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Archive for the ‘Bath Decor’ Category

Bath Space Saver Ideas

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Bathroom space saver ideas can help you squeeze in all the comforts and luxuries you can accommodate in your small to tiny bathroom. Open up your bathroom by lighting it well. Use recessed lighting in the ceiling to focus on a workspace and add warmth to the room using wall sconces and countertop lamps. You may brighten up the room using natural sunlight by installing skylights or larger windows in your bathroom. Replace a large vanity with that luring nice storage space with delicate pedestal or wall-mounted sinks to make your bath feel more open. Opt for a small shelf for storage instead or fish out some space in a linen closet nearby. Vanity cabinets take much floor space and removing it can free some of this space for you to put to better use.

Anything that sticks out makes the bathroom shrink. So, cut back shelves, hanging racks, furniture and decorative accessories that stick out and cuts back the space. Install only what is absolutely necessary and find alternative storage area elsewhere. If you must install cabinets and shelves, do it high on the wall and near the ceiling, so that they do not form visual barriers. Create illusions of expanding a small space placing a large mirror in front of the bathroom sink to reflect light well and let no dark corners creep into your bathroom. You may also consider artistic placement of smaller mirrors instead of one large one to distribute light more evenly.

Use light color paint on the walls and a light colored flooring to make the bath look larger. If you are in a rented apartment and cannot change the color of your floor, use light colored rug to cover the flooring instead. Try to keep small accessories to the minimum as they look like clutter in a small space. If you must, use one or two that are either made up of crystal clear material that lets light pass through it or have reflective surface such as steel. Sleek and angular accessories look beautiful in smaller bathrooms. Opt for a clear glass shower door instead of a frosted glass bath or just use a shower curtain that can be pushed back when the bath area is not in use. Choose your wall finish wisely as different wall finishes can cut down or open up a space depending on their reflectivity.

If you are using wallpaper on your bathroom walls, choose ones with white, yellow, neutral or other light colored backdrops and an open and airy design. You can add artistic touches and depth to the wall by painting or stenciling a decorative mural on the largest open wall. You can make up for a missing window with a beautiful view by hanging a framed picture depicting Nature’s beauty, where you had want the window, to an extent. The picture can be of a garden or a beautiful horizon and seems to add space to the look of the bathroom. You can use other artistic pieces that bring outdoors inside the bathroom too but do not opt for more than one display in the bathroom.

Raise your ceiling visually by adding cornices or painting a lattice or molding design around its edges. You can also install crown molding around the ceiling in the same color as the ceiling to expand it a bit. Painting clouds and stars using light colors and white, using faux painting techniques add to the space and make your bathroom look stylish. Make sure that your bathroom is always neat and clean as it looks more spacious that way. Remove all the clutter and keep only essential things in the bathroom. Organize vanity area, linen or medicine closet from time to time and add some interest to it using your own imagination and creativity. Remember, your bathroom interior is a reflection of yourself. So translate some of your personality traits in bathroom designing.

Bathroom Sink

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

The shiny white porcelain bowl from the past has now evolved onto bathroom sinks of all shapes; sizes, colors and materials are available in all types of price ranges too. Sinks for the bath can be installed on a counter top, table top, on bathroom vanity cabinet, hung on the wall or can be freestanding with stylish trunks or pedestals to cover the drainpipe. The type of sink you choose for your bathroom depends on its plumbing and space requirements and its compatibility with the design of your bath. A new and stylish bathroom sink can give a new look to your bath, even if you are on a budget. The traditional white sink is perhaps one of the least expensive sinks available in the market too and usually comes in round, oval or square.

There are corner sinks too that are made to fit in the corners. Bathroom vanity sinks are available as countertop and pedestal sinks that come in a varied choice of materials, quality and price ranges. Solid surface countertops in which the sinks are installed can be customized to fit the bathroom design too and give a stylish look to the simplest of sinks. Pre-molded counter sinks are relatively cheaper than the custom-molded and professionally installed custom sinks. Sink bowls can also be installed into bathroom furniture pieces to make them functional and efficient for your bath such as the low bureau. This will allow you to conceal the plumbing behind the furniture and enable you to use lower drawers for storage purposes.

