Create a Bathroom Gallery at Home
Head of Interior Designer Caroline Milns on creating a bathroom gallery in her own home - using the space as a canvas for creative experimentation and proving how thoughtful design can transform an interior
Interior designer and founder of Zulufish, Caroline Milns, often uses her own home as a place of change and experimentation, implementing ideas to illustrate how thoughtful design can transform an interior. Her bathroom is a luxurious yet simple space, defined by tactile finishes, clean lines and a muted, neutral palette. Caroline sees it as a blank canvas, one of the only places in her home where she can truly escape and relax. With the Zulufish head office located within an extended workspace on the lower ground floor, and her busy family home which is used as a show home for client visits, above, the bathroom offers a rare moment of calm and contemplation. Long, restorative baths in the freestanding bath have become a personal indulgence, accompanied by piles of magazines and a favourite book always within arm’s reach, maintaining an intentionally analogue feel.
Positioned within a bay window overlooking the back gardens beyond, the bath is both a sculptural focal point and a privacy challenge. While a semi-opaque window film provided privacy and a sleek, contemporary finish, it lacked personality and obscured the view over neighbouring gardens, diminishing the experience of the space, so a new solution was created. “I have always loved art in bathrooms,” says Caroline. “There is nothing lovelier than luxuriating in a long bath and immersing yourself in a quiet and contemplative piece.”
By hanging artwork directly within the bay window, Caroline has introduced a solution that is both practical and expressive. Suspended using invisible fishing wire from the window catches, the artworks seem to float into place and can be easily changed whenever the mood shifts. Carefully positioned to sit centrally within the windowpanes, with a small gap left around the edges, the installation allows for expansive views of the gardens beyond while maintaining privacy from outside.
The result is a characterful and deeply personal approach that replaces the need for obscured glazing, while bringing visual interest into the space. Landscapes and floral paintings in wooden frames introduce contrast and invite quiet reflection, while geometric and abstract prints in simple, modern frames add dynamism and amplify the room’s contemporary lines.
This new concept reflects a broader shift in how bathrooms are being conceived. No longer purely functional, they are increasingly designed as deeply personal environments that support wellbeing and offer meaningful respite from the digital world. Art plays a central role in this approach. Whether modern and graphic or classic and painterly, it remains an extremely personal and subjective choice. From contemporary abstract canvases to photography, mixed-media works and framed textiles, the possibilities are expansive. Yet while selecting art is instinctive, its presentation benefits from careful consideration.
Thoughtful placement, scale, lighting and framing can elevate artwork from a decorative detail into a defining feature. Caroline encourages a curated approach, considering the rhythm of pieces, how the eye moves through a space, and where it is invited to pause. A subtle thread, whether tonal or thematic, can bring cohesion without feeling overly contrived, while pared-back framing allows more expressive works to truly sing. Echoing tones from artwork within bathroom linens and accessories can further enhance a sense of harmony, creating a scheme that feels both layered and intentional.
Alongside art, lighting is fundamental to shaping the atmosphere of the bathroom. Functional illumination remains essential for daily routines, from energetic morning showers to shaving or applying make-up. However, layered and dimmable lighting schemes introduce depth and warmth, with softly illuminated shelving, subtle architectural lighting and LED mirrors contributing both practicality and visual interest.
Gentler ambient lighting, rather than harsh overhead fixtures, creates a more intimate and restorative environment. For Caroline, an indulgent bath is defined by dimmed lighting and the soft glow of candlelight. “Large hurricane lanterns or beautifully scented candles instantly bring me a deep sense of relaxation.”
When it comes to sourcing art, Caroline embraces both the established and the unexpected. Alongside galleries, she finds inspiration in graduate shows, including those at the Slade, Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, as well as in antique shops, auction houses and second-hand stores. “Often, it is the unexpected discovery that becomes the piece you treasure most,” she says.
Through a thoughtful balance of art, light and materiality, Caroline demonstrates how even the most understated or functional spaces can be transformed into environments that feel characterful, engaging and quietly luxurious whilst offering solutions to design challenges. “It’s only when considering both how we want a space to make us feel, and how we need it to function that interior design can truly deliver beautiful, practical, innovative and intensely personal spaces”.
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