While a bathroom may be on the bottom of the list when it comes to decorating, it is the room where you indulge in a relaxing shower or soak in the tub to while away the cares of the day.  A country themed bathroom is charming and relaxing, the perfect place to enjoy an hour-long soak in a tub filled with aromatic oils.  Below you will find some great ideas for transforming an ordinary bath in to one that indulges all of your senses.

Decorate with those things you love

Just because a magazine tells you exactly how to decorate your bathroom to achieve a country or primitive look doesn’t mean you have to follow the directions to the letter!

The most important thing to keep in mind is that you want the room to reflect your own personality by using those things you truly love.  You may enjoy a primitive country look, or simple things like wicker baskets, wood floors and an old-fashioned claw foot tub rather than what you see in stylized pictures.

Consider the size of your bath as well as your budget when transforming the bath into a country retreat.

Warm up the floor

In a country bath, anything from wide plank wood floors to laminates and vinyl with a worn look work great.  The real decorative touch comes by adding rag or braided rugs with a country appeal.

If you do choose wood floors, make sure they are approved for use in the bathroom where excess moisture and humidity are often a problem.

Beadboard – perfect for country walls

For authentic country appeal, consider beadboard on the walls.  Narrow pine planks applied about half way up the wall add charm and beauty.  Paint the beadboard white and finish the remainder of the walls off with a soft country blue, sage green or butter yellow.

Consider a wallpaper border or stencil for the top of the walls around the edges to complete the look.  An old-fashioned peg board is the perfect place to hang robes, bath towels or other country accents.

Remodel the vanity

If you have the money, nothing speaks “country” like a pedestal sink!  Surrounded by a ruffled skirt, this is one factor that really contributes to an authentic country look.  Extra storage exists behind the skirt; consider hanging an oval mirror over the sink to complete the vintage look.

If you don’t have the money to purchase a pedestal sink, consider refinishing wood cabinet doors and the top of the vanity using materials that offer a rural or rustic look.

Accessories

Depending on the size of your bathroom, accessories can complete the look.  If space allows, bring in a straight-backed wood chair to hold extra towels, a country floral arrangement and candles.  This is a beautiful focal point when placed in one corner of the room.

Green plants are perfect in any type of decor; spruce up the room with randomly placed plants and vines in various sizes.

Wicker baskets also add charm to a country-style bath, so place them on the vanity, on the floor, on shelves – anywhere there is room.  Fill with scented soaps, potpourri, luxurious body lotions, etc.

Creating a country style bathroom is easy!  Decide whether you want your bath to be pure country, primitive or even country chic and go to town with your ideas.  You’ll have fun, and your bathroom will be the perfect retreat after a long, hard day.

In a small bathroom, adding accessories to give the room an elegant look may be out of the question because space is so limited.  Many bathrooms are very small, leaving room only to walk to the toilet, bathtub or sink.  If this is the case with your bath, there are plenty of ways to open it up and make it look more spacious.  The ideas and tips below will help you transform your tiny bathroom in to one that looks bright, airy and open.

Consider replacing the fixtures

If you’re doing a complete remodeling job or simply want to add more space, remove your existing sink and vanity combination and replace it with a pedestal sink.  This gives the room a much larger appearance because it doesn’t have a bulky look.  If you currently have a bathtub and need only a shower, consider replacing the existing tub with a shower stall, saving lots of room.

Color large areas with light, neutral colors

Many people have the misperception that bold or dark colors should not be used in small bathrooms.  They are wrong!  Bold colors give a room its spark, but you want to use them sparingly in a small bath.

Keep floors, walls and ceiling painted in a light color.  For example, a light neutral cream shade is perfect for the walls; paint the ceiling white so that it brightens the room further.  Look for flooring that is light and neutral colored as well; tile and linoleum are best in a bathroom due to the moisture and humidity levels.

A small room doesn’t necessarily mean small accessories

In a small bathroom, large accents look best.  Having many smaller accessories simply makes the room look cluttered, which is what you want to avoid.  A few well chosen larger accents add a punch of color and drama to the room without making it look cluttered.