Installing sink in a tabletop treated to be water resistant and withhold water overflow can be an option to the pedestal and countertop installation of sink bowls. Sink installation in bathroom furniture is the new trend these days and add interest and warmth to our bath. Many people love to paint motifs on their traditional porcelain bowls or install hand painted porcelain bowls to add artistic touch and shabby chic look to their bath decor. Cartoon characters, flowers, fishes and animals painted on the bowls make delightful sinks for kids’ bathroom in homes and crèches. These beautiful customized bowls are then glazed and re-fired to make them more durable. Traditional-style sinks in bold colors look quite trendy too and can be used for fun contemporary look or children’s bathroom.

Glass vessel bowls are the latest in line of bathroom vanity sinks and brighten the look of the bath and add elite looks to it. They can also be used in conjunction with recessed lighting beneath the bowls for Zen bath decors and minimalist bathrooms. A wide range of colors, shapes and textures in sinks is increasingly replacing traditional sinks we know. Sinks are now considered pieces of art that add character to your bath and are important part of fashionable fixtures line available in the market. Glass bowls can be set on the top of a traditional countertop or on wrought iron, brass or chrome bases and stands. Bathroom sinks are available in brass, stainless steel, chrome, copper and stone too and their combinations.

Trendsetters and designers often love unique bathroom vanity sink pieces such as copper bowl between two layers of glass, sink in shape of a lotus flower, sink that looks like a fabric draped over a black iron base or mahogany, birch or teak wood sink to match the bathtub. Wooden sinks and fixtures are preferred for a serene look with warmth and softness that helps one to relax and home spas. The wood sinks are usually made out of aged and dried wood glued together and uses wax and hard-wax oil to make them stand water for long time. However, they may not be so durable and need good maintenance.

Bathroom Shower Curtains

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Bathroom shower curtains are perfect functional bathroom accessories that can change the look of your bath decor. People who do not want to go for a glass wall shower cubicle can make use of a good shower curtain to define their shower area. Shower curtains shield the rest of the bathroom (other than the shower area) from water sprays while adding color to your bathroom. It is quite affordable and durable and forms an important part of your bathroom design. Bathroom shower curtains must be resistant to water and moisture and need to be clean and dried frequently.

While most of the people try to match their shower curtains with their wall color, receding them into the background, you can let your creative side decide on how to choose shower curtain for your bath. You can even let the shower curtain you like dictate the bathroom decor theme and choose other elements to match or compliment it such as bathroom towels and wall art while you match your bath rugs with the window curtains. While buying a shower curtain, you have to decide whether it will be used as a bathroom display or will be pulled off to one side when bath is not in use depending on the size of your bathroom.

Unique contemporary bathrooms can use shower curtains in bright colors and patterns complimenting the color of walls and bathroom vanity. Match them with bathroom accessories and trimmings. People sometimes use one layer of shower curtain that is both functional and decorative while some other like to overhang it with an outer shower curtain just for decorative purposes. Shower curtains need to be well maintained to really solve their purpose and need to be washed regularly and should be aired and ventilated properly. Hang them to dry in natural light and air so that they dry properly and do not attract mold and mildew. Shower curtains are available in a range of fabrics and can beautify your interiors and decorate your bath space in a jiffy.

Shower curtains can define the color palette, mood or theme of your bathroom or can prove to be a unifying theme to tie all the bath decor colors and patterns together. Bathroom shower curtains can be bold and exotic and can be a deciding factor in the bathroom decor style such as traditional, contemporary, country, rustic, shabby chic, Japanese and Victorian. You can then choose the colors of your bath rug and window drapes from it. Especially in small bathrooms, shower curtains occupy a large space and needs to be appealing to the eye and be a part of your prominent style. Choose shower curtains with good aesthetic sense and make a personal statement in your bathroom.

Add a dramatic touch to a modern bathroom by choosing shower curtains with dashes of color. You can choose your bathroom shower curtains based on the bathroom design theme such as environmental friendly bathrooms can use durable hemp shower curtains. You can also order custom-made bathroom shower curtains with your favorite picture or photograph printed on them that will be appropriate to be a focal point of your bathroom design. Besides traditional shower curtains, you can buy some unusual type of bathroom curtains such as a hook-less shower curtain and formal shower curtains with geometric patterns or lines. Most bathroom shower curtains are made up of washable fabrics such as polyester, waterproofed cotton with an impermeable liner and plastic, which is easiest to maintain.

