Dezeen Magazine

Ace Hotel Kyoto interiors by Kengo Kuma and Commune

Ten tranquil bathrooms with timber-clad interiors

Our latest lookbook features ten bathrooms where timber cladding has been used to create interiors with a luxurious, warm feel.

While bathrooms with ceramic and stone interiors can feel sterile and spartan, using timber creates a cosy and enveloping atmosphere, as demonstrated by these ten projects.

Ranging from cypress to spruce and cork, the materials used here illustrate how using wooden cladding can elevate even the most basic bathroom into a peaceful sauna-like refuge.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing statement windows, cork-covered walls and board-formed concrete.


Ace Hotel Kyoto interiors by Kengo Kuma and Commune
Photo is by Stephen Kent Johnson

Ace Hotel Kyoto, Japan, by Kengo Kuma and Commune

For hotel chain Ace's first Japanese edition, it recruited Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Los Angeles design studio Commune to convert a 1920s building into a modern hotel.

Inside, Commune added wooden panelling and furniture designed by local Kyoto-based craftsmen. In the bathroom, a wooden sink with a stone top and wooden storage spaces give the room a harmonious, organic feel.

Find out more about Ace Hotel Kyoto ›


London townhouse with cork-clad bath
Photo is by Mariell Lind Hansen

London townhouse, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall

A north London townhouse was given a 1970s-style makeover by Studio Hagen Hall, which added a bathroom with decorative cork tiles – a natural material sustainably harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree.

Here, it was used for the floor as well as part of the walls and to clad the bathtub itself. Soft pastel-coloured peach and pink hues create a peaceful environment for the bathroom.

Find out more about London townhouse ›


Portobello house by Scullion Architects in Dublin, Ireland
Photo is by Fionn McCann

Portobello House, Ireland, by Scullion Architects

The bathroom at Portobello House in Dublin, Ireland, has views of an enclosed plant-filled courtyard, lending the space a feeling of zen.

The ground and first-floor extensions to the house feature large glazed areas and wooden cladding, including in the bathroom, which was designed to offer a "sense of retreat and withdrawal".

Its dark-timber detailing contrasts with a rough-hewn wall and minimalist bathroom furniture.

Find out more about Portobello House ›


Wood-lined bathroom
Photo is by Joe Fletcher

Surf House, US, by Feldman Architecture

American studio Feldman Architecture clad Surf House in Santa Cruz in salvaged cypress wood to evoke a "casual Californian aesthetic."

The interior of the weekend house follows the same theme, with an interior by Commune that uses wood throughout.

In the bathroom, a large white tub sits in front of windows that overlook the Pacific Ocean, and wooden sculptures and furniture add to the laid-back bohemian atmosphere.

Find out more about Surf House ›


Shower room with wooden walls
Photo is by Marc Goodwin, Archmospheres

Niliaitta, Finland, by Studio Puisto

Studio Puisto's Niliaitta cabin has a black exterior and a dramatic design – it balances on a single slender column. Inside, the studio kept the interior simple to focus on the views of the surrounding forest.

In the bathroom, a spacious shower is surrounded by light wooden panels. These were used for the floor, the walls and the slanted ceiling, creating a simple design that feels thoroughly Scandinavian.

Find out more about Niliaitta ›


Wooden Cave by Tenon Architecture
Photo is by Spyros Hound Photography

Wooden Cave, Greece, by Tenon Architecture

Over 1,000 pieces of hand-cut spruce were used to create the Wooden Cave hotel suite in Greece. The space lives up to its name, featuring sinuous spruce-wood walls in the entire space.

Interior designer Tenon Architecture also used wood in the bathroom, which features a tub next to a window that gives guests views of the nearby mountain peaks.

Find out more about Wooden Cave ›


The Bedford House by Vondalwig Architecture
Photo is by Alan Tansey

House 23, US, by Vondalwig Architecture

Vondalwig Architecture's design for House 23 features a blackened-wood exterior and an interior that has white brick walls and pale wood floors.

One of the house's bathrooms has been completely clad in timber, making it resemble a sauna. Even the large built-in tub, which sits beneath a window overlooking a nearby forest, is made from wood.

Find out more about House 23 ›


Mountain Refuge by Massimo Gnocchi and Paolo Danesi

Mountain Refuge, Italy, by Massimo Gnocchi and Paolo Danesi

Mountain Refuge is a prefabricated cabin-style micro-home built from plywood. The material has been left bare inside, creating a minimalist yet cosy interior.

In the small bathroom, a shower is tucked away in a corner and a built-in shelf holds a deep sink as well as bathroom accessories. Hooks have been added to the wooden walls for practical storage.

Find out more about Mountain Refuge ›


Wood-lined bathroom
Photo is by Rory Gardiner

Bilgola Beach House, Australia, by Olson Kundig

US studio Olson Kundig's first project in Australia, a seaside home in Sydney, is raised above sand dunes where it sits among palm trees and Norfolk pines.

The natural surroundings informed the interior, which features plenty of pale timber. In the bathroom, which is next to an airy terrace, the timber walls have been hung with paintings to create a room that feels like a combination of a bathroom and a living room.

Find out more about Bilgola Beach House ›


Hood Cliff Retreat by Wittman Estes
Photo is by Andrew Pogue

Hood Cliff Retreat, US, by Wittman Estes

Tucked into a coastal forest in Washington, Hood Cliff Retreat has exterior walls clad in rough-sawn cedar and large expanses of glass that bring in natural light.

Wood was used throughout, with white oak floors paired with walls and ceilings wrapped in pine plywood. In the main bathroom, a cast-iron vintage tub contrasts against the wooden walls.

Find out more about Hood Cliff Retreat ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing statement windows, cork-covered walls and board-formed concrete.