How to design a luxury bathroom showroom

A conversation with Emmie Tomlinson, Creative Director at NEÜ Projects

There are some showrooms which go above and beyond for an effortless sense of luxury, and NEÜ Projects is certainly one of those showrooms. Based in Altrincham, Cheshire, this interior design studio has accounted for every final detail - with carefully considered lighting, an expertly-curated product collection and a layout which makes you feel right at home. We chatted with Emmie Tomlinson, NEÜ Projects' Creative Director, to learn more about the process of bringing to life a stunning showroom space which creates the perfect balance of beauty and function. 

What was the inspiration behind the showroom?

The inspiration for the entire showroom was to create a timeless, luxurious space which fulfils all of the human senses. For the bathrooms in particular, the intention was to create a ‘spa like’ feel. We wanted to create harmonious spaces which instantly envelop you into a calm, luxurious, environment.

What sort of experience did you want to create for the customer?

We wanted to create an effortless spa feel where the design of the space does the talking. From the colours, to the textures, to the candles and music - all elements are carefully considered to contribute to the whole feel of the showroom. The customer is immersed in a sense of luxury which can be brought into their own home. 

There's lots of beautiful lighting in this space - was this a very conscious part of the design?

Yes absolutely. Lighting is one of the main focal points in all of our designs, and is part of the planning right from the beginning. We design lighting like a track that leads to a main event which guides the customer in, and can apply this thinking to home designs too. We use a lighting system called RAKO which means we can dim the areas and set the right mood. 

How did you plan the layout?

With our showroom being a former bank, we have original features we had to design around which meant the floor plan required an intricate solution. We always plan with a main focal point in consideration - for example, in our main bathroom display the ceiling tracking lighting leads up to the freestanding bath and brown onyx feature. This creates a sense that you're really heading on a journey through the showroom and the space is designed to guide you around with interest. 

Were there any challenges you faced which you had to overcome?

The en-suite display is a very narrow, long and thin room. We overcame this by designing it into a seamless, dark wet room. The COB lighting detail in the wood veneered ceiling panels was added to visually elongate the room.

What makes the NEÜ Projects showroom different?

Rather than having 10 displays like typical bathroom showrooms, we create a full and lifelike space. We design so that our customers will really take on the whole atmosphere of the showroom and instantly want to purchase the whole space from the products, to the tiles, to the textures. This is something we do offer so can be a ‘one stop shop’ for the full home. Not only this, we have a brand colour scheme the showroom is based around - so although we offer over 90 different colours in our range, we have created a signature ‘NEÜ look’ which people really have bought into.

What would you say are the three most important factors to consider when designing a showroom?

I'd definitely say creating an atmosphere, having a clear theme, and ensuring the space has been designed with all five senses in mind. 

What is your favourite thing about the space?

I have designed hundreds of projects over the years, but there’s something about NEÜ that’s different. The attention to detail in all areas comes together to encapsulate a real atmosphere across the full showroom which was my overall goal.

Emmie is the Creative Director at NEÜ Projects in Altrincham, a premium interior design studio which offers end-to-end service for kitchens and bathrooms, from design to fitting.