It's Time To Give Your Bathroom A Facelift When....
We shower there, bathe there and shave there. We also spend time there based on other bodily needs. All said we spend a considerable amount of our lives in our bathrooms. But how much focus do we put on our bathroom decor? In most homes the bathroom is the very last room to get any real attention in terms of redecorating. The paint may be peeling, there might be water damage to the ceiling and skirting boards and the bathtub may have seen better days but we're almost reluctant to invest any money in it. Crazy really isn't it?
Bathroom Redesign
That is until you hear that you're going to have guests. What will they think of that grubby little room upstairs that is the family secret? Your bathroom should be as aesthetically pleasing as it is comfortable - both for you and any guests you might have. So why not redesign your bathroom starting today? You can make this a personal DIY project - if that's your kinda thing. Otherwise make sure that you hire in a professional (ideally recommened by a friend or family member) to carry out the work. You'll need your bathroom to be "offline" for as short a time as possible. Believe me there's nothing worse than realizing your bath/shower/toilet is unusable for several days. It comes as a real shock to the system (and to the senses!)
Adding Space
Most bathrooms were originally designed as pretty much the smallest room in the house. The first major idea is to expand the bathroom. You probably have a few spare feet you can use. Where? Well for example if you have a bath tub you only shower in then why not convert it to just a standalone shower cubicle? That will free up several square feet for other bathroom accessories or furniture. This additional space would instantly add a totally different look and feel to the entire room.
Also look at large bulk cabinets, shelves and heavy curtains. Most bathrooms gather clutter over the years and no doubt you have several dozen bottles of old pills, shampoos, deoderants and bath sets that you never use. Bin them. That huge cabinet can be replaced with a much smaller model. If your bathroom has any shelves in it then look at what you keep on those shelves - mostly junk right? Get rid of any shelves you can. Lastly if you have heavy curtains in your bathroom why not replace them with a roller wooden blind, venetian blind or just a blackout blind? Maybe you could even put a faux stained glass finish there? The end result will be to reclaim that unused window space.
Maybe you've got just a small window too. Why not enlarge the window along with the room, and add more lighting, and more variety in the lighting. If you're settling in for a bath (in your new sunken tub for example) you might want dim, relaxing light. But if you're shaving, well you know you'll need something brighter. It's your room, so go ahead and enlarge your options along with the size of the room.
Adding Warmth
Another big complaint for most bathroom users (especially early in the morning) is cold floors. Why not look at installing underfloor heating? Yes it does cost money to install but provides lots of radiant heat in a room that is traditionally known for being cold. There is no nicer feeling than getting out of bed and stepping onto a heated bathroom floor - especially after your morning shower.
Also pay attention to the colors used in your bathroom. Most construction companies have a standard color of "bathroom cream" that must be used in at least 90% of all bathrooms worldwide. While this is fine to start off with you'll want to add your own "flavor" to your bathroom. Personally I like warm tones in bathrooms like oranges and terracotta type colors. These add additional color "warmth" to a room that is often seen as being cold.
So hopefully now you feel suitably inspired to at least consider redecorating your bathroom. When you finish reading this do some shopping online for more ideas and just to see what's avaiable. Make some notes and then go take a look at your bathroom. Now you can start formulating a plan for what happens next.