For the largest wall, consider a large framed picture or wall mirror.  A large oval or square wall mirror framed in brass or pewter is elegant and stately.  If you decide on a large picture, make it one that is filled with intense color.

Other than that, all you need is a green plant for a corner and coordinating towels, shower curtain and bath rug.  This is another area where you can add color; towels and bath rugs can be boldly colored to add further richness to the room.  Stick to smaller patterns which won’t overwhelm the space when selecting a shower curtain.

If you currently have a clothes hamper in your bathroom, remove it and replace it with a smaller basket.  You may even want to keep a laundry basket in a linen closet or another out of sight location, so that you don’t have to take away from the floor space in the bath.

The most important thing to remember when visually opening up a small bathroom is to keep walls, floors and ceilings light, as light colors reflect and make a room look larger.  Add bold splashes of color sparingly, and you will have a brand new bath that is large in both style and appeal.

In the 1950′s, pink was a very popular color for bathrooms; it indicated prosperity and wealth.  While pink hasn’t been the “it” color for bathrooms in a decade, it’s once again in vogue.  The old saying that “everything old is new again” certainly holds true for this vibrant color.  Pink makes people feel prosperous and happy, perhaps the very reason that it is making a come back is that we are experiencing times that are not so prosperous.

Shades of pink are deeper and more vibrant

Unlike the Pepto Bismol shades of pink that were popular in the 50′s, today’s varieties of pink are rosy and rich.  Rose shades are known to make people feel vibrant and more attractive, perhaps another reason more and more people are inclined towards including pink in the bath.

From pastel bubble-gum pink to rose, carnation and burgundy shades, consider putting some pink in your bathroom.  It’s a huge transformation from the more muted shades of the past, and one that will definitely give your bath a fresh new “uplifted” look.

Pink – perfect for the feminine or nostalgic bath

It’s only natural that pink is the perfect color for a bathroom that leans toward all that is feminine.  Floral shower curtains, pink and white polka dot accessories, all of these things add a bit of drama and whimsy to a bath.

On the flip side, pink shades can also create a nostalgic feeling of old times.  A pink poodle shower curtain paired with ceramic poodle figurines, pink bath towels contrasted with white offers an old-time atmosphere.  Who say’s you can’t go home again?

Hoping for a rich look?

Various shades of pink are perfect for a look that is rich and elegant, but not too feminine.  Think of rose and burgundy shades.  Cream colored walls contrasted with burgundy and cream shower curtains, an abstract rug full of different shades of pink, burgundy trim and even curtains in a burgundy and cream with a little pale pink thrown in the mix.

By varying the shades from light to dark and adding plush accessories, the room will have depth and texture, creating a rich, elegant look.  Deep forest green also blend well in this color scheme.

If you’re afraid to go all-out pink, try adding just a few light touches here and there.  You can use a base color theme that includes shades of cream or antique white, and throw in a little pink through picture frames and hand towels.  How much pink you decide to use is totally up to you and your preferences.

Additionally, you may want to add a few natural touches such as green plants, white wicker baskets and round or square pillar candles to complete the look and add a soft, somewhat romantic flair to the room.

Now that pink is “hot” again, have fun decorating your bathroom!  Start out light, and then keep adding touches of pink gradually until you reach a look that is balanced and eye-catching without looking over-done.

If you are one of those do-it-yourself kind of people, there are many ways you can give your bathroom a whole new look, even if you have little to no money to spend.  While your bath isn’t a room you worry about too much when it comes to decorating, you want it to look nice.  If yours has seen better days and you just don’t have the money to renovate it, here are a few easy ideas that will transform your bath to one you will love quickly and easily.

Cheap sheets equal a unique look

Have a few of those low thread count bed sheets stored away in a closet?  Nothing makes a better shower curtain!  Whether you have solids, stripes or florals, it’s easy to construct a new shower curtain for your bath.

