When it comes to decorating the bathroom, it is important to consider your own individual taste, and to consider the needs of your family as well. It is also important to consider the rest of the home decor, and to incorporate those designs into the design of the bathroom as well.

One of the most important things to consider is choosing a theme for your bathroom remodeling or redecorating project. There are of course many different themes homeowners can choose for their bathroom, from fun and frivolous to relaxing and romantic. It is important to consider you own style and taste when making this important decision.

After you have chosen a theme for your bathroom decorating project, it is important to shop for those products that best fit that theme. For instance, if you have decided that a fun and quirky theme works best, you may want to look for offbeat items, such as a rubber ducky shower curtain and some oversized yellow rugs and bath mats. If you have chosen a more serious and romantic theme you may want to look for gauze shower curtains and lush, fluffy throw rugs. You may even want to look at installing a romantic canopy over the tub, or installing a sliding glass door for added privacy.

Of course the tub, sink and shower themselves are important considerations as well, and it is important to look carefully at these items and determine if they need to be updated or replaced. It is important to look at the tub and shower enclosure and decide if a remodel or replacement is in order. If the tub and shower have begun to show their age, you may want to look at replacing them with newer ad more up to date styles. If, on the other hand, the tub and shower are still functional and in good shape, you may want to consider looking instead at inexpensive and effective ways to accent those items.

For instance, the simple addition of a new showerhead, such as a Thera Shower, new faucets and new wall decorations can make even the oldest and most tired bathroom come back to life. You may want to look at the current decor of the bathroom and consider ways to add new life to the old room. It can be quite amazing what a couple of simple little changes can do. So before you spend lots of money redecorating and redesigning your bathroom, look at the impact small changes can have, and spend your money accordingly.

It’s not too difficult to decorate this area though. You probably don’t want to go all out with an ornate decorating theme and make your bathroom look like a showcase… at least not until the kids are grown… but there are several things you can do now that will really spruce things up.

1. Put in matching bathroom accessories. Technically these don’t have to match completely, they just need to compliment each other somehow. And by accessories, I mean things such as a soap dish, trash container, towel holder, and toothbrush holder. You can even add mirrors and wall shelves if you’d like, but just putting in new soap dishes and towel holders often makes a drastic difference in the look of your bathroom. Don’t forget the toilet paper roll holder too, having a nice looking one really adds a finished, polished look to your bathroom decorating theme.

Bonus Tip: If you buy accessories in a solid, natural material you’ll have more versatility with your color scheme. Buying wood or brass accessories for instance, makes it easy to have multiple decorating themes to switch around with throughout the year, without having to change all the accessories each time.

2. Get some new towels and washcloths. These should either be a matching set, or individual ones that compliment each other too. And they need to tie in somehow with the new accessories you’ve put in.

If you’ve gone with the flexibility of wood, brass, or other universal accessories, your towels and washcloths can be virtually any color – or color combination – you’d like.

You don’t have to buy tons of towels and washcloths at once either. In fact, you can start with just one or two of each to use for display on your pretty, coordinated towel rack. You’re going for a decorating theme here, so making things pretty is a large part of the goal. If you’re able to buy multiple towels – or even entire sets at once, this will make you feel as if your new decorating theme is more complete. But it’s not required to start with, just buy enough to put on display if you’re short on money.

Also: Don’t forget the hand towels. These add a bit of polish and upscale elegance to any bathroom, particularly when they’re on display.

3. Put some potpourri or fake flowers around. These small touches are easy and inexpensive, but they really give your bathroom a more professionally decorated look. Pile a bit of potpourri into an extra soap dish that matches or compliments your other accessories, or lay flowers and greenery on a shelf beside a fluffy stack of towels. You can even weave greenery around various bottles that are on display in your bathroom, or around containers holding cotton balls and swabs too.

4. Put in a small area or throw rug. Even a tiny bathroom can use a rug… they’re almost always functional, and they can be quite pretty too. It’s a good idea to make sure the rug you choose is made of absorbent materials… particularly if you plan to place it in front of the bathtub or shower. If your bathroom is large enough, consider putting down several rugs. I personally prefer to have one in front of the toilet because the floor is cold, and one in front of the tub and shower too. You can also simply put the rug in the middle of the room as an accent piece.

When choosing rugs for your bathroom, be sure they match or compliment the color scheme somehow. If you’re primary color in the bathroom is sky blue but you have small amounts of midnight blue mixed into other things, it’s ok to choose a midnight blue rug. It’s even ok to choose a cream colored rug even if nothing else in your bathroom is cream colored – just make sure there’s a small amount of the sky or midnight blue in the rug and it’ll tie into the decorating theme almost automatically.