Bathroom Showers

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Modern bathrooms boast of bathroom shower stalls made up of durable material instead of or in addition to a bathtub. The materials range from tempered glass to acrylic fiberglass. Standard bathroom shower stalls are usually 3′ x 3′ but can be customized according to your bathroom size and choice and can even accommodate a sit down bench in the shower stall. Glass block or bathroom shower stall made from molded or etched glass is one of the bathroom renovation options that are easy to install and give an instant facelift to your regular bathroom.

A solid shower door or bathroom shower curtains in bold colors and patterns can add a personal touch to your bath space. For smaller bathrooms, choose a clear glass shower door or a shower curtain that can be pulled back, when shower is not in use and add space to the bath. Classic or custom shower curtain rods look elite. While folding doors look elegant but may take too much space in a small bathroom. In ancient Greece, there were pull cord showers with only cold water supply. In 80s, new technology saw an upsurge in the bathroom remodeling industry and the shower and bath sales saw a sharp rise.

Sleek and trendy shower enclosures became the latest bathroom craze and bathroom renovations and designing and placement of shower enclosure and additional plumbing for it became a focus in bathroom design. Shower enclosures replaced the traditional adjoined bath/shower units and opened up the space in the bathrooms. Single showers evolved into two-person showers. The traditional sliding glass door shower or shower curtain evolved into several other options such as frameless shower doors and enclosures that look elegant and are easy-to-clean.

Ultra modern shower enclosures that feel open and airy are available as frameless quadrant shower enclosures or frosted glass corner shower enclosure in chrome or stainless steel frames. Bathroom showers are evolving into timeless elegant pieces that are easy to maintain. Bathroom upgrades include luxurious walk-in showers that are both functional and stylish. Innovative stylized bathroom showers are available in a wide range of decorative finishes and dynamic choices. More open space in bathroom is the core theme in bathroom decorations these days and clear glass showers with clean precision line construction become a focal point of the bathrooms.

Sleek ultra contemporary bathroom showers are matched with bathroom floors and tiles, artwork and bathroom accessories to give formal look to master baths these days. High-end technology has enabled bathroom shower to be available with various options such as electric showers to steam showers cabins that spell comfort and relaxation at the same time. The leading edge designs with walk-in showers rapidly replacing the typical bathroom showers make bathroom accessories easy to match with their polished chrome frame.

Bathroom Remodeling

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Bathroom remodeling can be started with installing little luxuries in the bathroom to pamper yourself such as whirlpool tubs, dual showerheads, shower systems and even just adding body sprays to the shower area. Turning bathrooms into personal retreat to help you relax and spend sometime with yourself is latest craze. People install stereos and TV centers in their master baths too to enjoy their bath time to the fullest. Major bathroom remodeling projects include reconstructing a bathroom on a larger scale. People may free up some existing space or make additions to the bathroom by taking up some space in the room or balcony. Bathroom remodeling may require cabinetry for a storage and organizing solution and space saver.

If you are on a budget, choose small bathroom remodeling options and turn your old bathroom into a new one by changing bathroom accessories and mirror and perhaps the color of bathroom walls, shower curtains and window treatments. You may want to change your bath tub and wall systems that can be installed on top of your present installation to give them a new look. You may also go for major bathroom remodelling work and a complete bathroom makeover by upgrading the appliances, breaking and reconstructing bathroom walls to add more space, completely redoing the plumbing and optimizing your bathroom space. In this article, we will discuss some of the bathroom remodeling options that you may want to consider.

Display framed painting and collectibles on a shelf added to a wall. Put your soaps, bath salts and pretty toiletries in antique bowls or shaving mugs and add colored beads and cheap faux pearl necklace to it for a romantic effect. You may also want to add aroma candles to your vanity countertop or near your bathtub. In a master bath or a large bathroom, you may have the luxury of space to add outdoor furniture such as a wicker table or chair. Accent lighting can be done around a beautiful painting or on top edge of the wall tile using low-voltage strip of lights. Decorative wood beams on the ceiling and mirrored cabinets on the wall can open up your bathroom. You may want to just color wash and repaint your wood cabinets.