Making the ties to attach to your shower curtain rod is easy as well; simply use bias tape cut into 8 inch strips and sew them to the sheet at 10 to 12 inch intervals.

Another great idea for those sheets you no longer use:  Cut long strips from a sheet that matches the “shower curtain” you made and then sew them along the bottom of your solid colored towels to create a border.  Your new towels will look great, and will really dress up the bathroom.

Garage type metal shelving makes a great addition to the bathroom

If your husband has more of those metal “utility shelves” in the garage than is necessary, steal one of them and create a unique shelve for the bathroom.  Spray paint it a glossy or flat shade that matches the bathroom decor, then add candles, spare wash cloths, jars and bottles of lotions, a basket filled with scented soaps, potpourri and other goodies.

Refinish a linoleum floor

Can’t afford new vinyl?  Just paint your old floors and add patterns with stencils!  You can use paint on tile and linoleum floors; just use 2 to 3 coats of paint, let them dry thoroughly and then apply 2 to 3 coats of polyurethane for shine and protection.

Add a relaxing and romantic touch to the tub

Here’s a really great idea that you will love!  Take a mirror that is approximately 4 feet long (like those you typically hang on the back of the door to check how you look after dressing) and hang it horizontally across the wall beside the tub!  This will make the bathroom look larger, and it adds a unique touch to the tub space.  Mount a shelf underneath the mirror to hold candles, shampoo, soap, body wash, and other toiletries.

There are many affordable ways to update the look of your bathroom without spending much money.  Craft curtains for the bathroom windows out of sheets or even old scraps of lace; clear the clutter off of the top of the vanity, add a large potted plant to one corner of the room.

Put these ideas to use in your home and you will find that you can completely transform the look of your bath with very little expense.

A tropical-themed bathroom can be fun for the kids, or it can transform your bathroom in to a relaxing tropical paradise.  Whether you have a small bathroom that just needs to be brightened up a bit or a large bath that you wish to completely renovate, the ideas below will help you achieve the fresh look.

Choosing a color theme

Using the right colors is essential in creating a tropical appeal.  Whether you want a look that is bright and energizing or one that is soothing, color sets the mood.

If your desire is to inject lots of fresh energy into the room, use bright shades such as orange, lemon yellow and lime green.  Coral and hot pink are colors you may want to consider if you desire a more feminine touch.

For a soothing, relaxing look consider soft blues, sand shades and the rich gold shades that call Hawaii to mind.

Fabrics add to the tropical mood

In tropical decorating you want to use natural elements and fabrics.  Bamboo, glass and woven grass blinds for the windows increase the island appeal.  A bamboo laundry hamper, waste basket and magazine rack are nice accents; when it comes to lighting, consider capiz shell fixtures which will add to the elegant tropical atmosphere.

Accents complete the look

The accents you use in your tropical bathroom will add depth and further appeal to the island theme.  Consider botanical prints for the walls, depicting coconuts, palm trees and island scenes.  Brushed gold wall sconces add elegance and dress things up a bit.  A grouping of pillar candles adds a spa-like atmosphere and certain types of plants bring to mind lush tropical foliage.

Keep the floor in your bathroom light for the best effect.  Ceramic tiles or linoleum in light shades work perfectly.  Bath and toilet rugs should blend with the shower curtain you choose.  Choose one color from the pattern in your shower curtain, and use that color for rugs, towels and other materials in the room.

A tropical theme can be fun or luxurious and inviting.  Depending on which look you desire, consider fish, tropical island patterns, and even antique boat models.  Fish netting and striped beach towels are other choices you may want to employ.

Natural textures and the elements from outdoors come together to create a look that can be bright and fun, or totally relaxing and elegant.  Think bamboo, shells, ocean blue, coconuts, and palm trees – all things you would find if you were to actually visit a tropical island.  Thumb through magazines and you will find many creative ideas that will help you design the perfect look for your bathroom!

Imagine relaxing in a hot bubble bath, candles lit, surrounded by the peaceful and serene scenery of a tropical island paradise.  This room will be your favorite of all, and one you will look forward to at the end of the day.  Not to mention how impressed your guests will be by your creative touch.