Myth #1 – The Rules of Interior Design Must be Followed

It should be clear if you watch any of the home improvement or interior design shows that are HGTV and DIY Network, that there are no hard and fast rules for Interior Design. Basic rules of house decorating can either be strictly followed, or left totally open to personal taste and interpretation.

However, one basic rule is to consider the locality and architecture of a home before developing a decorating design plan. A southwestern motif might be totally out of place in a New England Cape Cod style home, and vice versa for an adobe home in the desert Southwest.

Room use also is important to overall design. In the kitchen, for instance, the inclusion of the work triangle is critical for ease of movement and convenience. Unless you have extra rooms in your house, most rooms will serve a purpose (entertaining, eating, sleeping), so factor that into the design and allow for proper traffic flow and utilization.

Myth #2 – a Good Decorating Plan is Developed “as You Go”

The most common mistake that people make is that they just start buying furniture and accessories simply because they like them, and they don’t consider how they will work with other items in the room. Rather than just buying things as you find them, try to develop a clear design strategy that will allow you to search for items that will accent and highlight the other items in the room.

Don’t hesitate to enlist the service of an interior design professional to help define and develop your plan. Hiring a professional interior designer for either just consulting, or undertaking part or the entire project, can drastically enhance its overall success.

Myth #3 – a Good Decorating Project Should be Completed all at Once

Don’t hold on to the notion that everything has to be completed all at once. It is important to work on one room at a time, and start with the basics; but the overall design doesn’t have to be completed all at once. It is not uncommon to buy the larger ticket items first, then add the accent pieces later.

Develop a budget; consider what you can afford, and budget your purchases accordingly. While some homeowners have the luxury of being able to spend what they want when they want, and complete everything at once, most people have to complete decorating on a budget; on a “buy as you can” basis.

Myth #4 – a Decorating Plan Should Include all the Latest Trends

Don’t create a decorating theme around the latest trends and fashions.
It is important to incorporate your personal style preferences. Get ideas by looking through magazines, visiting home interior show floors, and viewing online resources to determine what styles and colors your most prefer.

For a well thought-out and successful home interior design, start with one room. Develop a floor plan on paper, complete with room dimensions and special features, such as closets or outlets, window size, window and door placement, etc.

Make a distinction between needs and desires. Depending upon room use, there are certain components considered essential; others considered suitable extras. In the kitchen – for instance – essentials might include cabinetry, counters, sink, stove, refrigerator, etc.

Elements considered extra include things like a work island, second sink (for rinsing and preparing fresh foods), corner breakfast nook area, etc. When working within a budget, essential room elements obviously take priority over any extras.

Myth #5 – a Good Decorating Plan Includes as Many Furnishings and Accents as Possible

Don’t overcrowd a design with unnecessary clutter and too many furnishings and accents. Filling a room with excessive furnishings takes away from the overall decorating theme and ultimately makes the room look smaller than it really is. Think about traffic flow in your design, and layout the room so that it is open and has a clear path for traffic.

Myth # 6 – Furnishings Should be Selected to Match Paint Colors

Don’t go out and start choosing furniture to match interior paint colors that are already there. Again, you should select a starting point and try to pick coordinating colors and fabrics that compliment whatever the starting point is.

Identify the use and function of the room before selecting furniture and accents. If a room will be used for multi-purposes, include elements associated with each use.

Purchase large elements first. For instance, carpets or rugs, window treatment, and living room furniture or dining room furniture. Use style, textile design, and colors of the large pieces to coordinate the rest. Consider all unifying elements; including wood tones, fabrics, and even room trim colors to coordinate your motif.

Myth #7 – Inexpensive Furnishings Help Increase Scope of Project

Don’t buy cheaper materials just so that you can remodel more than one room at a time. Try to purchase the highest quality furnishings and items you can afford, but keep in mind your lifestyle, and think long term; purchase well performing furnishings and fabrics that will last. Often what you will find is that cheaper materials will have a shorter lifespan, so think long-term in your design.

Pay special attention to quality of construction and materials best suited for long life and durable use. You don’t want to have to start replacing poorly made items after only a few years.

Myth #8 – Don’t overlook what is above you.

Another big mistake I see in novice interior design is the fact that they do not factor the ceiling into their design plan. White ceilings are about as interesting as a blank sheet of paper. Use any number of interesting options to dress up a ceiling; wood beams, wood planks, paint type, color, various dry wall texturing techniques, wall paper, upholstery, formed Victorian tin squares, glass or tile mosaic. The choices are only limited by your imagination.

By not trying to follow current trends, and going with what appeals to your own personal tastes, you will be well on your way to designing a home that you will enjoy for years to come.