Bathroom Decorations
Bathroom decorations are a great way to update or revitalize a bathroom which is a bit out of date or boring, without having to completely redecorate or remodel. You might want to get new bathroom decorations as a one-time thing, or keep several sets of decorations and rotate them with the seasons or as you get tired of the current set.
So, what kind of bathroom decorations can you use to perk up the room?
Fabric items
There are the obvious fabric pieces like towels, shower curtains, window curtains and bathmat or rug, but you might also consider a curtain below a pedestal sink, lampshade covers, toilet seat and tank covers, a valance above a bath or shower alcove, waste basket cover or liner, or curtains in glass-door cabinets. Using all of these at once, especially in a small bathroom, would be overkill, so pick and choose what works best for you.
Sink, Shower and Tub Accessories
These include things like soap dispensers and soap dishes, tissue box holders, toothbrush holders, and waste baskets. You could change out all of these items at once for another matched set, or you could keep some of them in a plain solid color and just change out the others. Shower curtain rings come under this heading, too, and are an easy and cheap update.
Fixture Parts
Faucet handles can often be changed out, or can have decorative panels or parts which can be changed. Light fixtures might have standard size holders which will take different shades, or different colors of the same shape shade. Even changing bulbs can make a surprising amount of difference. Covers for shower curtain rods are an easy change which makes an older rod look much classier.
Semi-Permanent Bathroom Decorations
Some decorations are a little more work to install or remove, but are not as permanent as repainting. For example, wallpaper borders come in removable types, and can be used at the ceiling, picture rail or chair rail height, or to frame a tub alcove. Self-stick tile stickers or transfers can be added to your plain tiles for a whole new look, and removed when you tire of them. Painting tiles with ceramic paints, but not firing them in the oven, also results in a semi-permanent finish which can be scrubbed off with some effort.
Ornaments, Pictures and Knick-Knacks
Finally there is a huge range of decorative items which culd be used anywhere in the house, but which can be used in the bathroom as long as they won’t be damaged by moisture. Posters and postcards, framed or not; china or glass ornaments; wicker and rattan (which do better anyway in an atmosphere which is not too dry); even a collection of rubber duckies, all look great and make a complete change in the atmosphere and feel of a room.
Have fun with your bathroom decorations!
Bathroom Tile Design Ideas
The bathroom and tile design go together like… hmmm…. rhubarb and custard? Maybe even better than that! Seriously though, the beauty of tile and its tough, waterproof surface make it the perfect material for bathroom walls and floors, especially in wet areas.
Functionally, there are many things to take into account. When choosing tiles, make sure the tile you pick is suitable for the area you plan to use it – waterproof enough for the bath or shower, and textured and tough enough for the floor.
Here are some pictures of tile use in bathrooms to help you come up with your own bathroom tile design ideas.
Large wall tiles broken up with narrow contrast stripes behind a white vessel sink
The large pale mottled/marbled effect tiles have a quiet, soothing effect, while the contrast stripes are made up of multiple small stone tiles in different colors, and break up the expanse to a more human scale.
Pale blue/grey/silver mosaic tiles behind a white vessel sink
The subtle damask-type pattern in these pale blue-grey tiles sweeps over all the bathroom walls. It gives the walls lots of interest while not being obtrusive, and makes a great background for the natural wood, metal and stone finishes.
Shades of black, grey, white and silver mosaic tiles
This is quite a busy mosaic tile pattern. It might make a good shower or bathtub surround for a morning-use bathroom when you want to be woken up! Alternatively, panels of this pattern surrounded by white would pop out and make a statement without being overwhelming.
Large pale diagonal tiles with narrow striped accent
These are the same pale marbled tiles in the first picture above, with the same small rectangular stone accent tiles, but here the large tiles are set on the diagonal. The swoopy towel ring makes a nice contrast with the straight lines of the tiles.
Bathroom Decor Ideas
As you head for the bathroom first thing in the morning, what meets your gaze? Something you enjoy looking at, which helps you to start the day cheerful and optimistic, or something depressing? Same at the end of the day: as you go through your before-bed routine, does your bathroom help you wind down for peaceful sleep or does it send you to bed in a bad frame of mind?
Given the basics of a bathroom which is structurally and plumbing-wise functional and safe, there are many bathroom decor ideas which can help your cheer up even a small space and improve the start and end of your day.
Bathroom decor idea - pale yellow and white
First and foremost, color makes the biggest difference. There are many books and magazines to tell you which colors give a certain mood, or are trendy this year, but the most important point is – which color or colors make YOU feel good?
I like yellow, and my newly-painted (but not quite completely remodeled) bathroom is a pale sandy yellow which feels fresh, warm and cheerful without being overpowering in the small space. Plenty of white in the form of fixtures and cabinets help make it feel more spacious and open, and colorful towels add pizazz and can change the mood instantly if I feel the desire.
Try taking your own favorite color and playing with variations of it, from dark to light, jewel to pastel, cooler or warmer hues, subdued or bright. Combine different shades of the same color in one room to give a monochromatic color scheme which can be lively, using definite contrasts, or soothing, with colors that blend together.
Style can also make a big difference in bathroom decor. While your basic fixtures and their locations stay the same, you can completely change the style using paint and accessories. The big advantage of doing this in the bathroom is that the room itself is usually fairly small and there are no or few furniture pieces to buy, so you can do it easily, quickly and inexpensively.
A few examples…
- Arts and Crafts bathroom decor idea – use period colors like greens and olives on the walls, oak and ceramic accessories, and perhaps an art nouveau style border at the ceiling. Arts and Crafts bathrooms often featured amazing tilework – colorful and extensive – so this would be a rather more expensive style to pull off if you wanted to go the whole hog.
- Country bathroom decor ideas – pastel or muted colors, jolly fabric on the window and anywhere else possible, wood or ceramic accessories, cute decorative items
- Tuscan bathroom – roughened plaster finish on the walls (go easy on this, it can be hard to clean!), natural stone surfaces, wood furnishings, wrought iron accessories. Colors include golden yellow, terrcotta, brick, ochre, and greens.
- Japanese bathroom: natural wood and stone finishes, shoji screens, plants, trickling waterfall, metal and wood accessories.
Your bathroom is an important room, even if it’s small. Suitable bathroom decor ideas can help make you feel better at the start and end of the day, and are worth looking for and applying to your bathroom.