Bathroom Accessories

Bathroom accessories by material and finish

Material is the place to start, since it decides how a piece looks and how much care it needs. We stock bathroom accessories in ceramic, enamel, cast iron, metal, wood and plastic. Wood warms up white tiles, from a beech nail brush to a mango wood bath bridge, and metal runs from an aluminium soap dish to a telescopic stainless steel back scratcher.

To pull a bathroom together, repeat something already in the room. Brass taps sit well with a towel ring in antique brass or a wire bath bridge in aged brass. A white suite looks fresh and calm with white pieces around it. For colour, we stock pieces in blue, green and pink, which stand out against plain tiles. We'd pick a colour or material and carry it through rather than mixing finishes.

Soap dishes that drain and dry

Soap left sitting in water turns soft and slippery, which makes drainage the thing to check on a soap dish. Several of the soap dishes we stock come with a drip tray or a draining rest, so the bar can dry between washes instead of sitting in a puddle. Enamel soap dishes bring a cottage feel, while a rectangular ceramic soap dish suits a simple, modern basin. If your basin has no ledge to spare, a wall-mounted enamel soap dish keeps the bar off it altogether. Tip away any water that gathers and rinse the dish now and then.

Refilling and cleaning a soap dispenser

We stock ceramic soap dispensers with real character, from a pink cowboy boot to a gingerbread man. Refilling is simple: unscrew or lift out the pump, then pour the soap in slowly, using a small funnel if the neck is narrow. Stop a little short of the top so the pump goes back in without spilling. If a thick soap is slow to pump, loosen it with a splash of warm water.

From time to time, empty the dispenser, rinse it with warm water and pump warm water through until it runs clear, so dried soap does not clog the pump. Let it dry before you refill it. Wipe the outside with a soft damp cloth, as scouring pads can dull a glazed surface.

Sizing a bath bridge to your bath

A bath bridge rests across the bath, keeping soap, a flannel or a book within reach while you soak. Width is what matters: we'd measure across the inside of your bath where the bridge will sit, as baths often widen towards the middle. The bridge should be long enough to rest on the rims with overlap to spare at either end, so it stays put. Check the rim too, as a narrow or rounded edge gives the bridge less to sit on than a broad, flat rim.

Choose the mango wood bridge, with its marquetry detail, for warmth against a white bath, or the wire bridge in aged brass for a lighter look across the water. Wipe a wooden bridge dry after your bath and let it air between uses.

Fixing bathroom accessories to smooth tile

A bathroom accessory that fixes to the wall frees up a crowded basin. A toothbrush holder goes up with an adhesive pad, and a silicone toilet brush comes with a suction wall holder. Suction and adhesive hold best on smooth, glazed tile, glass or mirror, and struggle on grout, textured tile or painted plaster.

Clean the spot with warm soapy water, rinse and let it dry completely. Press a holder onto the face of a tile, clear of grout lines, working from the centre outwards to push out any air. Give an adhesive pad time to bond before it takes any weight, and press a suction cup back down occasionally, as steam can loosen its grip. For a wall-mounted soap dish, check how it fixes before ordering; if it needs drilling, use a tile bit and plugs suited to your wall.

Bathroom accessories for children

Some pieces here are made for children, and having things of their own can make brushing teeth and bath time a little easier. A kids' toothbrush holder in a cat or dog design can go on the wall at a height they can reach, and there is an elasticated baby's bath hat with a lion face. For trips away, a clip-on travel toothbrush case in a bear or bunny design keeps a brush covered in a wash bag.

Christmas soap dispensers as a change or a gift

A Christmas soap dispenser brings festive cheer to the basin without decorating the whole bathroom, and we stock them in ceramic, from Santa to a Highland cow. Swap it in for your usual dispenser over Christmas, then wash it, let it dry and pack it away with the decorations. It also makes an easy gift for a host, a neighbour or anyone who loves the festive build-up, and it is a present that gets used rather than tucked in a drawer.