While you may not think of your bathroom when it comes to decorating your home, it is an important room that should not be overlooked.  After all, it is a room that your family and friends visit often!  It’s also where you may take a long, hot bath after a hard, stressful day, so you want it to be as beautiful and relaxing as possible.  The ideas below will help you design a bathroom that may possibly be the most appealing room in the house!

Choose colors first

Before you do anything, it is essential that you choose your color theme.  This will help you in choosing accessories later on, so that all of the colors complement each other.

It’s best to limit your color selection to 3 colors; this way, the room doesn’t look overwhelming.  If your bathroom is small, choose light shades such as sand, peach and soft pastel green or blue; if you have a fairly large bathroom, you can use bolder, darker colors.

The first accessory you buy – a shower curtain

Why buy your shower curtain first?  This is usually the largest, most colorful accent in the room.  If you choose a shower curtain you love, you have the basis for the colors you will use throughout your decor.

It is fine to use a shower curtain with a solid color, but one designed with several colors adds a splash of vibrancy and brightens up the room.

Paint the walls

While you can use wallpaper in your bathroom, it’s usually best to use paint, as the humidity and dampness in a bathroom can make it difficult to get wallpaper to stay up without peeling back at the edges.

Choose a wall color that closely matches one of those found in your shower curtain; you may want to use some of the techniques popular today to give the wall texture, such as rag rolling or sponging.

Add accents to pull the room together

Bath rugs, towels and other accessories should complement the room.  In order to make your accents stand out, avoid matching your towels and rugs to the color of the walls; instead, match them to another color in the shower curtain.

Add a few accents, but don’t over-do it; adding too many pictures and knick-knacks will make the room look cluttered; something you want to avoid especially if your bathroom is small.

A basket in one corner of the room containing rolled up towels or washcloths adds an additional splash of color.  Add botanical prints or any pictures that blend with your decorating theme on a single wall.  A mirror on the wall opposite a window reflects light and makes the room look larger.

Decorating your bathroom is easy, as you can see from this article.  It doesn’t have to involve a major investment when you want to give your bathroom a whole new look!  Your family and friends will enjoy the refreshing change when they visit this “essential” room – and you will relish in the beautiful surroundings while enjoying a long bubble bath!

Whether your bathroom is small or large, you can give it a modern, clean look by using straight lines and minimal color.  This style of decor often makes smaller bathrooms appear more spacious, due to the lack of bold color and curved or intricate shapes.

Clean, bold lines and bright lighting give your bathroom an elegant look that doesn’t look fussy or cluttered.

When it comes to color, less is more

The colors you use in a modern bathroom should be light, or even white.  This is particularly true if your bathroom is small; combine white with light aqua or soft green.  If you have a spacious bathroom, it is fine to incorporate bolder colors such as black, red or gray with white.

The use of pattern should be kept to a minimum as well, especially if your bathroom is small.  When it comes to tiles and mosaics, stick to solid light colors with no intricate patterns or designs.

Clean, uncluttered lines

The most important element of a modern bathroom is clean, sleek lines.  Look at your vanity top, windows, even the wall shelves you may have in your bath.  Are the lines all alike?  Straight, horizontal lines work best in a modern bathroom, so avoid wavy lines.  If your counter top is a rectangle shape, try to keep windows, shelves and tables to the same shape.  This allows the space in your bathroom to “flow” easily from one area to the next.  You can also use an oval shape, as long as it is reflected throughout the room.

Bright lights open up small spaces

If your bathroom tends to be on the smaller side, open it up further with bright lighting.  Avoid the use of colored lights, and stick to white lights around the vanity mirror and in ceiling fixtures.

For larger bathrooms, it is okay to use colored ceiling lights; in either case, you may want to consider a skylight to really allow natural light to flow in and brighten the room.

