Luxurious Looks at Home

Written by Tom Xavier

Is your bathroom looking a bit out of date? Is it in dire need of a decorative spruce-up but you’re lacking the necessary time and money to give it a complete overhaul?

Fear not. It’s amazing how just a few quick changes can improve the overall look of a bathroom. With these tips, you can have a bathroom that you love!

Hint of Hotel Luxury

When you enter a luxury hotel room, don’t you check out the bathroom first? Instead of waiting for your next vacation to enjoy hotel comforts, add simple amenities to your own bath, concentrating on the shower area.

To start, a curved shower rod can make you feel like you have an oversized, lavish shower without adding any square footage. Plus, it’s an affordable solution that provides nearly eight inches of elbow room while adding terrific style and visual appeal.

It’s quite likely that it has been a long time since you last replaced your shower curtain—if ever. Brightly-colored novelty curtains can be fun for the family and help stimulate your mind in the early mornings (well, it would be more engaging than your dingy grey one, at least). Shower curtains can come in reserved, classy styles, too, and in conjunction with a modern set of curtain hooks, you can really bring your shower into the 21st century.

Quick Color Update

Little touches of color are an easy way to update your bathroom’s look in a matter of hours.

To dress up white cabinets use inexpensive glass knobs and pulls in a color that matches the rest of your bath.

For some extra color and fun on those walls, frame a series of postcards.

Add Accessories

Just like in fashion, it is often the accessories that pull a look together to make a “wow” statement. You can quickly decorate your bathroom with easy-to-install accessories, such as robe hooks, paper holders, towel bars, towel rings, and shelves. There is a wide variety of styles and finishes to match or coordinate with your faucets to make a dramatic effect, not to mention adding a bit of organization.

Other accessories, like wire soap baskets, can even be attached to the wall, making an attempt to grab slippery soap bars an annoyance of the past and give you more room on your counters.

Candles can add class to a bathroom, whether or not you actually intend to light them. Color-coordinating accessories with your bathroom creates a sense of order and the illusion of a complete overhaul. Any beauty products that detract from the color scheme should be put into a storage unit.

Sassy Storage Tips

Leave the cabinet doors off the vanity to store towels and make a bold design statement.

Scour antiques shops and flea markets for old bath accessories and storage possibilities.

Added Comfort

Consider bringing in a piece of furniture, such as a chest of drawers or armoire. Furniture adds instant character and is a nice contrast to sleek bath surfaces.

Outfit a chest or bureau with pipes and fixtures to create a distinctive vanity.

Add rugs and other items normally found in other areas of the house for a softer, lived-in look. To reinforce this look, strategically place accessories on your vanity to draw attention away from the other plumbing fixtures.

Update with Mirrors

Using mirrors to make a room feel larger may be one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it certainly works!

Hang a mirror above the tub to make a tight area feel more spacious. You can even frame stock mirrors with simple molding from a home-improvement store, and paint it to match the other trim in the room.

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Article appeared in our 28-3 Issue - August 2011