Bathroom Accessories

Bathroom Accessories Buying Guide

Accessories are small, but because there are usually several of them in a single bathroom, towel rail, robe hook, toilet roll holder and shelving all visible at once, their finish does more to unify (or unravel) a room's look than any single larger fixture. Choosing them as a coordinated set, in one finish and one brand family where possible, is what keeps a bathroom reading as a considered whole rather than a room furnished piece by piece.

Towel rails

Single towel rails are a straightforward wall-mounted bar, suited to smaller bathrooms or as a secondary rail alongside a larger main one. Double towel rails stack two bars, giving more hanging capacity in the same wall footprint, and suit shared bathrooms where more than one towel needs to be within reach at once.

Hand towel rails are shorter and typically mounted near the basin, sized specifically for a hand towel rather than a full bath towel, and are worth choosing separately from the main towel rail rather than relying on one rail to do both jobs.

Heated towel rails add warmth to the towel itself, which also has a secondary benefit of helping reduce ambient humidity in the bathroom as the rail dries the towel between uses. Thermogroup specialises in heated towel rails, and heated rails generally need to be planned early in a renovation, since electrical wiring needs to be run to the wall before tiling is completed.

Toilet roll holders and robe hooks

A toilet roll holder is a small fixture, but its finish is one of the more visible details in a toilet area, worth matching directly to the basin tapware or towel rail rather than treated as an afterthought.

Robe hooks are best positioned near the shower or vanity, giving quick access to a towel or robe without needing to cross the room. A single hook suits a compact bathroom, while a run of two or three hooks suits a shared bathroom or a household that wants robes and towels kept separately.

Bathroom shelving

Vanity shelves and shower niches both provide storage without a full cabinet, keeping toiletries accessible while off the benchtop or shower floor. A recessed shower niche keeps the shower wall visually clean, since nothing projects out from the tiled surface, while an open vanity shelf works well as a place to display considered objects alongside the practical ones, a reed diffuser or a small plant, rather than purely functional clutter.

Soap dispensers and toilet brush holders

A soap dispenser paired with a matching toilet roll holder gives a bathroom a more considered, finished look than mismatched individual pieces bought at different times. Toilet brush holders are worth choosing in a finish that matches the toilet roll holder alongside it, since both sit in the same sightline.

Shower seats

A shower seat adds comfort and safety to a shower, whether for an extended routine or for a household member who needs additional support. Fixed, fold-down and freestanding options are available, and finish should still be matched to the surrounding tapware, since a shower seat is a visible fixture rather than a purely functional add-on.

Bathroom bins

A bathroom bin is easy to overlook in the planning stage, but an ill-matched bin undermines an otherwise coordinated room faster than almost any other accessory, simply because it sits on the floor in plain view. Choosing one in the same finish family as the towel rail or robe hooks keeps the floor-level details as considered as the wall-mounted ones.

Choosing a finish

Accessories are available in brushed metal, chrome, matte black, satin black, champagne, brushed bronze, brushed gold, brushed nickel and gunmetal. Chrome remains a durable, versatile choice suited to almost any bathroom style. Matte black suits a contemporary bathroom and pairs naturally with black tapware. Brushed brass, bronze and champagne bring warmth into the room and suit timber vanities or warm-toned tiling. Brushed nickel offers a softer, more understated alternative to chrome.

The right finish depends more on the bathroom's existing fixtures than on any current trend. A basin, vanity and tapware finish already chosen should guide the accessory finish, rather than the other way around.

Brands in this collection

Caroma, Phoenix Tapware, Nero Tapware, Meir, Bao Bath, Clark, Dorf, Thermogroup, Turner Hastings and Fienza each offer their own accessory ranges, generally designed to match their respective tapware and basin collections directly, which simplifies coordinating a full bathroom within one brand.

When should I choose my bathroom accessories?

If a bathroom is being fully renovated, with new tapware, toilet and shower all being replaced, accessories are best chosen last. This way, the accessory finish can be matched to the tapware and fittings already decided on, rather than the other way around. If a bathroom designer or fitter is engaged for the renovation, it's worth flagging early that accessories will be sourced separately, so quality and finish stay consistent with the rest of the room.

What finishes are popular at the moment? 

Bronze is currently a popular choice, and chrome remains a consistent favourite across Australian bathrooms. Brushed nickel and brass are also widely chosen, and matte black is common in contemporary bathroom schemes. That said, choosing a finish based on the existing basin, vanity and fixtures in the room is generally more reliable than choosing based on what's currently trending, since a coordinated look holds up better over time than a trend-led one.

Can I fit bathroom accessories myself?

Accessories with straightforward wall fixings can generally be installed by someone comfortable with basic home DIY and a drill. For a full bathroom refurbishment, particularly one that also includes new heating or exhaust fixtures, a professional fitter is generally the more reliable option, both for quality of finish and to avoid damaging tiling during installation.

How should I clean my bathroom accessories? 

A mild detergent or liquid soap, rinsed off with water afterwards, is suitable for chrome, nickel, gold and black finishes alike. Abrasive cleaners should be avoided, since they can damage the finish over time. Manufacturer instructions for a specific product are worth checking for any finish-specific cleaning guidance.

Completing the bathroom

Accessories are easiest to finalise once the tapware, basin and vanity are settled, since their finish should follow those decisions rather than lead them. The Blue Space's Tapware and Vanities collections are worth reviewing before finalising an accessory selection, so the finished bathroom reads as one coordinated look.