Seldom are the days when queues frequently form outside your bathroom, impatiently waiting in a queue for the only bathroom in your home is thankfully becoming a thing of the past. As modern interior designers have taken practicality into account when blueprinting modern homes, many houses now come with second or even third bathrooms.
With practicality often at the forefront of many housing developments and the majority built on the fashionable minimalistic approach, many bathrooms can often be left lacking character or a personal touch. Whilst nothing is wrong with going the minimalistic interior design route, many of us are often left wanting a bit more, or even looking to re-vamp our current bathrooms to bring out personality and style.
Amongst its primary functions, bathrooms are now frequently used for other necessities such as getting ready and grooming, with this in mind it’s important that your bathroom is beautiful, practical and also welcoming for visitors or guests.
Where do I start?! Decorating or revamping your bathroom may sound like a daunting task, but it is relatively easy (we promise!). But its totally worth it, it can be a great way for you to increase the value of your home. First things first, decide what you need or would like. New flooring? A new bath? Or perhaps just a few accessories? And work
Flooring
First and foremost choose whether you want to opt for a simplistic and neutral white/wooden floor or if you prefer a bit of colour such as deep blues or even a stone colour. Don’t be afraid to opt for abstract colours as the majority of bathroom sinks, baths, and showers are white so no need to worry about colour coordinating to much… remember, white goes with everything!
Laminate flooring is strongly recommended for the surface used in a bathroom. Not only is it guaranteed to be waterproof but it is extremely resilient to scratches and stains, providing a beautiful yet robust solution in any setting.
The styling is all down the personal preference. Do you choose the direction of slate or stone effect laminate for a startling touch of realism or perhaps a natural bamboo effect? The choices are endless.
Tiles
Small bathroom – no problem! Space you actually have in a bathroom and what the human eye perceives as space isn’t by definition the same thing. If you have a small sized bathroom but would like to give the appearance of a bigger or brighter room then why not play around with the boundaries of perception, you could use the exact same tiling on the side of the bath and the wall above – this will make it hard to instantly tell where the wall or bath ends or begins and will give the impression of a bigger space. Popular choices for this effect are high gloss or mirrored tiles, which work perfectly if you’re featuring mirrored furniture throughout the home already as it helps to carry the style across the interior.
Wallpaper
A popular choice if you don’t want to go the route of tiling. The advantages of using wallpaper is the opportunity to have a statement theme or wonderful illustrations around your bathroom. Using wallpaper will, however, require specialist waterproofing to prevent steam and water damage. If this isn’t an option a quick fix is placing a splashback screen behind the sink basin or bathtub.
Bath or Shower
Often the focal point in any bathroom, the bath or shower is usually the first thing that catches your eye. Decide what style you are going for and choose your bath or shower with that in mind.
If you want a country cottage styled design then a retro freestanding bath could be ideal, compliment with rustic gold taps for that extra vintage appeal. If modern is your focus, then perhaps a rectangle bath with little-curved edges could be the style you are looking for, match with chrome taps for a beautiful look.
For smaller bathrooms, consider a slipper bath. Many slipper baths come in all sizes so you can save on space without sacrificing comfort when next taking a hot bubble bath soak.
Sink
The sink is usually the most frequently used furniture piece in your bathroom, the sink when matched and co-ordinated alongside your bathtub can achieve simply stunning results. Similar to your bath, the choices are endless. For the adventurous, however, a delinquent ornate antique French style bath with intricate ornate detailing could be a perfect choice, if you’re looking to give your home a French makeover. Ideal alongside a country cottage or vintage styled bathtub – we found a brilliant selection at homesdirect365 below.
Scale, scale, scale! Don’t forget to take into account the scaling when looking at sink’s and bathtubs, larger pieces can often restrict space and make the bathroom feel cramped or crowded – so stay conscious of size.
No Bath?
A great way to add ample amounts of extra space in your bathroom is to ditch the typical bathtub and instead choosing for only a shower. Going this route can not only create space but give a very practical and modern feel to any bathroom.
Let There Be Light
A great way to add mood to your bathroom can be upgrading the lighting. – whilst the bigger projects are best left to trade professionals, switching lighting fixtures or bulbs shouldn’t pose much of a problem to a DIYer
Think originality when choosing your lighting; go for a unique pendant, ceiling or a wall light placed in practical places such as above wash basins or near mirrors.
The brightness doesn’t have to be typical either, some nicely placed dim ceiling lights can give the bathroom a
Accessorise, Accessorise and Accessorise
The saying goes… it’s the simple things in life that give us pleasure. In a bathroom, truer words couldn’t be spoken. Have you ever walked into a bathroom and instantly fallen in love with it, did it feel homely or was it aesthetically clinical? The accessories are really what brings style to a bathroom, whether an organised array of carefully placed bathroom glass shelves each with distinctive decorative ornaments or hotel style soap and grooming holders, the small things can really bring a room to life add that personal touch.
Once the furnishings are set in your washroom, remember it’s time to have fun and let your dynamism show! A simple contrasting rug, like the ones you can get at Joss & Main, can really bring your bathroom to life and complimented with colour co-ordinated photo frames or decorative wall pieces is a fantastic option with only positive results. Alternatively, if you are going for a bright summer’s day theme, look no further than decorative flowers or summer ornaments to add a touch of style.
Whatever you decide, don’t be afraid to go against the grail and remember experiment and bring out the true beauty of your personality.