Colored staining can also give a new look to your bathroom vanity or wood cabinets such as a light-colored stain for the background and brighter and bolder stains for the drawers. Bathroom remodeling does not only mean breaking and reconstruction. Adding little things and rearranging things may also give a new look and feel to your bathroom. You can put some potted flowering plants or fresh flowers neatly in a unusual vases such as wall vases, window boxes or even old watering cans on your vanity countertop to give a new look to your bath. You can replace the door of your bathroom cabinet with a Victorian screen door or a framed trellis. A beveled mirror over the sink framed with tiles and tiled mosaics add a creative touch to your bathroom decor.

While doing bathroom remodeling, it is best to make rough draft on paper using a realistic scale. There should be one draft for your old bathroom with labeled fixtures and measurements and one draft for the new bathroom you have visualized. Try to include all the desired features at first and check for the dimensions and styles that you can incorporate in your bath to get the desired feel and know what is feasible. Eliminate what seems like just a floating whim if there is limited space. Brainstorm to finalize a bathroom layout and make sure that you have accurate measurements and you have made provisions for the adequate space between the fixtures. Height of the fixtures is as important as its length, width and depth. Use non-slip surfaces and anchor down rugs for the bathroom safety purposes. This bathroom drafting will guide you in making your choices and help you to decide what to buy and what not to buy while doing bathroom remodeling.

Bathroom Mirrors

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Latest bathroom trends are white and bright with bold colored walls, ceramic floor tiles in various patterns and white pottery to add dramatic touch to the bathroom decor. Yet, bathroom mirrors have retained their place as an important part of the bathroom design and look and determine how the natural and artificial light in the bathroom is reflected and changes its mood and feel. There are myriad styles of decorative bathroom mirrors that you can choose to conform to your bathroom style ranging from traditional to contemporary. Victorian style bathrooms with dark wood finish, boxed in baths and wainscoting call for wood framed bathroom mirror, arched mirrors and perhaps wall sconces for extra lighting while traditional bathroom furnishings have wooden framed mirrors in softer designs.

Traditional bathroom mirrors include various wood textures and tones and wood bath panels as their design elements. Choosing a right bathroom wall mirror is based on the size of the bathroom and the size of the bathroom vanity. Bathroom mirrors should never extend beyond the vanity while bathrooms with double basins should use rectangular wall-to-wall mirrors to reflect and distribute light effectively to highlight bathroom accessories and other bathroom furniture and add to the overall visual space in the bathroom. Besides the wall mirror, solid white bathroom suites with white bathroom furnishing also reflect light and diffuses light well to add spaciousness and give an airy feel to the bath space.

White pottery bathroom suites give a cohesive look to the bath space and jazz up with warm colors and hues such as reds, blues or greens that are so popular in latest bathroom designs and trends with solid colored ceramic tiles or tiles with motif inlay as accents to give a unity to overall look of the bathroom. For contemporary bathrooms, frameless bathroom mirrors with inset lighting look ultra modern. Contemporary bathroom mirrors that are generally circular or square in shape go well with detailed modern bathrooms and high-tech bathroom styles. For elite and complex bathroom remodeling projects, wall mirrors that do not exceed the length of floor mounted or wall mounted basin furniture are very popular.

Hanging wall mirrors with overhanging light fixtures increase the amount of light in the bathroom. You can use your creativity and imagination to hang wall mirrors in different ways to give dramatic results. Mirrors with built in lighting can be installed inside shower enclosures and in and around the bathing area. Bathroom mirror can double up as additional lighting fixture by diffusing light properly. These days, one can buy bathroom mirror and lighting that come based on a theme in designs, styles and sizes conforming to each other and makes it easier to incorporate in other bathroom design components.

Bathroom mirrors help us in so many ways from brushing our teeth and dental floss in the morning to shaving to scrubbing and applying makeup and should be able to help us clearly see everything. Even vanity and decorative mirrors should be chosen carefully for this purpose. Bathroom mirrors range from simple shower glass mirror to the clear fogless mirrors and come in frames that transform this basic utility item to a custom bathroom accessory. You may use framed or unframed mirrors or install special attachments to your bathroom mirrors for holding mugs, brushes, soap-case and other toiletries. Embellish your bathroom with an antique mirror; iron framed or standalone to give it a historical or period look. Aluminum frames are easy to maintain and are resistant to oxidation and are thus, popular with many people.