Accents and accessories

In any room that is decorated with a modern theme, keep accents to a minimum; this is especially true in the bathroom.  Your goal is to create a room with sleek, modern lines that are unbroken by lots of knick-knacks or clutter.

Whether your bathroom is small or large, a bath rug and one or two bamboo plants in wicker containers are usually all you need to complete the look.  Simple window treatments are best; you may want to place a simple print on one wall as well, but make sure the shape of the frame coordinates with the rest of the room.

Clutter:  Not allowed!

No one likes a cluttered, messy looking bathroom, but this is particularly true of the modern style of decorating.  Keep clutter out of the floor, and especially off of the vanity.  Keep lotions, toothpaste, shaving cream, hair brushes and other items in a drawer or underneath the vanity so that they are out of sight.  You want the top of your vanity to embody a clean, sleek look that is completely uncluttered.

When decorating any room in the modern style, just remember to keep things simple.  White, light colors and simple lines work best.  Remove the clutter, and don’t over-do it with accessories.  This is one of the easiest looks to accomplish, and your home will always look organized and clean, even when it may not be as spotless as it looks!

Most people would love to have a large, spacious bathroom that could accommodate everything from a chair and accent table to a make-up vanity and large, lush plants; however, most bathrooms simply aren’t this spacious.  If you have a bathroom that has just enough room for you to turn around, these tips will help you transform it into a bathroom that will not only look larger, but one you’ll actually enjoy.

Start off with color

Color is perhaps the most important element of making small rooms look larger and vice-versa.  For an extremely small bath, keep the colors light; pastel shades of peach, blue, lavender and soft yellow work well, as does a neutral cream color.

Keep the color of the walls light, and add interest by trimming out woodwork such as baseboards and door facings in white for contrast.

Eliminate anything that “sticks out”

Most homeowners add their own touches to a room; this is particularly true when trying to make a bathroom look pretty.  If you have placed shelves on the walls for what-nots, lotions, towels, pictures and other accents, take them down.  Anything that sticks out and interrupts the appearance of the straight lines of the walls should be removed.  You will be amazed at how this single trick opens up the room to make it appear more spacious!

Give the impression of a higher ceiling

A high ceiling makes a room appear larger, but of course you don’t want to go to the work or expense to actually raise your ceiling.

You can give the illusion of a higher ceiling by painting a lattice or molding design around the border of the wall next to the ceiling!  Do this by actually applying lattice or crown molding around this area, and then paint it to match the ceiling.  The extended color of the ceiling on to the upper portion of the walls will visually raise the height of the ceiling, giving your bathroom a more open look.

Take away those visual “blocks”

If your bathtub or shower has a fiberglass or glass door that is opaque, remove it and replace it with clear glass.  Alternately, you may want to remove doors altogether and simply use a shower curtain that can be pulled back when not in use.

By removing doors, the eye can see to the farthest wall which makes the bathroom look much bigger than it actually is.

Mirrors reflect light and add space

This is an old trick most people already know, but just to remind you:  mirrors expand space!

Since mirrors reflect anything they are facing, try to find a space where it will actually be facing a window.  The reflected sunlight will make your bathroom look incredibly larger, and the brightness enhances the “light” airy look of the room.

Keep the floors a light color if possible, and eliminate clutter.  Lots of “little” things make any room look messy, and detract from the spacious, open look.

Try a few of these ideas in your bathroom; you will be amazed at what a difference a few small changes can make!

Are you tired of the plain old bathroom in your house?  Perhaps the colors are a bit bland, or you’re simply ready for a new look.  While the idea of chocolate brown in a bathroom may leave you a little puzzled, it’s actually a warm color that adds a hint of comfort and relaxation – perfect for those nights when you want to indulge your senses with a long, hot bubble bath!

Consider colors – and your spouse

Often couples will disagree on colors for any room.  By using chocolate brown, you can incorporate other colors to add a vibrant bold touch.  Chocolate is a great color for the walls, but doesn’t work as well on smaller bathrooms.

