5 Ways To Make Your Bathroom pleasent.

 BATHROOM.
 The first thing you wake up and do is go to the bathroom.
 The first thing you want to do after a long hectic day is to have a hot relaxing shower.
The first thing you think before going out some place important is to have a clean shower and then get ready. Now, all these cannot be as pleasing and rejuvenating as they seem because your bathroom is untidy or the interiors are just not right. You would not want to get clean in a filthy bathroom with cloths thrown all over the place or the shower has become murky or the bathroom just stinks. WOULD YOU? The following simple tips will help you in achieving that complete Spa like experience at home.

1.WALLS-

 - This includes Paints, wallpapers, tiles, wood paneling.

TILES

 The most commonly used tiles are Ceramic tiles, after which comes Porcelain tiles and then Natural stone (granite). Currently glass tiles have become popular. You could also use cork or stone.

WALLPAPERS

This gives a Victorian touch to your bathroom. Do not use wallpapers in excess in a bathroom, it is usually preferred to use wallpaper on one wall, or around the niches of a mirror or a door or below the ceiling. The wallpaper might get damaged due to the humidity and moisture, hence prepare the walls carefully and use waterproof wallpapers or murals.

You would not want your bathroom to look like this.

 WOOD PANELING

If you want to give your bathroom warmth and a vintage look then wood is your best option. For wood paneling you could use prime with an oil primer and then two coats of paint on top, latex or oil, your choice. I recommend back-priming as well. Walnut, veneered plywood, oak or lumbar are the common types of wood used. Make sure it is treated before use as it will get wet constantly.

Wood Paneling

 PAINTS 

 Water-resistant paints are basically oil-based paints or emulsion paints or latex paints. White, pearl gray, pale pink, yellow, aqua are the favorites of any bathroom.

2. CLEANLINESS

 A small clean and tidy bathroom is better than a big untidy one. Hence it is very important to keep your bathroom clean. Pick up those soil clothes and put them for wash, or throw away all the products that have expired or not been used for a year into the trash. Organize your towel, toothbrush, make up, lotion rack. This is your own bathroom, so if you keep clean, you will be benefitted. Let in as much sunlight and fresh air as possible.

A small tidy bathroom

Now this is shockingly untidy

3. STORAGE 

 Storage can sometimes become an issue in a bathroom, either there is not enough place to keep the dry unused towels or no where to throw the used ones, or storage for your shampoos, toothbrush or body wash. Hence, the contemporary built in wall cabinets are in demand. The other options include, a storage tower which not only holds your towels, but also your accessories, wicker baskets for the used towels and clothes to be washed, under sink cabinets stacked wicker baskets, and crate shelving. Dark wood cabinets are preferred as they do not get as much affected by water as light wood ones. Therefore, store away all the unnecessary combs, hair straightners in your drawers.

Built-in storage

Wicker baskets are used for storage.

Dark wood cabinets do not get affected by water to a large extent.

Layered Storage helps you save space

A storage tower

4. ACCESSOIRS

 Fragrances, shower curtains, towels, candles.

 FRAGRANCES

 It is extremely important for one’s bathroom to smell fresh, nobody likes to use a fowl smelling bathroom. Keeping this in mind there are a variety of fragrances which trap the fowl smell and set a pleasant atmosphere. For this you could try aromatherapy soaps, dried flowers, essential oils, room freshening sprays, plug in devices, odonil, or the age old method- OPEN A WINDOW AND LET IN FRESH AIR. You could keep a fragrant bag in your laundry basket if you do not wish to do laundry everyday.

Fragrances come under various categories-

 Germ fighters- Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lemon, Pine, Lemon grass.

Fresh smell Lavender, Lemon, Pine
Romantic- Geranium, Jasmine, Rose, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang.
Others- Black raspberry, Vanilla, Warm chocolate sugar. You could get your fragrances custom made to your own desire too.

SHOWER CURTAINS AND TOWELS

 Use your shower curtain to create the illusion of height in your bathroom. Hang your curtain rod near the ceiling, for more drama- just make sure the curtain brushes the floor. Try a curved shower curtain bar to make an enclosed shower interior feel larger.

 There are unimaginable designs and colors to choose from. You could change the shower curtains according to the season just to keep the shower lively. Bright colors with small prints work well for a small bathroom. Instead of using curtains, using glass doors or transparent doors also adds space to your bathroom. Towels could be matched to the shower curtains to give a cozy look, and fresh towels must be hung on the towel rack to give a neat look.




Glass doors instead of shower curtains



CANDLES 

 Having a spa like experience at home is just steps away now, light up your favorite fragrant candle now, and you’re in a whole new world. The most commonly used candles are- Apple butter caramel, apple orchid, vanilla valentine, tiger lily, lotus blossom, and chocolate covered cherry, the list is endless,..Candles not only set a calming atmosphere but are also therapeutically used. Now wouldn’t you like that?

The various varities of Candles

SINKS

 Are you bored of your old marble or porcelain sink? Then you can try out the latest types of sinks to suit your style. You could choose from- Drop-in sinks, under mount sinks, vessel sinks, wall mount sinks, pedestal sinks, console sinks, corner sinks, laundry sinks. Each type of sink has its own advantages. Drop in sinks are the most commonly used sinks, where as vessel sinks are contemporary. Decorated sinks are also available.

Drop-in sink

under-mount sink

Console sink

Vessel sink

SHOWERS 

The type of shower you choose depends on the pressure content of it. There are 4 types of showers- 1. Electric showers- Most popular type, they provide hot water whenever needed.

2. Mixer shower- They blend the hot an cold water automatically before exiting the shower.

3. Power shower- They have massaging, heat and relaxing qualities. Perfect for homes with low water pressure.

 4. Digital shower- They are eco-friendly. You can actually customize all the shower settings to suit your lifestyle. It saves space. These are the showers which can include Touch screens, LCD displays, MP3 players, or colors coded lighting system that let you know when the water has reached the desired temperature. You could also have a TV Mirror, wherein you could turn your mirror into an LCD TV. Now that’s what we call luxury.

Digital showers

Circular shower rods give the illusion of more space

A TV Mirror

digital settings.

 

 

 

 

5. OTHER IMPORTANT TIPS 

  1. Place a large mirror in your bathroom as mirrors reflect light and give the optical illusion of more space.

 2. Paint the wall above shoulder level a darker color than the rest of the bathroom. The human eye usually sees above first, hence it gives the illusion of a higher ceiling.





 3. Make use of the height of the bathroom, as you do not have much space. Have cabinets from the floor to the 3/4th of the ceiling height.

 4. Make maximum use of the space on the counter top to keep small cute baskets or bowls for your toothbrush/ toothpaste or your other necessities.

5. Add a light to the area below your cabinet (toe space) to give it a hotel kind off experience.

6. Add a plant to your bathroom to give it liveliness.

7. Try out the Japanese hot toilet seat, it even cleans you.

8. Use adjustable task lighting in your bathroom and avoid light above the mirror as it would throw a strong light on your forehead.

9. Use task lighting on the dimmer mode as this will allow your eyes to adjust first thing in the morning and it will also help you wind down at night.

10. A magnifying wall mounted mirror would definitely help you out.

 Hopefully all these tips will help you achieve your desired shower experience.