Bathroom Lighting & Light Fixtures

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Bathroom lighting is an important part of bathroom decor and design. We need to remember that bathroom light fixtures are meant to help us to groom ourselves and look our best rather decorating the bathrooms. It should help us to see ourselves clearly and should not play ’special effects’ on our face and cast unwanted shadows when we are applying makeup. Some bathrooms make us look green or pale and we are not able to see ourselves properly making it impossible for us to get ready properly. Thus good clear lighting is quite important in the bathrooms. Vanity lighting or mirror lighting in the bathroom is thus very important and we must use clear lens or shade in bathroom light fixtures, so that we can have more light in the bathroom and see ourselves clearly.

Placement of bathroom light fixtures should ideally light up our faces fully and minimize shadows under the chin and eyes. We need to see our foreheads and cheeks properly. While people who love to groom like Hollywood stars can place as many as half dozen lights on each side of the mirror, even we mortals need to use at least one bathroom light fixture on either side of the mirror. Bathroom light fixtures should ideally be placed at average forehead height to minimize shadows on all sides of the face and should be at least two and a half feet apart from each other. If you want to mount bathroom light fixtures directly on the mirror, choose them carefully because only a few look good in this setting. For larger and darker bathrooms, additional light fixtures can be fitted into the ceiling of the bathroom.

Fluorescent lights are the ones that make you look green or pale, so avoid them. Opt for incandescent light fixtures or bulbs that claim being closer to natural sunlight. Bathroom lights that make your look beautiful are the only right ones that should be installed in your bath. Make sure that lights in the bathroom are clear and bright and do not change colors. Fixtures should have good guarantee period and must be easy-to-maintain. You may prefer to see lights against daylight to see how they look before buying them. Proper lighting and right kind of light fixtures in bathroom is necessary to help you find things easily and not scare yourself by just looking at the mirror. Suitable lighting fixtures are not only aesthetically placed but also hold bulbs in the right position. Since the bathroom has lot of moisture, soapy deposits and grime, it is essential to choose good quality bathroom light fixtures in appropriate material.

Lights should be directed at the person rather than the mirror and two lighting fixtures can be positioned in opposite directions so light up the entire face or lighting fixtures can be places on the wall, two feet or more above the sink. Avoid any reflectors so that there are no shadows or glares cast at unwanted places. Bathroom lighting can be done inside the cabinets to enable you find things inside them easily and can be placed on the over bathtubs or bath enclosures. The right lighting fixture and desired lighting effect should be chosen carefully. The various kinds of bathroom lighting fixtures include bar lights that are tiny trochees mounted on metal bars of different shapes and designs fixed to walls or counters. They ca be used for up lighting or down lighting and can be used above double sinks in more than two shades for dramatic effect.

Long bar lights do not require separate light fixtures. You can use lampshades made of translucent or frosted glass and metal frames that have antique finish or are plated with chrome or polished brass. Vanity bulbs for bathroom lighting are also available as light bulbs inside rounded white glass enclosures that give strong diffused lighting effect to light up the smallest imperfections of the face and help us to groom easily. They are best places over narrow sinks. Wall sconces can be used to light closets or near commode as a bathroom lighting fixture but are normally not placed near sinks. Since they are recessed and inside ceilings, they are not prone to moisture deposits and soapy condensations deposited but they can be expensive to install.

Bathroom Furniture

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Modern bathrooms have separate shower, bath rub, above-counter sink as a piece of art and bathroom furniture. In vanities, vintage furniture pieces may be used for decorative purposes. The furniture pieces in the bath may include sitting chairs and settees, towel rack and vanity cabinets with mirrors. Medicine chests are kept in bathrooms too. Basic bathroom suite consists of a toilet, a washbasin and a bath with matching taps and handles with perhaps bidet and mirrors. Other bathroom paraphernalia includes bathroom storage furniture such as cabinets to keep toiletries and fresh towels. These days, bathroom cabinets are quite flexible and present a combo of mirrors, lights and shaver sockets along with storage space.

Bathroom furniture includes bathroom vanities placed on either side of pedestal sinks, low-hung cabinets and dressers for undergarments that can be made from wood or metal. Tower cabinets can be used to keep hair dryers, electric shavers and appliances, ironing boards and built-in hamper hampers in closets along with other small items that may cause clutter in bath. Latest trend is to keep a side cabinet that comes to our hip-level in the bath that has a washbasin and shelves to store daily toiletries and drawers to store towels and other linens. You can choose from antique bathroom furniture pieces to contemporary ones.

