From an interior design standpoint, bathrooms are the sparkling throne of home renovations and personal storage upgrades. After all, most days begin and end in front of the bathroom mirror—it’s only natural that homeowners wish to suffuse their bathroom space with style and find comfort in its rejuvenating oasis.
Whether you need design ideas for the downstairs guest bathroom or redecorating the master bath from the ground up, this guide on how to decorate a bathroom is for you.
Step 1: Decide on a Style
There are many different aesthetics to choose from when decorating your bathroom. Deciding on a theme will help guide the process. The theme will dictate your bathroom design choices and make it easier to identify suitable décor later on.
Popular styles for bathrooms include:
- Boho – A vintage-inspired, intentionally cluttered look characterized by mixed patterns and earthy tones.
- Modern – Clean lines, muted colors, and chrome fixtures make for a sleek and relaxing getaway.
- Rustic – Hallmarks of the rustic style are natural wood and raw finishes.
- Industrial – A minimalistic, often darkly-colored theme that plays with metal and exposed brick.
- Scandinavian – Another minimalist style that is typically all white with accents of dark colors and natural wood.
Your first instinct might be to decorate your master bathroom to match the rest of the house. But because bathrooms are such separate, intimate spaces, they offer an opportunity to be creative and break away from the overall style of your home—within reason. You may not want to build a Scandinavian master bathroom in your boho home, but don’t be afraid to experiment with a new beautiful bathroom decoration style.
Step 2: Start with the Big Decisions
When you envision your perfect bathroom design, you may think of a vintage clawfoot tub or crystalline aquamarine tiling. Focal points like tile details, tubs, wall color, and vanities should be your top priority—they’re the most eye-catching aspects of a beautiful bathroom design (and consequently, the most expensive).
Take some time to think about what you want the following interior design details to look like:
- Walls
- Flooring
- Vanity
- Bathtub
- Shower
Pick out one or two of these home decor elements first and make the rest of your bathroom decor choices around them. You’ll be surprised how quickly the rest of your bathroom decor ideas will take shape around these centerpieces. Plus, you’ll have to lay down the flooring and install the bathtub early in the process, so it makes sense to start there.
After finalizing your focal points, clear your bathroom of day-to-day essentials like face serums, lotions, and soaps that may fill your old vanities and counters. To avoid unnecessary clutter and clear counter space, invest in a personal storage unit to create more storage space – this is even more important if you’re working with a small bathroom.
Step 3: Create Contrast Through Accents
Adding visual interest through contrast is the key to a memorable bathroom design. Similar to ways on how to decorate a bedroom, there are two primary ways to make the colors in your bathroom pop material and color.
Material
Mixing and matching various materials makes a bathroom’s design appear more balanced. By playing with texture and layers, you can turn your washroom into a work of art. Natural wood stands out nicely against tile and glass; you’ll see wood grain used as an accent material in many contemporary bathrooms.
Other popular high-contrast pairings include concrete and dark wood or marble and metal.
Color
Your bath mat, soap dispenser, bath towel, and other bathroom accessories are the perfect opportunity to add accent colors to your powder room without having to paint. You can either match them all together or choose two complementary colors (for example, blue and yellow).
Don’t forget about the shower curtain. Think of the shower curtain as a giant canvas where you can keep it simple or allow your personality to shine through.
Step 4: Add the Finishing Touches
With a shower, toilet, sink, and some towels, you have all the bathroom requirements for a functional bathroom. But functional is the bare minimum; the goal is to create a stylish oasis within your home. Ultimately, your bathroom should be a space you enjoy—after all, the average person spends about a half-hour in the bathroom each day.
Depending on the style you chose in step one, you can pick from a semi-fixed list of bathroom appointments. For example, boho bathroom décor includes wicker baskets, boldly patterned rugs, and plenty of greenery. More modern bathroom décor ideas involve hanging light fixtures and vases full of flowers.
Don’t forget to add these other finishing touches according to your aesthetic:
- Shelving – Very similar to many kitchen decor ideas, bathroom shelves are part practicality, part accessory. Think of shelving as more than a spot to store your moisturizers; it’s a place to display art and nurture plants, too. Floating shelves above the toilet are a great way to create more space in the bathroom.
- Storage – The best bathroom storage is also aesthetically pleasing. Try using a bar cart or a metal basket to hold your extra towels and for extra storage space.
- Mirrors – The more mirrors you can add to your powder room, the better. Mirrors make a small room appear larger and act as functional design pieces.
If you can’t wait to peruse the aisles of your local hardware or home goods store for your stylish bathroom staples, don’t! A personal storage unit is a perfect place to keep your design fixtures while the experienced professionals finalize your bathroom layout.
After redecorating your bathroom with these tips in mind, don’t be surprised if your house guests draw bathroom design ideas from your own design to refresh their bathrooms, too.
Use Storage Space to Your Advantage
As you redesign your bathroom, you may find you need extra space for materials, tools, and furnishings. Rather than clutter up your hallway during renovations, consider a storage unit, but don’t forget to double check it’s size with our storage size guide.
At Price Self Storage, we offer units in a variety of sizes and prices to suit any situation. Give us a call or come visit one of our 13 convenient locations—we’d love to hear all about your bathroom makeover.
Sources:
Independent. People Spend 416 Days of Their Life in Bathroom, Poll Suggests. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/bathrooms-shower-washing-habits-poll-a8988626.html