of interior design. These include the following:
- Space
- Form/shape
- Line
- Color
- Pattern
- Texture
- Light
- Balance
- Harmony
- Emphasis
- Scale
In this article, we’ll focus specifically on the aspects that have the most impact on mixing and matching your bathroom fixtures.
Read also: Do Sink And Shower Faucets Have To Match?
Balance
This principle refers to creating equilibrium for the elements in a room or space.
Symmetrical balance is done by creating a mirror image or duplicating elements exactly to create equilibrium.
Asymmetrical balance creates equilibrium without exact duplication but instead by estimating and matching the visual weight of different elements.
An example would be balancing a large bathtub with your sink and toilet on the opposite side.
Radial balance is a principle that creates a focal point within your space. Equilibrium is achieved by placing or arranging other elements around it.
Harmony
This principle focuses on the bigger picture of the design. Do the elements in a room work together to make a cohesive and unified space?
You can use aspects like color or texture and replicate these in different elements to “connect” them to each other.
Tips When Mixing and Matching Fixture Shapes
It’s true that using the same shape for all your bathroom fixtures is most visually cohesive, but this can make your space look very dull and monotonous.
Mixing round and square bathroom fixtures can create a more exciting and dynamic look for your space.
Here are some things you should keep in mind if you decide to use different shapes for your bathroom fixtures:
Don’t Use More Than Three Different Shapes
The bathroom can be one of the smallest spaces in your home. Using even two different forms, round and square, should be enough to create some, but not too much, visual excitement.
More than three different shapes in a small space like the bathroom will make it look messy and chaotic.
Bathroom fixtures usually include the bathtub, toilet, and sink.
A good mixing tip to follow is to match the shape of two fixtures while the third is different. For example, pair a square bathtub and sink with a round toilet.
Fixtures also include your taps and shower set. Their shape can be the opposite of your fixtures, but all your taps should have similar shapes.
For instance, you can have square/ angular taps while your toilet, sink, and bathtub are round, but you shouldn’t have one round tap or knob and one square one.
Here is a mixed set from Amazon.com (affiliate links), including a round tub and sink and a square toilet:
- American Standard Studio S Oval Freestanding Soaking Tub
- Swiss Madison Forever SM-PS307 Monaco Pedestal Sink
- Swiss Madison Forever SM-1T106 Concorde One Piece Toilet.
Create Harmony With Color and Texture
When mixing round and square bathroom fixtures, make sure to choose those with the same colors and finishes to have an element that makes them cohesive.
There are two different groups of bathroom fixtures you need to achieve harmony among:
- Bathroom porcelain: This includes your bathtub, toilet, and sink.
- Taps and shower set/plumbing hardware: Examples would be using black or gold metal, or choosing between a brushed or glossy finish.
Here are some matching taps and showers from Amazon.com (affiliate links):
- Black:
- Gold:
Conclusion
You can mix square and round bathroom fixtures if you follow certain interior design principles.
No rule says you can’t. Use harmony and balance to make a visually pleasing bathroom.
Your bathroom fixtures (grouped into bathroom porcelain and plumbing hardware) should have repeated elements like color, material, or texture that unify them and make them cohesive.
Cheers, tools owners!
