Is your bathroom no more than a room where you shower or bathe? Do you not give much thought to its appearance or how it can really be used? Why not think of it instead as your own little private sanctuary—a place to escape to! What’s better after a hard day’s work than to relax the stress away and rejuvenate your spirits?

There aren’t many places in your home where you can actually escape the rest of the family. Often your young children follow along right on your heels and it’s difficult to get time to yourself. Everyone needs and deserves a little time now and then to unwind. Your bathroom provides the perfect spot to do this, but for it to be relaxing, you need to create the right atmosphere.

Get Rid of That Cold, Sterile Look
Sometimes bathrooms end up looking like, well, no more than just a bathroom. Is it decorated with nothing more than stainless-steel towel racks and toilet-paper holders—the works? Is everything in the room pretty basic and straightforward, with nothing too fancy? If this is the case, then here’s where you need to start.

The first step is to soften the look. This can be done by adding wrought-iron towel racks or white or pastel-colored wood. Lavender, sea foam, or another soft, relaxing shade is perfect for the walls. In terms of flooring, two great options are carpet and colorful ceramic tiles. If your linoleum is plain-looking and hardly noticeable, definitely consider updating your floors.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Look at your large bathroom mirror—does it look a little stark? Does your mirror just hang there with nothing around it? Then perhaps it’s time to make a change. As an alternative, hang a mirror trimmed with gold edges or place wallpaper border around it. Choose a border that contrasts with color of the walls. Another option is to completely change the shape. An oval mirror, for instance, adds a romantic touch.

Decorate the Tub
Spruce up that tub, especially if you’re lucky enough to have a garden tub or one with wide edges. For starters, set greenery around the edges. You can make the tub look really inviting with small ceramic pots filled with herbs and greenery. Include some votive candles in the arrangement, and you are ready to soak in a bubble-filled tubs, letting the delicious scents of the candles float your worries away. There’s nothing quite like filling the tub, lighting a few candles, and bathing in a warm candlelight glow.

Accents Pull It All Together
Pull your new bathroom together by adding a few accents. For the perfect touch, consider an oblong or square basket to hold a few bath towels. If you have room, add a small table, painting it a contrasting color and decorating it with stenciled flowers and greenery around the edges. Add some clear glass containers to hold cotton balls, Q-tips, and other items. If you have any attractive body splash and lotion bottles, you might display them as well. Of course, there’s always room for more plants and more candles. Just make the room your own.

It’s so much more relaxing to bathe in a room that’s both exquisitely beautiful and wonderfully smelling. Then there’s no need to jump in and out of the tub. Instead, you can to relax, unwind, and enjoy yourself. By taking along your favorite book or magazine and a glass of wine, you can make it the most peaceful part of your day! Who said bathroom décor needs to be boring?

Your home should be your refuge, a place to relax. Yet all too often people don’t feel comfortable in their own homes-why is this? Could it be the décor? Sometimes when we strive to make our homes as beautiful and stylish as possible, it all ends up looking a bit too contrived. So if you find that many of your home’s furnishings and accents are simply there for looks, you may want to consider a change.

Home Is About Making YOU Feel Good
Of course, you want your home to look attractive to others, but you need to ask yourself, at what price? If you can’t even stretch out and enjoy your own surroundings, then there’s a problem. Remember that this is your home and you should feel at home within it. Home is meant to be a place where families can relax, talk about the day’s activities, and enjoy life. In your home, you’re meant to feel totally at ease and happy in your surroundings.

You don’t have to necessarily use a certain style to decorate your home. Even if you favor cozy country accents and surroundings, that doesn’t mean you can’t include other items in the room, even if they don’t directly match the décor. All those quirky things placed here and there are what make your home uniquely individual and different.

Thus, by all means display any photos, tapestries, and other accents that are special to you. Sometimes rooms that are too refined look uncomfortable, Thus, eclectic décor is a great look. The goal is not to create a room where everything is perfect, as if nothing has ever been touched. Rather, you want the room to look lived in, to feel warm and inviting.

What About Color?
In décor and style, color plays a huge role. Everything you include in a décor is going to have color, where it’s a bold dramatic color like royal, red, or gold, or classic tan and beige. Soft pastels, botanicals, and other colors all have a real effect on your mood. Many people don’t realize just what an impact color can have. For instance, a bright, citrusy color will be refreshing and will lift your mood, whereas beige and tan hues are relaxing. With dramatic colors, you can really add elegance to the atmosphere.

Don’t be too hasty in deciding what colors to use in a room. Spend some time contemplating what effect different colors can have on you. When looking at a certain color, how does it make you feel? What are your favorite colors and why?

Then you can take some of those favorite colors and splash them on furnishings, walls, and accents around the room. Add some depth to a room by using several shades of the same color. Use a lighter shade to paint the walls, and then use deeper shades for doors, baseboards, and chair rails. It’s amazing how a simple change of color can make a room come alive.

It’s best to forget any rules when it comes to your home. In the end, what you want is a comfortable, relaxing space that you can look forward to coming home to at the end of a long day. So work to create a home that’s uniquely yours. Why go with a style or design that only mimics what your friends have?

Create an original style of your own. You will create a space you can feel at home in, and others will be impressed with your creative genius. After all, a home that’s just the way you like it is truly “home sweet home.”

When decorating a home, it can be difficult to find a style that you like and that will fit your home. It will often take people longer to come up with a decor style for a room than they will spend actually buying the items and decorating the room. Here are some great ideas that can help you find a fabulous style for you and your home.

Consider the Natural Style of Your Home
Some homes reflect a particular feel, which makes it easier to pick a style for the decor. If you live in an old country home, for instance, then you would go with a country or traditional style. On the other hand, a Southwestern theme would fit better with a home that’s built using Spanish-style architecture. Don’t feel that you absolutely have to follow these suggestions, but if you’re unsure about a decorating style, this is a great way to choose one.

Look Through Home Decorating Magazines and Books
You can find plenty of ideas for your home by heading to your local library and leafing through home decorating magazines and books. You want the style to be one you love and also one that fits the architectural style of your home. Keep in mind that you don’t need to settle on only one theme; rather, you can create a different style in each room of your home if you really want to. If you come across styles you like, jot down some notes. You might also make some photocopies for future reference.

Do Research on the Internet on Different Decorating Styles
A great way to research the different decorating styles you’re contemplating is to use the Internet. There should be lots of different decor pictures you can check out of all the various styles, and you’ll be able to find some articles and tips on decorating as well. This may help you narrow things down to one or two styles and then you can drop the rest of them.

Determine the Function of a Room Before Choosing a Decorating Style
You need to keep in mind that not every decorating style is going to match the purpose of a room. Modern decor, for instance, may not be appropriate for a family room where you’re looking for a comfortable space to relax, watch television, and play games. So think about what you really want from each room in the house before you start spending time and money on the project. It would be a shame to go through all the trouble of decorating and then realize in a few months that your decorating style doesn’t fit the function of the room. Then you’d have to start all over again.

Consider Who Is Living in the House
For those of you with pets or small children in your home, you may find that your options are somewhat limited. It’s important to consider who’s living in the home and who will be using the room before you decorate. Of course, the sky’s the limit if all you need to please is your spouse and yourself.

It may take some time and planning to choose a decorating style that fits your home and is something you will love, but it shouldn’t create stress. By using these guidelines, you can determine the best style for you. Then you will be able to enjoy spending time in your home day after day.