Looking for ideas for renovating or decorating the bathroom, and all you get is the feeling that your own bathroom looks "miserable"? Do you have the impression that most of the "suggestions" are addressed at least to the decorator of the Presidential Residence? If you have infinite space, it is easy to find the ideal arrangement of bathroom facilities and furniture. Among the following ideas, isolate the solutions that do not depend on how much space you have available and can help your own non-"royal" bathroom to become more functional and enjoyable.
Regardless of the type of mirror, you will install, the issue of its lighting is crucial for the whole space. Especially if there is no additional central lighting in your bathroom, as is in most cases, do not be so sure that the small lamps that usually accompany the mirrors will be sufficient. In the big and bright exhibitions of the stores, it is very easy to get carried away and by placing the mirror in your own space, to find yourself in front of a "hazy" or "dark" unpleasant surprise. Prefer a mirror with a bright light in its center to one with 2 or 3 small bulbs. If necessary place additional lamps on the wall.
Close the bathtub or shower in a glass cabinet, fiberglass, or any of the modern materials you will find in the market. It is a solution much more functional than the classic curtain and the transparency of the glass adds a sense of "space", especially in small bathrooms. Such cabins are now available in all shapes and their cost, if you choose something simple, is not very big. In general, the separation of the bath/shower space and why not the basin creates a special style and visually liberates the part of the bathroom that accommodates the sink and mirror, without necessarily requiring a huge space, as most people believe. In the bathroom, the general rule applies too, that functional solutions are more the result of proper design, rather than availability of space. For example, if you have a bathtub in your bathroom that you almost never fill with water, shower gels, and oils, to relax by candlelight, it is better to replace it with a shower and take advantage of the extra space for a larger or an additional cupboard.
Storage space in the bathroom is one of its biggest problems, especially if you generally have a "lack of cabinets" in the house. If, for example, all your towels, because there is no space elsewhere, should also be in the bathroom, except for all the bottles and bottles of cosmetics and detergents, you should take advantage of the last inch of space, with elegant and at the same time no visually "overloaded" solutions. If there is a recess, you are lucky. You can place glass shelves or a closed cupboard, which is much easier to use. So everything will be cleaner and you will not need to make a small move to clean. In case the architect has failed to create a "valuable recess" to put your closet, you should fit everything in the space of the sink cabinet or add an extra closet. One solution is the wall cabinets, which do not have to be around the mirror, but anywhere there is space. To make your life easier, make sure that as few objects as possible are in "public view" and that everything comes out of your cupboards only when necessary. The image of a bathroom where on every available surface, one can find soaps, perfumes, sponges, towels gives the feeling of a permanent mess, makes it difficult to clean, and makes even the largest baths look small. One of the most modern, elegant, and functional solutions, if you can not have enough cabinets in the bathroom, are the metal rails on which you can hang all your small items on the wall. In fact, with such a simple construction in the bath/shower area and another one near the sink, the essentials are always in order. The color that will dominate the bathroom, is one of the key elements that will determine its overall image. As in all your rooms, the dark colors on the walls and furniture, are offered for large spaces and in any case should be framed here with light-colored elements and a large mirror that will "open" space visually, if you do not want every time you open the door to feel depressed. Especially the choice for tiles is crucial. If you fail here, you cannot change the color of the walls, as you would easily do in any other room. If the tiles were already in the house before you and you do not like them, there are a few more options, in addition to the "difficult" solution to tear them down and install new ones. In hardware stores as well as bathroom facilities stores and department stores with household items, you will find decorative solutions for tiles that will give another look to your bathroom, especially if the old ones are monochrome. You can "scatter" some such decorations, preferring them in the form of jelly, which sticks perfectly and easily to the tile, only with water, and provide you with the comfort of renewal whenever you want without much effort. If tiles, as a material looks a bit "cold", you can keep the form of painted walls in the bathroom, as in any other room. An idea that creates an extremely elegant decorative effect, but not so functional, in terms of cleaning. Moisture-resistant paints should be used. An intermediate solution is to combine tiles up to a certain height of the wall and then paint the rest up to the ceiling, in a color that will emphasize and highlight your space. Between the two different surfaces, you will need to place a border.
Mirrors are known to "grow" and "illuminate" the spaces where they are placed, and they can do it perfectly for your bathroom as well. Just give up the trivial decorative notion that the mirror must strictly delimit the space of the sink and extend it to as much of the wall as possible. Another common mistake regarding the bathroom mirror is the distance that the person has from their image when standing in front of it. The huge washbasin you chose may be very beautiful, but unfortunately, you will never be able to do makeup properly in the bathroom (except on Halloween), because the depth of the washbasin is such that it keeps you miles away from your mirror. The solution is certainly not to give up the sink. As long as you do not place the mirror directly on the wall but integrate it in a frame or even better in a closet that will be hidden behind it and will bring it as close to you as needed.
As in every other room, in the bathroom fabrics can create the easiest renewal. Towels, rugs, and bath curtains, which are in endless variety will help you enliven its image. They do not have to follow the same color palette as the tiles and the bathroom facilities. You can use them to create contrasts. Bathroom accessories can also give color. As long as you do not overdo it by creating Barbie’s bath. Remember that the material of these accessories is more important than the color, so you can easily keep them clean.
In general, cleaning the bathroom, as easy as it may seem, can ruin it. The harsh chemical cleaners that "swear" that they will help you get rid of difficult dirt effortlessly, will keep their promise, but after a while in addition to the dirt, they will take with them some of the surfaces. Some of them state that they are not suitable for use on enameled surfaces, but others do not and the result is a dull bathtub or a sink without gloss. Prefer a lighter product and do not rub for hours with hard sponges. If the damage has already been done, there is a solution. Enameling will not take more than two days to make them new. At no extra cost, you will get any color bathtub you want.
Finally, do not forget that the hours you spend in the bathroom (especially for some people) are not short at all and nothing should lag behind this space in quality and comfort.
photo credits: Festoon House Lighting