Take an old bathroom back in time
Tiles will do the trick whether real or not, and their colors can inspire the rest of the room.
In the bath above, it’s hard to tell where reality ends and illusion begins. The inspiration: an 18th century Delft tile medallion which sits inside a mirror frame, its edges hand-painted to match. All other tiles on walls and tub are really self-adhesive paper made by D C Fix.
Another illusion: the braided rug is actually printed cotton that has been quilted. The sink skirt is gathered, then tacked to a wooden frame built around the sink.