Do You have an Ugly, Impersonal Bathroom? How to Personalise it and Make it Look more Chic

It's normal for you to look at your own bathroom and be critical at times ? everyone has those moments. We often think of a bathroom as a place where the simple necessities are done, and accept the fact that designers usually make their blueprints with those things (and only those things) in mind. Nevertheless, there's a lot more that can be done.

Often it's only when we look at bathrooms in magazines or in high-end places such as hotels and private clubs that we realise our own bathroom does indeed lack something ? perhaps several things. Do you have an ugly, impersonal bathroom? Do you want to change that? Here's how to personalise it and make it look more chic.

Checking your budget

We?re all limited with our own budget, and it's an important thing to be clear about it ? to yourself and to others. Decide on your budget and stick with it. Whilst we certainly wouldn?t recommend skimping on important bathroom essentials such as shower cubicles (it's an investment into the home, after all), you'really needn?t spend too much to have a big impact. Here are some ideas.

Add comfortable seating

Step into a bathroom of a high-end setting (such as in an expensive hotel or high-society mansion), and you're going to see comfortable seating of some sort. It could be an elegant arm-chair or plush ottoman, but comfortable seating makes a very big difference.

Get some really nice rugs

Your mats can make the floor look comfortable, or dirty and unkempt. Get rid of the old and replace it with new, soft mats that'spoil your feet. You can even go further and use larger rugs with decorative designs.

The colour of brass

The average bathroom has chrome fixtures ? and that quickly becomes old and out-dated. By installing brass or copper fixtures, you are sure to make your bathroom stand out with a most elegant and classic look and feel.

Create a nice colour scheme

Avoid strong and vibrant colours, as well as too dark tones. Try to work with natural hues (think of autumn) on an off-white background for best results.

Beautify your walls

Even if it's only one wall: beautify it. Add some art. Dress it up

Here's one other thing you should definitely consider: take a look at the kind of lighting you have installed at the moment, and see how you can improve this. Your bathroom should have two kinds of lighting: task lighting (for when you are applying makeup or shaving), and warm, cosy ambient lighting. Replace the bulbs in the bathroom with yellow and warmer colours, and consider installing a dimmer switch for when you're in the shower or taking a bath. The cosy lighting will immediately allow you to relax more.