Bathroom Design
Decorating Guides
10 Ways to Add Warmth and Personality to Your Bathroom
A designer offers tips for making a clean, streamlined bathroom look inviting and stylish
Modern bathroom design is often all about going minimalist with clean finishes for a spa-like feel. But sometimes the look ends up feeling clinical. To make sure your space feels just as inviting as the rest of your home, try some of my favorite bathroom design tips to create a sense of warmth and personality while achieving spot-on style.
A horizontally striped shower curtain is a foolproof way to add some pattern and excitement in a bathroom of any size, style or budget. Try a gray-and-white stripe to match any palette.
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2. Anchor With Color
Having lighter colors at the eyeline will help a bathroom feel clean and airy, but try balancing them with a deep color lower to the ground. This adds a sense of richness that helps keep the space from feeling too stark, without making it overwhelmingly dark. Plus, it beautifully sets off classic white fixtures.
Having lighter colors at the eyeline will help a bathroom feel clean and airy, but try balancing them with a deep color lower to the ground. This adds a sense of richness that helps keep the space from feeling too stark, without making it overwhelmingly dark. Plus, it beautifully sets off classic white fixtures.
If your bathroom has a large amount of wall space eaten up by tile, windows or mirror, try a dark color on the remaining plain walls. This helps the more interesting features to advance and the plain walls to recede, for a more dynamic look and lots of rich character.
3. Detailed Mirror
A plain slab mirror can be beautifully functional in a modern bathroom, but if you’re looking to add some personality, a statement mirror frame is a great place to start.
A plain slab mirror can be beautifully functional in a modern bathroom, but if you’re looking to add some personality, a statement mirror frame is a great place to start.
4. Hanging Mirror
Go a step more dramatic with your mirror and hang one with a chunky strap from an equally substantial hook. You can also layer this look by hanging a bold frame at eye level over a flat rectangular mirror slab as a quick upgrade to an existing mirror. Have nowhere to attach the frame because a tile or glass is in the way? Ask your contractor if a mirror or frame could be hung from your ceiling instead.
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Go a step more dramatic with your mirror and hang one with a chunky strap from an equally substantial hook. You can also layer this look by hanging a bold frame at eye level over a flat rectangular mirror slab as a quick upgrade to an existing mirror. Have nowhere to attach the frame because a tile or glass is in the way? Ask your contractor if a mirror or frame could be hung from your ceiling instead.
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5. Étagère
A free-standing open shelving unit adds essential storage and some personality for a more lived-in look than built-in shelves (which some people find have a drier vibe, but ultimately it all comes down to preference).
A free-standing open shelving unit adds essential storage and some personality for a more lived-in look than built-in shelves (which some people find have a drier vibe, but ultimately it all comes down to preference).
6. Natural Materials
Bathrooms usually feature a lot of crisp materials that, while waterproof, are sometimes a little visually cold. Natural materials reintroduce some warmth and a sense of human touch, so look for places to add wood, organically shaped stone or woven baskets.
Bathrooms usually feature a lot of crisp materials that, while waterproof, are sometimes a little visually cold. Natural materials reintroduce some warmth and a sense of human touch, so look for places to add wood, organically shaped stone or woven baskets.
Animal-inspired prints also bring in a sense of life, as do shades of natural green and blackened bronze.
Tip: Towels with a fringe add a sense of personality and fit well with the traditional-meets-modern elements of a wood vanity.
Tip: Towels with a fringe add a sense of personality and fit well with the traditional-meets-modern elements of a wood vanity.
7. Vessel Sink
Notice how many spaces in this article have an eye-catching vessel sink to make the space feel more enticing. Switching away from the typical porcelain makes an evocative statement. Consider natural materials and imperfect shapes, like a carved wood, stone or blown-glass sink.
Notice how many spaces in this article have an eye-catching vessel sink to make the space feel more enticing. Switching away from the typical porcelain makes an evocative statement. Consider natural materials and imperfect shapes, like a carved wood, stone or blown-glass sink.
If you do prefer the look of crisp white porcelain, consider a vessel sink with a mounted faucet behind it, especially in a finish like bronze or brass.
Also consider a trendy yet classic farmhouse-style sink, with a raised back to frame a faucet or two. This eclectic look has a homey yet sophisticated appeal.
8. Tile
Want to get really creative? For a unique bathroom look with plenty of personality, mix different-color tiles together to create a mosaic design on an accent wall. This takes some planning and usually costs extra to have installed, but you can achieve a dramatic with very few tiles.
Want to get really creative? For a unique bathroom look with plenty of personality, mix different-color tiles together to create a mosaic design on an accent wall. This takes some planning and usually costs extra to have installed, but you can achieve a dramatic with very few tiles.
Try this especially with plain porcelain subway tiles, throwing in a few leftover or retired sample tiles scooped up at a showroom at a bargain price to add personality and a look unique to you.
9. Hardware
Just as in the kitchen, cabinet hardware often goes overlooked as a detail worth upgrading. Fun or quirky knobs and pulls add an interesting personal detail that you can always change inexpensively down the road.
Just as in the kitchen, cabinet hardware often goes overlooked as a detail worth upgrading. Fun or quirky knobs and pulls add an interesting personal detail that you can always change inexpensively down the road.
10. Dramatic Ceiling
If you can’t find the right spot to add drama, try looking up. A single roll of wallpaper is often enough to make over a bathroom ceiling, and since bathrooms are often taller than they are wide, adding a little interest overhead will only help make the room feel intimate and more well-proportioned.
More on Houzz
A Designer Shares Her Master-Bathroom Wish List
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
5 Ways With an 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom
Get more bathroom ideas
Shop for bathroom vanities and more
If you can’t find the right spot to add drama, try looking up. A single roll of wallpaper is often enough to make over a bathroom ceiling, and since bathrooms are often taller than they are wide, adding a little interest overhead will only help make the room feel intimate and more well-proportioned.
More on Houzz
A Designer Shares Her Master-Bathroom Wish List
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
5 Ways With an 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom
Get more bathroom ideas
Shop for bathroom vanities and more
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Bathrooms often are devoid of interesting patterns, which is a shame, because energetic patterns can add life to any room. Consider adding a patterned window shade or playful towels, or simply hang a colorful print (or wallpaper sample) in a frame as artwork. These low-commitment ideas allow you to keep a classic color scheme for the fixed elements while dabbling in color trends as the mood strikes.
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