Unexpected Bathroom Design Ideas
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
I was watching a really funny episode of "Cougartown" the other night, and Jules had just redone her master bathroom. She had a bathroom warming party where everyone had cocktails in her bathroom, and her friends finally had to intervene to get her to start spending some time in other rooms of her house by the end of the episode.
That made me think about how we approach bathroom design. Sometimes when planning bathrooms, we tend to get stuck on the typical ideas and feel like it has to look like a bathroom showroom display. The same old cabinets, simple painted walls, only a few bathroom-esque sconces to choose from, medicine cabinets straight from the big box store, and other typical bathroom fixtures tend to paralyze us.
Why not get bathroom decor inspiration from other rooms? Some ways to do this include:
Incorporating unexpected furniture.
You can have sinks mounted into all kinds of consoles, cabinets, bureaus etc. Just make sure the height for standing at the sink is comfortable and you can turn anything into a bathroom counter by cutting a sink into it or mounting a bowl sink on top.
Looking beyond typical bathroom lighting.
Any chandelier, sconces with fabric shades, table lamps or pendant lights can work in a bathroom. Just make sure if it's somewhere you'll be applying makeup that you have ample light.
Adding entire pieces of furniture for lounging.
If your bathroom is where Calgon takes you away and truly feels like a spa, think about the seclusion rooms at the spa where you head after your treatments. A comfy upholstered chair or chaise may be the way to go.
Thinking beyond brand new.
A bathtub does not have to be new. It's often less expensive (and much more stylish) to find an old clawfoot tub and have it re-enameled.
Taking a living room design approach. Curtains and wallpaper can be added to bathrooms to give them a less sterile feeling. If it's a bathroom you tend to steam up a lot, try to remember to use the fan and keep a door open when things are heating up.
Adding your favorite mirror.
You don't need to cover the entire wall with a mirror. Mirrors with funky frames can make your bathroom stand out. If you find a frame you like, you can even have it filled with mirror and put on hinges to cover a recessed medicine cabinet.
That made me think about how we approach bathroom design. Sometimes when planning bathrooms, we tend to get stuck on the typical ideas and feel like it has to look like a bathroom showroom display. The same old cabinets, simple painted walls, only a few bathroom-esque sconces to choose from, medicine cabinets straight from the big box store, and other typical bathroom fixtures tend to paralyze us.
Why not get bathroom decor inspiration from other rooms? Some ways to do this include:
Incorporating unexpected furniture.
You can have sinks mounted into all kinds of consoles, cabinets, bureaus etc. Just make sure the height for standing at the sink is comfortable and you can turn anything into a bathroom counter by cutting a sink into it or mounting a bowl sink on top.
Looking beyond typical bathroom lighting.
Any chandelier, sconces with fabric shades, table lamps or pendant lights can work in a bathroom. Just make sure if it's somewhere you'll be applying makeup that you have ample light.
Adding entire pieces of furniture for lounging.
If your bathroom is where Calgon takes you away and truly feels like a spa, think about the seclusion rooms at the spa where you head after your treatments. A comfy upholstered chair or chaise may be the way to go.
Thinking beyond brand new.
A bathtub does not have to be new. It's often less expensive (and much more stylish) to find an old clawfoot tub and have it re-enameled.
Taking a living room design approach. Curtains and wallpaper can be added to bathrooms to give them a less sterile feeling. If it's a bathroom you tend to steam up a lot, try to remember to use the fan and keep a door open when things are heating up.
Adding your favorite mirror.
You don't need to cover the entire wall with a mirror. Mirrors with funky frames can make your bathroom stand out. If you find a frame you like, you can even have it filled with mirror and put on hinges to cover a recessed medicine cabinet.
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I would never have thought of all of this wood for bathroom walls and ceilings, and it's perfect for this lakeside cabin. The tub is just the greatest - it reminds me of Laura Ingalls taking a bath in some sort of barrel on "Little House on the Prairie."
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| This bathroom is full of unexpected details, from the antique dresser to the table lamp, the chandelier to the elegant stool. |
by huntley & co
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The sconces, mirror and shaded sconces give this tiny powder room parlor room elegance.
This tub is walled off from the bedroom only by curtains, allowing for the bedroom to get natural light from the window beyond it.
Why not sit a spell after a long soak before facing the real world? Of course this bathroom is larger than my bedroom, but I might consider giving up some bedroom space for a bathroom like this one! (on the "Cougartown" episode I spoke of above, Jules borrowed quite a few square feet from her son's bedroom!)
These curtains add major drama to the bath. They are a great way to bring in a color or print that can be changed up with ease.
Very unexpected!
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These cabinets were planned out with the attention to detail that designing kitchen cabinets entails.
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A room with an unobstructed pool view!
The toile wallpaper, lovely sconce and window treatment seem more like a palette for a bedroom, and make this bathroom a star.
by CIH Design
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This is one rich and luxurious palette for a bathroom. I imagine I would feel very decadent washing my hands here, and that I'd love every minute of it!
The back of the chimney adds texture and unexpected details to this bathroom. I love the way they centered the cabinet and sink on it.
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This is my crazy bathroom - the sink is mounted in an old ice chest, the purse hid cosmetics, and there's also a little stool in there full of funny books like Loni Anderson's autobiography, titled "My Life in High Heels" and an old Barbara Walter's book titled "How to Talk to Practically Anyone About Practically Anything".
Ideabook updated on May 3, 2012.
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xo- Michelle
I KNOW what you meant, but if it were a post on any other site besides Houzz- I would assume it was a medical topic! LoL!