Make the most of your place with your own bathroom design ideas

Having your own place is cool because you can set it up however you would want to. When I was younger, I told myself that I would cover my house in pink and have a stable for ponies at the back of my house. Fast forward a couple of decades later, I can’t say I still share that same view, especially with my downtown Manhattan apartment. Still, I like the freedom associated with making your own choices, as opposed to when I was younger and the only thing I can really customize is my own room.

As an interior designer, I have done a lot of work for whole houses and apartment spaces, as well as give advice to some of my friends and family. A question that is often asked is regarding the bathroom and how to make it look like the ones in those lifestyle magazines and home improvement websites. Now that people have the freedom to make whatever they want of their homes, they seem to be stumped with what they should actually do. In cases like these, I give them a few bathroom design ideas to spark their imagination.

Ideas for Bathroom Design at Work

There are many factors to consider when employing bathroom design ideas for your bathroom. The size of the size and shape of the room can work for your advantage, depending on the design you have in mind. For example, there are some designs that would look nice on a small rectangular room that just won’t apply to a large L-shaped bathroom. The secret is to own the space and let it dictate the design. Keep an open mind for exciting design possibilities and not just stick to something specific.

The thing you have to remember with bathroom spaces, though, is that they’re just like any other room in your house. Don’t think that just because there’s water and plumbing involved that you have to treat them differently. Instead, think of your bathroom pieces, such as the sink, the toilet, and the shower as if they were furniture. As such, designing a bathroom, as in any room, requires the culmination of aesthetic appeal and functionality among the different components therein.

Good bathroom design ideas will make any space pop!

Design Ideas Bathroom Spaces You Can Actually Use

For small bathrooms, the bathroom design idea trick is to make your space appear large than it actually is. As such, an important piece to use is a lot of glass and mirrors. Install a huge wall sized mirror in one side of your bathroom so as to create an illusion of space that extends indefinitely. This giant mirror will also come in handy especially when grooming yourself or trying out clothes for a night out with friends. My Asian friend, Asa, tells me though that putting a mirror directly in front of a door is bad luck according to old Chinese traditions, so you might want to take that advice in consideration if you are superstitious.

For larger bathrooms, I suggest you take advantage of the space and furnish it as you would any other room. Firstly, use paneled tiles so it doesn’t seem like an ordinary bathroom (because it really isn’t). You can opt to have wall to wall tiles or you can choose to leave a certain wall un-tiled and opt for a stylish water resistant wall paper instead, preferably one with an interesting pattern that would certainly attract attention of both guests and regular house dwellers alike every time they set foot on the bathroom.

Bathroom design ideas should make you feel at home

A Little More on Bathroom Ideas and Design

Lastly, subtle furnishings would make the bathroom look as if it were more than just a place to relieve oneself from the stresses of everyday life. A hanging magazine rack, for example, would look nice above the toilet or within reach of your bathtub. For a more dramatic effect, add lighting that would provide an afterglow effect behind the rack so that it would seem as if it was glowing. Opting for a marine carpet is also a good alternative to tiles because they are water resistant and would look good in your bathroom, not to mention feel comfortable for your feet.

The point of designing your bathroom is not just to make it look presentable for other people but to actually make you feel comfortable when you’re using it. I know you’ll say that you’re comfortable with your bathroom the way it is now, but don’t you want to make it look better while feeling good about it? Someone reading (maybe you) would crack a joke that spending money would immediately make you feel bad, but believe me when I say you should at least give it a chance. Remember, nothing worth having comes easy or cheap, and the same applies with your bathroom set-up.