Many consider their bathroom as their “sanctuary.” You’re laughing. Don’t be shy, because even if you don’t want to admit it, the “many” most probably include you. It’s one place where you definitely have all the time and space completely to yourself – whether it’s just a quick 5 minutes or a full 30-minute daily ritual. So it’s quite puzzling that many take their bathroom design for granted. Why settle for a clinical toilet and bath with plain white tiles when you can have a brighter bathroom?
This is, indeed, a bit of a challenge, though, because bathrooms have a natural tendency to give you that cold feeling. All the ceramic tiles and metal all around you are enough to make you shiver. But with the right kind of lighting styles and other elements, you can easily transform yours into something nice and cozy.
- A light bulb isn’t all there is to bathroom lighting.
One thing that sets apart luxury hotels from budget inns is the toilet and bath. Aside from the marble bath or Italian tiles, the lighting makes a big difference. There isn’t just one bulb or lamp in the middle of the ceiling. Different layers of light create the bathroom drama. Illumination come from the wall sconces and the ceiling and mirror fixtures. The effect of varied lighting is a warm glow that makes your showering more relaxing and your bubble bath more pleasant.
You can recreate hotel bathroom lighting on a smaller scale by having a warm and not glaring ceiling light and a wall sconce near the door. Don’t forget to add task lighting near the mirror so you can see your face well when putting on makeup or when shaving.
- Add a dash of color.
There isn’t any unwritten rule that says every bathroom must be white. Perhaps, many homeowners opt for white tiles for the bath all because of the price and cleanliness.
- Plain white ceramic tiles really are often more affordable than colored or patterned ones. But you can have color in your bath without breaking the bank. Use white tiles to cover the whole floor. Also use them for the whole wall of your shower stall. But for the toilet and sink area, you can just have the lower half of the wall tiled and the upper portion can be painted in any color you want – powder blue, cocoa, bright yellow, brick red, etc.
- It’s true that white looks clean, but often only when the item is new. After some time, an all-white room will easily show wear and tear, even help highlight them. But if there’s a bit of color, the signs of being used and worn won’t be too obvious.
- Hang interesting mirrors and wall décor.
Don’t limit yourself to a medicine cabinet-mirror for your wall décor. Choose a mirror with an ornate frame to hang above the sink. You can have shelves or a cabinet under the sink for your medicines and toiletries. You can also have decorative shelving on the wall and above the door to save space.
So stop putting up with your cold and dreary bathroom, because there are lots of creative things you can do to brighten up your retreat spot.
Author: Raquel Merc is a writer and a homemaker. She’s recently contributed a variety of articles on home management and improvement.