Guest Blogger: Interior Design Tips For Your Bathroom

Today, I’m very pleased to introduce my guest blogger, Jim Klossner, who specializes in writing about interior design, home improvement, plumbing, heating and cooling on behalf of John J. Cahill, Inc. Jim is here to offer his insight on designs tips for your bathrooms.

Thanks, Simone, I’m very happy to be here to share my expert advice with the audience of Simone Design Blog.

 Interior Design Tips For Your Bathroom

 A bathroom is more than just a place to do your business – it can also be a place of serenity and cleanliness (or, for moms, quite possibly the only place you can get some solitude!) Additionally, a great looking and well designed bathroom can improve the value of your home; many home buyers place a great emphasis on the bathrooms of a home. Instead of sticking with the same boring design, check out a few of our favorite tips for creating a comfortable, serene and inviting place.

Make your master bath bathroom an extension of your bedroom – The bathroom adjacent to the master bedroom is an important part of the house – maybe even more than other rooms. Because the master bath and master bedroom are considered such a large part of everyday living, and are such a private space, home buyers typically look for a large, well organized space that flows from the bedroom. The master bath should be designed to look great even with the door open. Design the space directly opposite of the door (which will be the area that can be seen from the bedroom) to be the focal point of the bathroom space. Add a frame or great light fixture to a mirror, or a unique shower curtain that fits the overall aesthetic of the bedroom and bathroom pair. For even more open space, consider replacing a wall with French doors. The open window will give your master bathroom a larger feel, and can be made more private with curtains.

Open the cabinets – The traditional bathrooms have large cabinets to hide the unattractive under sink plumbing, but in a small space, the cabinet doors can create a very closed-in feel. Open up your sink with opened cubbies instead of closed cabinets. Many cubbies are available to do yourself in home improvement stores that include removable panels that allow access to the sink and plumbing parts. Closed drawers can fill in the bottom of the cabinetry to hide those items that aren’t so nice to view. The open cubbies can hold towels, toiletries or other bathroom basics.

Bring nature indoors – For the outdoorsy types, adding a touch of the great outdoors can create a unique interior design look. The accents can come in many forms. First, think about using shells glued to a mirror or frame or sand from your favorite beach in a vase with some driftwood to remind you of a tropical getaway. If your look is more rustic, use pine and wood as accents, or a metal light fixture to give your bathroom a cabin-in-the-woods feel. Local material accents can serve another purpose – they will be unique to you.

Choose calming colors – Studies have found that colors can create very specific moods in humans. For instance, the color yellow can be energizing and red can cause feelings of anxiety. For your bathroom, it’s best to stick to cooler and calmer colors. Soft blues, light mint or sage green all provide a soothing, relaxing look, while warm toned beige can be a great backdrop for a variety of color schemes. To pull the feel of your bedroom into the bathroom, paint the color of the bathroom walls one shade lighter than the bedroom walls. This will give your room a more cohesive look.

Add texture – Color on walls can sometimes make a room look small, and if your bathroom is already a small area, this isn’t ideal. Another option for giving your bathroom an interior design look without color is to add texture to the walls, fixtures or cabinetry. Use decorative panels on your cabinets to provide some detail to otherwise plain cabinetry. Textured paneling, wallpaper or treatments to your walls make an interesting feature.  Textured glass, candles, frames or prints as decorative items also add a textured flair to a monochromatic bathroom.

Use baskets to get rid of clutter – “I don’t  have enough storage.” That’s one thing you’ll never hear a single person complain about! We usually need more storage than we have, and when clutter in the bathroom gets out of hand, hide it with some lovely wicker baskets. Baskets of varying sizes can hold anything from toilet paper to cleaning supplies and give a stylish look to your bathroom. Baskets are the ultimate in form and function – they give you more storage space and a decorative look.

Wow! Thank you, Jim, for those great design tips on how we can enhance our bathrooms to create a more harmonious space that’s serene and inviting.

Simone