Read information on choosing heating and ventilation, flooring, and some great storage ideas.
Heating and Ventilation
It might not be very exciting or glamorous, but it is important to look at heating and ventilation in your bathroom. Bathrooms get wet.
No matter how expensively decorated your bathroom is, a damp bathroom, smelling of wet towels and growing mould, will be truly hideous.
Read on for my useful bathroom decorating tips...
If you are lucky enough to have a window in your bathroom, make sure you open it frequently, to let fresh air circulate.
If you don't have a window, you must install a ventilation system to stop your bathroom getting damp and mouldy.
These are relatively simple to install, and can be vented directly outside, if you have an outside wall. There are quite a few options to choose for bathroom ventilation, so shop around.
We have one in our bathroom which switches on with the light, and then continues sucking moisture out of the room for several minutes after you switch the light off.
Combine your ventilation with a good and effective heating system.
If you are re-designing your whole bathroom, one of the best practical bathroom decorating tips is to consider underfloor heating in your bathroom.
It may be quite pricey, and a bit of a hassle to fit, if you are doing it yourself, but it will keep your floor nice and dry - no lingering puddles or slipping accidents! It will also keep your bathroom lovely and toasty, and your toes warm in the middle of the night.
Your bathroom should definitely contain a radiator for heating, and for towels.
Fit a non-heated, simple towel-rail above a radiator, or combine practicality with style, and consider one of the stylish designer radiators/heated towel-rails. Some are plumbed into your central heating system, and some are installed by a qualified electrician.
Modern towel-rail/radiator designs can be quite awesome. I like a simple, wall-hung, chrome towel-rail/radiator - great for heat, and drying and storing towels, and suitable for a modern or traditional interior.
Another choice is a tall coil design, which looks very striking, as well as being practical.
Make sure you always consider the width of your new towel-rail, compared to a conventional radiator. Make sure your chosen design will fit in the spot you want, and allow any doors to open fully.
Bathroom Flooring
Read these practical bathroom decorating tips for choosing your flooring.
It's pretty much a definite that your bathroom flooring will get wet.
Your bathroom flooring should be water-resistant and non-slip. Try to choose a flooring that will be easy to clean too.
Consider:
stone or ceramic tiles
vinyl or rubber
Laminates - make sure you read the pack first to see if your choice is suitable for bathrooms and wet areas. Laminates suitable for bathrooms have their edges sealed with rubber so that water can't seep in.
Wood is not usually a good choice for a bathroom floor, it tends to warp in the steam and wet.
If you are determined on wood, choose 'engineered boards'. These are made from layers of bonded wood, which warp less than normal wood. Don't leave puddles of water standing on the floor though.
Bamboo flooring is an excellent modern bathroom flooring choice. It is waterproof, eco-friendly, and super stylish.
Carpet is not recommended for bathrooms at all, (yes, even though it is warm and soft on your toes...!). Carpet always has the potential to be damp and smelly, even in the cleanest of bathrooms. I really recommend you don't go there...!
Tiles give a modern, clean look to your bathroom, and are super practical and easy to clean.
Storage
Another one of the best practical bathroom decorating tips is to pay special attention to your storage...
Storage is very important in your bathroom. You probably have more stuff than you think to stow away in your bathroom - towels, toilet rolls, cleaning products, and then think about all the toiletries - you don't want them all on display...
If you have an airing cupboard, your storage of unsightly or bulky items will be quite simple.
If you have plenty of space in your bathroom, go for your choice of a wide range of fitted bathroom units. Look out for the tall, revolving units that combine storage shelves, a full length mirror and towel rails.
Another one of the really useful bathroom decorating tips for storage is to fit a vanity basin unit. Or, use the extra space under your basin to fit towel rails, or extra storage shelves.
Make the most of vertical space, and fit storage solutions to your bathroom walls. Open shelving is great for displaying neatly folded towels, or stylish toiletries.
A medicine cabinet is a very good option for small items you want to keep private.
Consider positioning your medicine cabinet or shelving over the toilet, to make the most of otherwise wasted space. Make sure you leave plenty of headroom though - and keep the toilet seat closed if you are clumsy, like me (!), and keep dropping things (...I'm sure you can imagine how the rest of the story goes....soggy!)
Consider wicker baskets for extra useful storage, to keep your bits and pieces out of sight, but still close to hand.
I hope you found these practical bathroom decorating tips helpful for your bathroom project.
Watch these short video clips to get more great bathroom decorating tips and ideas.
Just click on a picture to start the video player...and enjoy!
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