If your bathroom is small, consider a sand or cream shade for the walls.  Both light and dark shades of chocolate can be used to give your bathroom interest and appeal, and prevent it from looking “flat.”  For darker chocolates, use color with sheen to liven things up a bit.

Walls look beautiful when painted a soft cream color surrounded by chocolate trim; think about painting your vanity in two tones, a light and dark chocolate.  You can paint the cabinet underneath a lighter or darker shade, and then use the contrasting color on the top of the vanity.

Beautify the walls

Nothing lights up a room quite like the right wall decor.  Accents for the bath could include mirrors framed in bronze or gold, which blend perfectly with shades of chocolate brown.

Animal prints containing leopards are a good choice if you prefer things more on the exotic side.  When painting the walls, consider adding more texture through sponging or stenciling techniques.

Update the accessories

When it comes to the small things, bold color makes a huge impact!  For toothbrush or tissue holders, drinking cups and waste containers, think rusty orange or teal; both of these colors are exquisite when combined with shades of brown, and keep the look fresh.  You will also want to find a bath rug and shower curtain that blend well with the decor.

Select hand and bath towels in solids or stripes consist of chocolate shades, cream, gold and rusty orange or teal.  It is important that you use only one color in addition to your chocolate, gold and cream tones; this keeps the look uniform and prevents the bathroom from looking overwhelming.

If you do choose a leopard theme, be sure to carry this through with shower curtain, towels and bath rugs.  You don’t want a leopard print shower curtain and a bath rug striped in rusty orange and gold!

Can you picture in your mind how relaxing and warm this room looks?  Soft creams and chocolate browns injected with bronze or gold; sparks of rusty orange or teal capture the attention of the eye – it’s heavenly!  Use your own imagination, and you will find that decorating your bath in chocolate brown is anything but boring.

Most people love the beauty and freshness of fall.  The air is crisp, the colors vibrant, and the atmosphere is filled with the promise of holidays to come.  Are you looking to give your bathroom a fall flavor?  In a single weekend, you can totally transform your bath from a traditional, simple look to one filled with warm, rich color.  Many people tend to overlook a bathroom, but this is a mistake since it is a room visited often by both family members and visitors!

Color the walls beautiful

Paint is one of the easiest (and most affordable) ways to transform the look of a room.  For the walls, think soft amber or pumpkin orange.  Paint baseboards and other trim a cream or white to really set the walls apart.

Pictures and prints should include elements of autumn; leaves, trees, a fall landscape of the mountain trails – anything consistent with fall and the changing colors.  You might also consider adding texture to the walls by sponging or stenciling leaves along the top border of the wall.

Hang a hand-crafted wreath on a large wall or even the back of the bathroom door for more color!  A simple grapevine wreath decorated with dried flowers, acorns, berries and pine cones offers a taste of fall atmosphere.

Add a few fall-themed accents

Decorate your vanity mirror by hanging a garland of fall leaves over the top; alternately, you may want to wind the garland through knick knacks on a wall shelf.  If you have the floor space, a wicker or bamboo basket filled with brilliantly colored artificial fall leaves adds a festive touch.  Lusciously scented candles can be placed on the vanity, on a wall shelf or even on the back of the toilet.

You may also want to consider artificial pumpkins and gourds as bathroom decor.  Just place a variety of sizes in a napkin lined basket and place it on a large vanity or where you have floor space.  A plaid napkin containing shades of amber, brown, orange and yellow makes the perfect backdrop!

Change up your towels

Towels are often used as decor in a bathroom; they may be folded along with washcloths and placed on a shelf, or hung from a “spare” towel rod just to add a splash of color to the room.  Think about buying a few large towels, hand towels and washcloths in autumn shades to add to the richness of the scene.

You can add texture to the floors with a boldly colored bath rug.  Consider a wood shade for the bathroom window, flanked by bath towels hung with wooden clothespins for a unique and attractive flair!  Find a new shower curtain that blends with the colors and theme of the room, and you’re all done.

Incorporate some of your own creative ideas, and you will have a bathroom bursting with the warm, inviting essence of fall.