Decorating The Bathroom ? Dress Your Mess For Less

Home
>
Interior Design & Decorating
>
Decorating The Bathroom ? Dress Your Mess For Less

Decorating The Bathroom ? Dress Your Mess For Less

The bathroom may be the hardest room to decorate. Its use and nature make the room decorative uninspiring, and its limited size and necessity of function make it difficult to add very much. Further, making a major change to the room's décor generally requires huge sums of money, when you consider the expense of changing tiled floors or walls, or replacing existing fixtures such as showers and sinks. However, there are a few thrifty things you can do to turn your bathroom from an eyesore into a place of decorative elegance.

The first thing you have to do is decide what color range you can use. If the bathroom has existing features such as ceramic tiling or fixtures, you have to choose any other piece you bring in to match those colors that are already there. This is only a slight stifle to your creativity though, as there are an unlimited number of shades and colors you can match up with others. Even if you don't like the original colors of the room, you can always balance them out with opposite colors in your décor.

The easiest way to decorate a bathroom is by using fabric coverings. You can throw carpets down to cover up boring tiles and add some color to the floor. They will also soak up water and help prevent slippage.

If your toilet looks out of date, get a seat cover in a funky color and turn it into an artistic eye catcher. Or go the whole way and get a whole new toilet seat. They are relatively inexpensive, and they allow you to change the look and feel of a fairly permanent piece. Here you will have to find a balance of comfort and style.

Bathrooms are functional areas, and they need to stay organized. Choose your containers with an eye towards color and style, and you will be adding natural décor touches to the room. There are soap dishes, toilet paper rings, and toothbrush boxes which can be purchased in matching sets. Buying items in the same or similar colors will give the bathroom a finished look that shows its appearance was planned with an attention to detail. In a room that is as small as the bathroom, one wrong color can unbalance the whole effect.

Bathroom accessories such as towels and washcloths are only temporary residents of the bathroom, and will be cycled in and out at various intervals. Buying a few matching linen sets allows you to change the look of the bathroom every few days. You can get a set in black for when you're in a dark mood, and a set in red when you're feeling particularly sensual. Always keep an eye on the rest of the colors in the room however, and try not to purchase anything that will clash with the colors already present.

The shower curtain is one of the most important décor pieces that you can easily change in your bathroom. They are prominently displayed, usually taking up a large section of the visual area in a room. This is the piece that can pull the whole bathroom together, so choose it carefully as every other color you bring into the room will have to match with this piece.

When it comes to bathrooms, take what you were given, and make it something that is your own. Play off of the features that are already in the room, balancing out what you don't like and reinforcing what you do. By making small touches you can make the décor of any bathroom fit your style.

Joey Lewitin is an author, artist, and designer of home décor accessories made from imported stone. Original designs from him and other artisans can be seen at Pebblez.com ? Stone Home Décor and Rustic Accessories

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Obama OKs modest tax changes after seeking ideas (AP)

AP - Pushed by fellow Democrats, President-elect Barack Obama agreed to modest changes in his proposed tax cuts on Friday after inviting lawmakers to "just show me" ideas for fixing an economy shedding jobs at an alarming rate. Democratic congressional officials said that Obama aides came under pressure in closed-door talks to jettison or significantly alter a proposed tax credit for creating jobs.

Ill. House impeaches governor, who vows to fight (AP)

AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached Friday by Illinois lawmakers furious that he turned state government into a "freak show," setting the stage for an unprecedented trial in the state Senate that could get him thrown out of office.

Israel and Hamas ignore UN call for cease-fire (AP)

AP - Israeli jets and ground troops hammered at Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip and Islamic militants fired barrages of rockets at southern Israeli cities Friday, ignoring a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire after two weeks of combat.

5 people shot after Chicago high school ball game (AP)

AP - At least five people were shot Friday as spectators left a crowded basketball game at a high school on the city's South Side, scattering panicked students.

