Bathroom Home Decor Design Basics

The bathroom can be a great place to test out new designs, do a cheap home renovation or start your first decorating project, simply because the bathroom is the smallest room in the house. That translates into less overhead, less labor and less money spent. Best of all mistakes are not so costly and can be quickly and quietly replaced. But as with any home improvement makeover project, it’s best to create a cost breakdown list of every item first. This way, you’ll be certain to know exactly what goes into your project-and how much it costs.

And that includes everything, from tile to cabinets to home d?�cor. Before you begin your bathroom makeover, its best to draw a picture of the design you really want. You don’t have to be a master artist; a rough sketch with the colors you want will suffice. Mixing and matching colors with designs on paper first will allow you to see what colors work and which ones won’t with your design theme. Computer design programs are available as well that can really help you to see what your new bathroom might look like by adding colors, cabinets, tiles and other effects to an actual photo of your bathroom.

Bathroom materials like tile, faucets, light fixtures, counter tops, cabinets, tubs and toilets can be very expensive to replace when your design theme becomes boring or goes out of date. It’s best to incorporate basic and neutral colors like white, eggshell or cream to keep colors looking fresh, even when design elements change over the years. Tile can be replaced for a price, but it’s not very good when painted. When choosing tile colors to compliment your d?�cor, light earthy tones help capture most design themes and colors and stay fresh for years to come.

Cabinetry is the same way. Choosing colors that stay fresh over the years can be tough. Light or dark wood colors blend well with most other bathroom colors. Painted cabinetry can be very versatile when cabinet colors become old and dated. Simply break out the paint brush and change it to another color. By thinking outside of the box, design ideas like using an old Victorian era dresser for a vanity and adding a basin sink and faucet to the top can easily be done in your bathroom design on the cheap and look like it cost a fortune.

Once you’ve got a basic design down on paper, bathroom accessories like soap dispensers or towel bars can be added to the design. Many of these items are a no brainer when it comes to placement in the bathroom. But larger accessories like wicker basket hampers and jewelry stands are often tough to place. When drawing a basic design, cut out scale drawings of these larger bathroom items so they can be manipulated into the best place possible-or eliminate them entirely.

That also applies to vertical bathroom hardware as well. House coat hooks, towel bars and pictures can all be shifted in any bathroom design, so keep an open mind when it comes to moving around these objects. Even the bathroom shelf that clings to the wall can be moved into a position on paper, you may not have envisioned in your mind.