We spend a great deal of time in the bathroom, but often fail to dress up the room we use so often!  For many, white walls and few accents leave the room looking like a hospital bath.  We shower, shave and relax the day’s stresses away in the tub, filled with bubbles or scented oils.  Why not make this room look and feel appealing?  This article offers tips and ideas for making your bath more appealing.

Remember, most guests that visit your home will see this room, so make the most of it!  Whether your bathroom is small or spacious, there are many things you can do to give it a fresh new look.

Tips for Small Baths
Do you have a tiny bathroom only big enough for the necessities?  Visually open up the small space by painting walls a light, soft pastel color.  Keep shower curtains, towels and any items that are visible colored in light hues.  If you have shelves or any other object that sticks out from the walls, remove them.  This helps open up straight, clean lines, which leads to a more spacious look.  Consider brighter lighting and additional mirrors to reflect light.

For the floors, keep things light as well.  A light colored linoleum or ceramic tile makes the room appear larger and more spacious.

Have a Large Bath?
With a larger bath, you have more options.  If you want a rich, elegant look, use dramatic color on the walls and add accents.  A rich burgundy wall accented with deep hues of blue and green is beautiful in a bath.  Coordinate your shower curtain, towels and other fabrics with the walls.  Frame your vanity mirror with molding for extra appeal.  Stripes and bold florals work well in a spacious bath.

Floors can be bold and dramatic in larger baths.  Intricately decorated ceramic tile adds even more depth and a rich, warm appeal.

Accents
Whether your bath is small or large, pictures add interest and depth.  In a small bathroom, keep prints light colored, with either metal frames or no frame at all so that things stay light.  Larger bathrooms can handle large pictures with dramatic or embellished frames adding to the rich, bold look.

In small bathrooms, minimize clutter.  The top of the vanity should be left bare, with all necessities such as toothpaste, shaving cream and lotions stored underneath.  This provides a clean, open appearance.  Larger bathrooms look beautiful when decorated with color coordinated candles and plenty of plants.  Candles also help make the room smell wonderful!

Whether your bath is small or large, consider stenciling patterns on the walls, or use a feather duster to create softly edged abstract patterns.  Just remember to keep paint colors light in the small bath.

Don’t ignore your bath!  It is one of the most frequented rooms of your home, and visitors are impressed when you take the time to make this room comfortable and stylish.  Put these tips and ideas to work for you, and your bathroom will be anything but average and dull!

Lighting can make a huge difference in the look and atmosphere of a home. Most people have ordinary lighting in their home, such as lamps, overhead lights, and so on. But many people don’t realize that a home’s lighting can completely change the feeling and the mood. You can create a warm ambiance instantly, without changing any of your décor. Certain types of lighting will not only add to the look of your home but can serve differing purposes as well.

Light Up Your Living Area
What type of lighting does your living or family room have? You probably have a few lamps sitting on a wood end table in there, maybe some overhead lights-perhaps even a lighted ceiling fan. Lamps can be gorgeous and should always be included as part of the home decorating scheme. If you can find the right ones, lamps can really enhance the beauty of any room.

Look at your living area. Do you have any particular areas that deserve special attention? With some small spotlights, you can make a trophy, a plant, or a beautiful antique collectible the focal point of the room. Just place the lights on a surface surrounding the area. Another option is dimming overhead lights, which allow you to occasionally set a romantic mood.

Other Areas That Deserve Special Lighting
The kitchen has long been a favorite place for everyone to gather. There are always friends, family, and guest congregating around the table for tea and coffee or to simply visit and enjoy each other’s company. Since a great deal of cooking and cleaning up are done in this room, the kitchen is one place that should be brightly lit.

For the dining room, a great touch is to place small decorative lamps on a side buffet. You also might want to install a dimmer switch that allows you to adjust the lighting. This will help you create the perfect romantic dinner just for the two of you. When you dim the lights and light a few candles, you can generate that intimate atmosphere you desire.

Another area where you want several lighting sources is the bedroom. You’ll definitely need good overhead lighting that lets you see clearly into all the drawers of your wood dresser, closets, and so on. Then for those of you who read before turning in for the night, you’ll also want a lamp on your bedside table. You might also include a very small candle lamp that creates an amber glow-the perfect touch on those cold winter nights when you want to cuddle up with your significant other.

What About the Bathroom?
You definitely want to include a source of bright light in the bathroom. After all, this is the place where men shave and women apply their makeup, so you need to be able to see clearly in here. Set a few candles around and consider a dimmer switch as well. This is an especially great feature if you happen to have a large garden tub in the room. Nothing is more relaxing than soaking in an oversized tub, particularly when you have delicate lighting helping to float away the stresses of the day. The scent from the candles can help ease away that anxiety and stress as well, adding a luscious fragrance to the room.