Citigroup director Robert Rubin resigns as adviser (AP)

AP - Citigroup board member Robert Rubin, who has drawn heavy criticism for his role at the embattled bank, has resigned as a senior adviser.

Pastor in gay scandal: I'm back from 'wilderness' (AP)

AP - Speaking out two years after being embroiled in a gay sex scandal, former evangelical pastor Ted Haggard said Friday his sexual identity is complex and can't be put into "stereotypical boxes," but that his relationship with his wife is stronger than ever.

Texas death row inmate pulls out eye, eats it (AP)

AP - A Texas death row inmate with a history of mental problems pulled out his only good eye and told authorities he ate it. Andre Thomas, 25, was arrested for the fatal stabbings of his estranged wife, their young son and her 13-month-old daughter in March 2004. Their hearts also had been ripped out. He was convicted and condemned for the infant's death.

Rare 'dinky' bird migrates to US for first time (AP)

AP - Birders with binoculars and cameras are flocking to a remote state park in search of a small yellow-chested bird that apparently crossed the U.S. border for the first time from its high-mountain habitat to the south.

Patrick Swayze checks into hospital with pneumonia (AP)

AP - Patrick Swayze has checked himself into the hospital for observation after contracting pneumonia, A&E President Abbe Raven announced Friday at a meeting of the Television Critics Association. Swayze was scheduled to appear to discuss his upcoming drama "The Beast."

Stimulant exemptions in baseball on the rise (AP)

AP - Baseball authorized nearly 8 percent of its players to use drugs for ADHD last season, which allowed them to take otherwise banned stimulants. A total of 106 exemptions for banned drugs were given to major leaguers claiming attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from the end of the 2007 season until the end of the 2008 season, according to a report released Friday by the sport's independent drug-testing administrator.

Israel, Hamas press on with Gaza war (Reuters)

Reuters - Israel pressed on with a punishing Gaza offensive and Hamas sent more rocket salvoes into southern Israeli towns in a two-week-old war that continued to defy international efforts to stop it.

Citi, Morgan Stanley in brokerage talks; Rubin quits (Reuters)

Reuters - Citigroup Inc is in advanced talks to sell its Smith Barney brokerage unit to Morgan Stanley, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, in a move that would further dismantle the financial supermarket that has been bailed out by the U.S. government.

Illinois House votes to impeach Gov. Blagojevich (Reuters)

Reuters - The Illinois House of Representatives impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Friday for abuse of power, including a charge that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.

Obama team, Rep. Frank eye bailout fund overhaul (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama and a key Democratic lawmaker revealed plans on Friday to overhaul the government's $700 billion financial rescue fund as a way to aid struggling homeowners and speed the flow of credit.

Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter (Reuters)

Reuters - Minnesota health officials issued a product alert for peanut butter on Friday after finding a jar that was contaminated with a strain of salmonella linked to an outbreak across the United States.

Jobless rate at 16-year high as payrolls plunge (Reuters)

Reuters - The unemployment rate surged to the highest in nearly 16 years last month as a deepening year-long recession forced companies to axe more than half a million jobs, government data showed on Friday.

Supreme court to decide voting rights law challenge (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Friday it would consider a challenge to a central provision of the 44-year-old voting rights law aimed at preventing states and local governments from making it harder for minorities to vote.

Bank industry slams lawmaker-Citi mortgage deal (Reuters)

Reuters - A top bank industry group said on Friday that it opposes an agreement between Citigroup Inc and Democratic senators that would rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, saying it could make home loans more expensive.

Gaza conflict set to enter third week as ceasefire appeal ignored (AFP)

AFP - Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip was set to enter its third week on Saturday, with both sides brushing off a UN appeal to halt devastating attacks that have claimed over 800 lives.

Somali pirates say they have released Saudi supertanker (AFP)

AFP - Somali pirates said Friday they had freed a Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago caused panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action.

Decorating The Bathroom ? Dress Your Mess For Less

Interior Design & Decorating Interior Design & Decorating