The autumn bathroom upgrade nobody’s telling you about – try 2,000 colours

As autumn settles in, thoughts often turn to cosy throws for the living room or warm paint colours for the kitchen. But there’s one space that tends to get overlooked – the bathroom. When mornings turn colder and the light gets harsher, a tired bathroom can feel even more uninviting. And yet a simple seasonal refresh can make a big difference.

The trick isn’t ripping everything out and starting again. Instead, it’s about one carefully chosen swap. On the 34 St John website you’ll find a new tool that lets you transform your vanity unit in more than 2,000 shades. From Farrow & Ball classics to Pantone’s 2024 Colour of the Year Peach Fuzz, plus 34 St John’s own curated finishes, it’s the easiest way to inject colour and personality into a space that often feels neglected.

The beauty of the interactive colour tool is that it shows you how each shade looks instantly. Warm terracotta, forest green or deep Architecture Blue can bring autumnal depth, while Peach Fuzz feels soft and comforting. If you prefer a dramatic mood, try a charcoal or jet black vanity – proof that small changes can shift the whole atmosphere of a room.

Bathrooms have traditionally been dominated by neutral whites and greys, but design experts are predicting a shift towards richer tones this season. The advantage of choosing a vanity as your focal point is that it lets you embrace the trend without committing to retiling or redecorating the whole room. By simply swapping the colour of a central piece, you can transform the space and keep it adaptable for future seasons.

It’s also about practicality. The vanities themselves are built to last. The standout Scanalato 120cm Drawer Vanity Unit, available from 34 St John, is crafted from solid wood with a clever two-tier storage design, making it as useful as it is stylish. With premium fittings and a tailored finish, these pieces bridge the gap between functionality and luxury.

For those who like to keep ahead of the curve, here are five autumn-ready colours to consider right now:

• Pantone Peach Fuzz – soft, warm and trend-led as Colour of the Year 2024
• RAL 3020 Traffic Red – bold, confident and seasonally rich
• RAL 240 60 15 Architecture Blue – sophisticated depth for a moody atmosphere
• RAL 110 60 50 Airline Green – fresh yet grounded, a lively choice for bathrooms
• Deep Charcoal Grey – timeless, dramatic and versatile

The great strength of the 34 St John tool is that you can try all of these instantly, switching between shades until you land on the one that feels right. Some options will surprise you – colours that might seem too bold in theory can feel completely natural once you see them applied to a vanity.

Bathrooms are often the last place we think to update for the season, but they’re also where the payoff is biggest. A single vanity unit in the right shade can make the whole room feel new again – the quiet autumn upgrade most people won’t have thought of.