Everyone wants a stylish and trendy home without having to spend too much. More often than not, most renovation budgets allow for only a portion of your home to be refurbished and the bathroom is usually the last on the list of priorities.
For those who are tired of the state of their bathrooms and wish to upgrade its design without the extra hassle and cost of a full-force renovation, below are five easy-to-follow steps for any household.
With these tips, you can have a small sanctuary with little touches that reflect your personality and style. Whether you're a minimalist who likes clean and sleek designs or if you prefer bright quirky designs and unique shapes, there are options for everyone.
1. Accessorise and make your shower experience more enjoyable
Add a touch of colour or quirky utensils to add more spice to your bathroom.
Accessories make a noticeable and significant difference to any home space. If you fancy fresh and vibrant spaces, add a little splash of colour with some eye-catching hand soap dispensers, toothbrush holders or soap trays.
Those who prefer modern concepts can look out for accessories in monochrome tones and sleek finishings.
You can choose from a variety of easy-to-install fittings including colourful showerheads, bold and decorative screens or shower curtains that stylishly separate your bath area from the toilet. There are also fantastic options of quirky accessories like toilet roll dispensers and towel hooks in animated shapes and functional designs.
If you are in the mood, exercise some creativity by stenciling a pattern onto a plain bathroom cabinet or wall tiles to give your bathroom an instantly chic update. Mix up your textiles with some luxurious bath mats to break up the monotony of floor tiles or display personalised images and artwork for an intimate feel. Last but not least, all intimate spaces need to smell good, so opt for some good quality pot pouri or scented candles for that final touch.
2. Sleek and eco-friendly faucets for a modern washing experience
High quality, stylish faucets are in high demand lately and can add a touch of sophistication to your bathroom. We recommend picking out sleek, wall-mounted designs with a smooth and versatile chrome finish — perfect for saving space with a touch of modernity.
You can also opt to do your bit to conserve water with energy efficient faucets. There are now several ways to do so with trendy new designs. For example, single-lever mixers feature integrated water-saving technologies that restrict the rate of water flow allowing you to reduce water consumption without sacrificing on performance.
Tips for conserving water:
- You can reduce water consumption of your basin mixer by up to 40 percent by replacing the aerator of your basin mixer with an energy-saving alternative.
- Consider purchasing a toilet with dual flush technology, which gives you the option to use about four litres on the low flush and six on the full flush.
3. Light up your life with your bathroom
There are various lighting options to open up the space or exude a nice ambience in your bathroom.
Lighting serves to brighten and decorate any room and remains a simple and effective way of setting the ambience and opening up a space.
There are endless options of functional and decorative lighting available, including spotlights, ceiling lights, mirror lights and incandescent strip lights, all designed to serve a different function.
New forms of lighting include LED or halogen lighting which can be activated by a soft off/on button for gradual illumination.
For themed spaces, playful vanity globes can be used on mirrors, as seen in celebrity dressing rooms, and are ideal for those who frequently doll up. You can use diffused lights, which cut down on shadows and provide maximum light to your face.
A popular choice for ceiling illumination lately is recessed lighting consisting of simple, circular lamps installed into a hollow opening in the ceiling, creating the look of having light shining from a narrow spotlight.
4. Mirrors
Mirrors and lighting go hand-in-hand and if used well, can act as a focal point for your entire bathroom space. As we know, mirrors come in all shapes and sizes. We recommend always choosing a style with the theme of your space in mind.
For example, if you like traditional and elegant designs, opt for intricately framed, oval-shaped mirrors. Modern and classic spaces on the other hand, look best with unframed, circular or beveled (custom) mirrors. Mirrors can also be used to reflect a favourite object in the room or the outdoors when placed facing a window.
While in the shower, mirrors frequently get fogged with steam. For those who find this annoying, try installing an electric bathroom mirror defogger. These defoggers consume very little electricity yet are incredibly effective.
Some useful tips when choosing a mirror:
- The mirror should never extend beyond the counter top over which it is hung.
- If a vanity has two sinks, either hang two mirrors with side lights or hang a single wall-to-wall mirror (perfect for a clean, contemporary look).
- A popular trend for lighting is to hang a sconce (lights that are directly attached to flat surfaces) onto a mirror which offers an easy way to double the amount of light in the room.
5. Go green with plants
You can go green, literally! Plants add a welcoming touch to any bathroom. You can explore multiple types of plant arrangements such as displaying small clusters of potted plants in a basket or on a shelf and covering them with pebbles to create a chic look.
For those who prefer a maintenance-free option, consider buying or making a Terrarium, which are small, indoor plants placed within exquisite candy jars (acting as an enclosed vacuum) with the ability to survive without any need for water or sunlight.
There are many options to spruce up any space in simple and cost effective steps. Be it with plants, paintings or colourful accessories, all aspects of your bathroom should reflect your personality. We hope these tips have helped you in your plans to refurbish your bathroom and equipped you with some useful renovation ideas which can be applied to any room in your home.
Source: Interior Affairs, Singapore's largest one-stop venue for European bathroom and kitchen fittings