Contemporary furniture designs come in space saver varieties; functional ones making us of all the available such as vanity sink cabinet, bathroom caddie with shelves, bathroom organizers with a basket for storage and shelves for display and may be towel racks too. Wicker bathroom furniture and rattan furniture are strong, durable, light, airy and have delicate looks. Wickerwork is made up of weaving and interlacing the vine or grass called wicker around a frame in exquisite patterns. Wicker furniture is available as tables, chairs and sofas and can be made from willow, rattan, bamboo, reed or synthetic materials. They have feminine looks and suitable for kids’ furniture as it is lightweight, affordable and easy to move around.

Wicker can also be used to make lampshades, chests, hampers, planters, porch swings, baby bassinets and carriages. You can store your bathroom linens in stylish wicker chest of drawers or coordinate console table with wicker baskets with your rustic bathroom decor. Wicker seat with basket can be used to sit and provide a storage solution is small bathrooms. Then, there is wall mounted bathroom furniture that is both practical and functional, especially for small bathrooms. Bathroom furniture come in all scales and beautifully crafted wall mounted bathroom furniture makes your small both look more organized, clutter-free and hence more spacious. You can use a wall mounted washstand and column cabinets to free floor space.

Bathroom furniture needs to be coordinated with bathroom design and their finish and styles afford a lot of flexibility to bathroom designers. Try to achieve a uniform and clean look when choosing your bathroom vanity furniture and conform the design of the furniture to your architectural scheme and decor theme. It is best to use White and light colored wood finishes for smaller bathrooms while deep wooden tones can add richness and warmth to larger bathrooms. Steel bathroom furniture and other metal finishes can help you to unify your bathroom decor with the contemporary design that you choose. It is best to choose large bathroom furniture pieces in shades similar to your backdrop bathroom color for serenity while smaller furniture pieces can be in complimentary colors to provide accents to your bath.

Bathroom Floor Tiles

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Bathroom tiles are available in all types of quality, colors, sizes, patterns, textures, styles and shapes and the options are virtually infinite. Choosing your bathroom tiles forms an important part of bathroom design and decor. We are presenting you with bathroom tile ideas for bathroom floor tiles in this article that will help you to create your dream bathroom design. One of the best bathroom tile ideas is to use ceramic bathroom floor tile is more durable, easy to clean, has resistance to dampness and does not become too slippery when it gets wet, but you must take care to choose slip-resistant surface in ceramic tiles for bathroom safety. Unglazed tiles may be a little cheaper but they absorb stains easily and so need to be washed frequently and need more maintenance.

Bathroom floor tile shapes are generally rectangular, square, hexagonal and octagonal while accent tiles are generally narrower, diamond shaped and come in smaller sizes. You can create interesting bathroom floors by using solid color ceramic bathroom floor tile for the bathroom flooring and then add tile borders to your bath floor or alternate tiles of two different colors to create a border that becomes the visual treat for your bath. You can make your bath look a little larger by using same color and shade of ceramic tiles for bathroom floors and walls. To introduce visual variety, you can choose a different tile size for the walls or lay wall tiles diagonally. Varying grout colors can also give new look to your ceramic tile color.

Contrast the grout color to the ceramic tile color. You may choose blue, red or yellow grout with white tiles. However, you will need to preserve the grout color by applying sealers to grout lines, especially in areas that has great traffic and heavy wear. If you want to incorporate your favorite color in the bathroom design but are cautious not to overdo it, you may add few decorative tiles of that color on the walls or you can use tiles of that color placed diagonally to make rows on the wall alternating with rows of tile colors in complementing colors. You may also use tiles of different shapes, textures and borders to add a bit of your favorite colors without overdoing it. Tiles of all colors normally go well with white as their contrasting color. Use plain backgrounds and add bright and bold colored tiles with interesting shapes and graphics to give a contemporary look and style to your bath space while you can add modernistic accessories and fixtures to give it a high-tech look.

Decorating bathroom in romantic or Victorian styles becomes so easy when you have floral tiles on walls in soft pink, light green or light blue colors. You may also use wooden floor tiles treated to resist moisture or bathroom floor tiles with faux wood look to achieve romantic look in your bath space. Use hand painted ceramic sinks for added effect. Hand painted tiles or Mexican tiles on floor interspersed with terracotta tiles give Mediterranean look to your bathroom. You can also use hand painted tiles with plain color tiles on countertops in your Mediterranean baths. Bathroom tile colors are important to help you relax or fill your with vigor and energy at the start of the day. Cozy bathrooms and bathrooms with country look and fun looks can use warm color tiles such as peach and yellow.

