PJH's Julie Lockwood: How to get the modern classic aesthetic right

Increasingly retailers and designers are asked to evoke the appeal of a traditional bathroom and blend it with contemporary functionality – Julie Lockwood, product manager at PJH's Bathrooms to Love, reveals how.

Traditional bathrooms continue to appeal because they bring warmth, character and a reassuring sense of familiarity to the home. For 2026, however, customers are not necessarily looking to recreate a particular historical period. They want the charm of a classic bathroom, together with the comfort, performance and practicality they expect from a modern one.

Getting the style balance right is important. Shaker furniture, elegant washstands, period-inspired ceramics, freestanding baths and traditional-style brassware can all help to create the look, but be wary of too much ornate detail that steers towards a specific historical era, making the room feel overdone. Ensure individual pieces, even down to the décor and smallest details in the room, are compatible with each other. Avoid mismatched pieces, such as a beautiful vintage cabinet with a contemporary wall-hung WC as this will create an unbalanced space that can’t decide if it’s traditional or modern.

Classically-inspired finishes and fine details, such as panelled fronts, graceful curves, warm wood, deep tones, soft muted decors, brushed metallics and tapered legs, should complement rather than compete with one another. They add layers of warmth, character and nostalgia, through their reimagined modern design, contributing to the grandeur and theatre of traditional bathroom schemes. 

Furniture is a good place to start. Bathrooms to Love's ‘Mayfair’ modular range brings together simple Shaker-style fascias, slim-edge ceramic basins, super-matt, fingerprint-resistant finishes and of course, plenty of storage. Soft shades of Matt Peony and Matt Reed Green offer a more contemporary take on colour, while a choice Brushed Brass, Brushed Bronze or natural wood handles allows for customisation. Mixing contemporary ceramics and furniture finishes with traditional Brushed Brass and shaker cabinet design perfectly blends the 2 genres while still feeling fresh and current.

Where fitted furniture is a better choice, ‘Abbey’ again offers timeless shaker craftsmanship, beautifully designed for modern-day living through its versatility to suit all bathroom spaces and sizes. This Matt White option for Abbey illustrates how to create a luxurious classic look with Shaker fascias complemented with coordinated Brushed Brass knobs, period brassware and accessories, as well as subtle contemporary takes on the lighting, mirror and tiling.

Ceramics can add traditional character without making the bathroom feel too formal. Our ‘Sherbourne’ range is a timeless classic providing a touch of high-end sophistication to the space, blending the old with the new. Meanwhile, the ‘Celine’ basin and metal washstand, available in Chrome or Brushed Brass, makes an elegant feature while keeping the overall look relatively simple. Its tapered, decorative legs and frame style effortlessly with the period features of the ceramic basin complementing the traditional interior perfectly.

Space permitting, a freestanding bath is a classic choice for period-style bathrooms – its origins dating back to Victorian times. The modern freestanding bath allows customers to decide just how traditional they want the room to feel. There are so many styles to choose from, such as the ‘Ludlow’ where contemporary vibes filter throughout its classic design. With a streamlined modern silhouette, Ludlow features an elegant built-in pedestal base, double-ended design and contemporary Matt White finish. While the ‘Richmond’ roll-top bath is also available in Black for a modern, monochrome twist. The latest acrylic makes today’s freestanding baths durable, lightweight, warm to the touch, heat retaining, easily moulded for curvacious styling, and all with a flawless modern finish.

Smaller details help to pull the whole look together. Traditional showers combine lever controls and classic styling with modern thermostatic performance, and taps in a Chrome or Brushed Brass finish, feature iconic cross head designs and white enamel handle detail. Choosing such details carefully helps the bathroom feel coordinated, without every item having to match exactly.

For retailers, the opportunity lies in showing customers that there is no single way to create a traditional bathroom. Showroom displays can demonstrate how a shaker vanity, classic ceramics, warm metallic brassware and contemporary accessories can work in harmony. Alternatively, one statement bath or washstand can bring traditional character to an otherwise simple room. Visualising combinations  can give customers confidence and encourage a more complete, coordinated purchase.

Some looks never go out of style, they simply evolve. By helping customers combine the character they love with modern finishes, storage and functionality, retailers can create bathrooms that feel welcoming, individual and made to last.