Lighting is not only an essential feature of a room, but it can completely transform the atmosphere of that space. Light can be used to highlight special areas in your rooms and, when used properly, will create a warm and welcoming ambiance in your home.

Most people would love to have a spa bathroom right in their home. A spa bathroom makes a great addition to any home; it can also be quite expensive to install. Completely renovating your bathroom to resemble the local spa is going to cost you. Fortunately, there are some affordable tricks you can do to create a spa-like bathroom on a budget.

Install the Right Lighting
When it comes to the bathroom, lighting plays a major role. After all, adequate lighting is necessary for such things as putting on makeup or brushing and flossing your teeth. At the same time, for a spa atmosphere, you don’t want light that is too bright disturbing you. To create a lighting compromise, install a dimmer switch for your bathroom lighting. This way, you can have full light for everyday tasks but also dimmed lighting to set the mood when you are relaxing in the tub.

Keep Things Clean and Organized
If your spa bathroom is a mess and nothing is organized, you are not going to be able to relax. First, be sure that you have a spot for everything in the bathroom. You might add baskets and bins to the shelves and cabinets, which will help keep things organized. If you like, make your organization stylish by adding wicker baskets and painted shelves to the room.

Add the Right Accessories
Accessories don’t have to cost a lot, and they can make all the difference in a décor.

• An easy way to create a spa ambiance is by adding candles around the bathtub and the rest of the bathroom.
• Other things such as flower arrangements and air fresheners are also great additions.
• Install a radio or CD/MP3 player in the bathtub or place one on a shelf nearby for some soothing and relaxing music.
• A luxurious bath mat near the tub will keep your feet from hitting the cold tile after a bath.
• A water feature, such as a small fountain, can also set a relaxing mood for a spa bathroom.
• Surround that small fountain with a few small plants to create your very own oasis in your bathroom.

Choose Peaceful Colors for the Room
Neutrals and pastels are the best color options for a spa bathroom, especially for the main wall colors. Don’t pick anything too loud or vibrant, such as red or bright yellow, for the walls and décor. Remember, you’re trying to create a peaceful feeling that will best come from lighter colors and neutrals.

Peaceful doesn’t necessarily mean boring, however. You can add splashes of color with towels, candles, flowers, and other décor items. Paint is very inexpensive. By simply painting over a dark or vibrant color with a neutral or pastel, you can easily change the entire look and feel of the room.

When creating a spa bathroom in your home, you don’t have to spend as much money as you think. When you apply a little creativity and work with what you already have in the room, you’ll find that there are plenty of ways that you can create a spa feeling in your bathroom without breaking your budget.

Most bathrooms are designed for adults. But if you have a kids’ bathroom in your home, you might have to adjust your focus when it comes to decorating. It’s not that difficult to create a bathroom perfect for a child, particularly if you remember who you are decorating for and address any problems your children may have with your ideas.

Accessibility Is Key
If you are creating a bathroom for your child, it’s important to make sure that your child will actually be able to use the bathroom by himself. There are many different ways by which you can make the room more accessible, especially for those younger children. Simple things like a kid-friendly faucet or cabinet pulls can instantly create a more accessible bathroom for your child. Place a stepstool in the bathroom if your child can’t reach the sink by himself, or consider lowering the height of the counter and sink.

Make the Bathroom Safe
A bathroom can actually be a pretty dangerous place for a child. If you want peace of mind when your child goes to do things by herself in her own bathroom, it’s a good idea to make the room as safe as possible.

• If there’s a shower, be sure to install non-slip adhesive decals or a mat for your child.
• Place a cover over the faucet and bathtub spout that will control the temperature of the water and prevent scalding.
• Don’t place items up high that your child will have to climb to reach.
• Don’t place toothbrushes and other items above the toilet or sink; put them down lower in a cabinet.

Add Plenty of Storage
A child can accumulate a lot of items in one bathroom. The key to getting your child to keep the bathroom neat is to have plenty of organized storage in the room. As with anywhere, if children have a specific place to put something away, then they will be more likely to do so. Use plastic baskets and bins for larger items and then drawer organizers and bins for smaller ones. A separate bucket for tub toys is also a great idea, so they’re not all over the bathtub.

Sharing Is Possible in a Child’s Bathroom
Don’t worry if more than one child will need to share the bathroom. You can avoid a lot of problems by keeping things organized and labeled. For instance, give each child his or her own basket or bin on its own shelf, which will prevent confusion over whose item is whose. If you have a larger bathroom, you might want to even consider installing a double sink in the room, which will prevent fights when everybody is getting ready. Ask each child for design ideas. This way everyone will feel like they’ve had a say in the bathroom’s décor.

You’ll be surprised how fun it is to design a child’s bathroom, particularly when you get your child involved in the process. This is a great project that you and your child can plan and create together, resulting in a special bathroom specifically designed for your child.