To make the bathroom look larger and evergreen, use neutral color tiles in beige and white as they reflect light a lot. Serene bathrooms or spa like bathrooms should use tiles in cool colors such as blue, green and violet. Large bathrooms have the luxury to use tiles in bright colors such as red or black that look dramatic and absorb light. They also make the room look smaller. Ambient lighting in bathrooms that have large windows and receive lot of natural light can be achieved by installing tiles in darker colors. If you want to use dark, bright or bold colors in smaller or darker bathrooms, use them only as accent tiles or add accessories in those colors. So, embark on bathroom floor tiling project to give that fun, cozy, creative or any unique and special look to your bath space you had always dreamt about.

Bathroom Flooring

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

Bathroom flooring should be chosen keeping bathroom safety in mind. Vinyl linoleum flooring can last several decades and easy to clean and maintain while marble flooring is easy to maintain but is much more durable and can last for generations. Good quality tiles may also last for generations and are easy to clean and maintain. Bathroom laminate flooring can last almost a decade but needs a little more maintenance. Hardwood flooring may last a lifetime but needs to be well maintained, especially around the base of the commode. It adds warmth and elegance to your master bath and normally uses oak and pine wood. Bathroom carpet adds warmth and softness to the floor but is very difficult to maintain and water can cause odor and mildew in the carpet, so it is better to use throw rugs instead of carpets for comfort and style.

Bathroom flooring ideas eliminated warm and soft carpet as wet carpet flooring becomes damp and dirty and does not look so cozy but if your heart is set on the bathroom carpet flooring, make sure to have a vinyl border around the bath, toilet and basin to take care of accidental splashes and a few bathmats on it to soak in water and moisture and soapy condensations from your feet. Laminate bathroom flooring may or may not be used for wet floor areas though high quality laminate bathroom flooring system with high gloss finish and smooth surface adapts well to wet floorings. They are quick and easy to install too. Stone finishes in bathroom laminate flooring such as granite and marble designs look beautiful and can last for years.

The most popular options available to your while choosing bathroom flooring are bathroom carpets, bathroom carpet tiles, ceramic floor tiles, laminate flooring, bamboo flooring and vinyl flooring. Uncovered floorboards in a period style bathroom are quite cheap and look authentic. They add warmth to your bathroom. They need to be sanded well before sealing coated with varnish. However, floorboards can be slippery once they get wet and let the draught of air in the bath space. The space between the floorboards can let the water seep in to the ceiling below. Thus, it requires much maintenance. Bathroom carpet is warm and inviting and has a non-slippery surface. The most commonly used carpet in the bathroom is the one with foam backing.

They can be inexpensive and come in thousands of colors but bathroom carpets can be much difficult to clean and must be of correct type. Carpet tiles have evolved from tough and coarse tiles to the texture that mirrors standard bathroom carpet. They are easier to replace, as instead of tearing down the whole carpet, one has to just replace individual tiles. It reduces the wastage and makes it easier to fit them in the bath space. However, they offer limited choices and can still get dirty easily. Ceramic bathroom floor tiles are available in reasonable prices and offer wide range of styles, materials, sizes and colors. They need to be installed carefully on wooden floorboards using special adhesives or they may come loose and grout may crack. The non-slip finishes in these tiles are best for bathroom floors and should have bath mats for additional bathroom safety.

Wet rooms that look like giant shower cubicle ideally have solid floors and can use ceramic tiles for flooring or vinyl flooring to ensure totally waterproof finish. Ceramic tiles are relatively cheap and proper laying o the tiles can make them waterproof too. They are quite durable, come in vast range of options and are easy to clean. Bathroom laminate flooring should be installed using the ‘floating floor’ principle but since bathroom fixtures such as toilets, bidets, pedestals and freestanding baths need to be anchored to the floor, it can be a problem. A flat and level sub floor can guarantee quick installation of the laminate flooring, especially with latest ‘click’ systems. They are easy to lay and clean but water spills can damage the boards and laminate flooring may get slippery when it is wet. One of the few options for hardwood floors that can be used in bathrooms is bamboo flooring that does not require much maintenance and is quite resistant to damage and scuffing.