Home Decor
Creating a Showpiece Bathroom
While many homeowners think of a bathroom as purely functional, a warm and elegant bathroom creates a feeling of comfort and well-being. After all, a bathroom is an intimate room, so it makes sense to decorate your bathroom in a way that nourishes your body and spirit.
A good place to start when creating a welcoming and nurturing bathroom is to take a long look at the walls and the ceiling. Before considering art, shelves, and other accessories, examine the basic “bones” of the room. Specific architectural details such as the addition of molding and wainscoting helps to create the foundation for a bathroom in which you and your guests will enjoy spending time.
Moldings can help to define the bathroom’s ceiling and add layers of decorative interest. While decorative molding fits well in homes of certain historic eras, the wide variety of molding styles means that it’s equally in place in bathrooms with other decorative styles. Simple moldings with clean lines and a streamlined style help to define a contemporary bathroom, for example, while a more intricately detailed molding would find itself perfectly at home in a country French-inspired bathroom.
Much in the way that molding can help to turn a ho-hum ceiling into a richly detailed marvel, wainscoting paneling is a simple addition that can spice up the walls in a bathroom. Once used as a barrier to the cold stone walls in older homes, wainscoting now serves mainly a decorative purpose, although it is helpful in preventing scuff marks on walls. Today’s wainscoting couldn’t be easier to install; decorative wainscoting panels snap into place and are quickly secured with a special adhesive. Once the wainscoting is in place, finish it off at chair rail height with a simple horizontal trim, and voila, your bathroom’s walls are transformed into a simple yet elegant work of art.
Once your bathroom is decorated with architectural embellishments, it’s time to consider the impact of color. The wainscoting on the walls provides a natural breaking point for a change of color; in fact, painting the wainscoting a color that contrasts with the upper expanses of the walls can help to highlight the detail of the wainscoting. Don’t neglect the ceiling when you plan the bathroom’s color scheme. Especially in bathrooms with high ceilings that can benefit from the addition of a darker ceiling, a color other than basic white has a huge impact on the feeling that the room imparts. For even more of a dramatic impact, consider painting the ceiling molding in a contrasting color to emphasize the richness that this layer adds to the room.
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I think the bathroom is underrated. I feel that if you want to impress your guests with your home, the bathroom is also a key way to convey that creativity. InvitingHome.com has the perfect materials to create a masterpiece of a bathroom. A lot of the moldings available right now are made of polyurethane, which is great for rooms that have a lot of humidity (polyurethane is moisture resistant and will not shrink or flex like wood often can). By using these materials, you can easily turn your bathroom from “blah” to “fab!”
- Renee, June 15th, 2011 at 11:53 am
I like your description of wainscoting providing a natural nreaking point on the walls. This allows for defining a color scheme that makes ense.
- Paul, June 15th, 2011 at 11:57 am
I agree with simple lines in abathroom – it would also tend to make things easier to keep clean.
- Mary, June 15th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Wainscoting is a great way to change the feel of a bathroom. I know that I appreciate it – especially with any rambunctious children who like to splash in the tub.
- Greta from AL, June 15th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
We just added a couple Venetian mirrors to our bathroom to be placed over each sink. You might think it is a little over the top, but the gold in the ribbon ties in nicely with the gold trim in the bathroom and it makes the space so elegant. We have added crown molding that really accentuates the room. My wife and I love the look of luxury these details have added to our master bathroom. I know the venetian mirror may not be everyone’s style, but the molding is an added feature anyone can appreciate.
- Peter, June 16th, 2011 at 9:30 am
I have only just discovered wainscoting and I have fallen in love with it. I really like the example pictures that are on this website (http://www.invitinghome.com/molding-bathroom/bathroom-wainscoting.htm). I have been hating my bathroom for so long and now I have some great ideas of how to enhance it.
- Saundra, June 17th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Hi. I think this is such a great idea. I have always thought the bathroom is underrated – but everyone uses a bathroom right? ^_^ Redecorating is a great way to really knock your visitors over with an awesome bathroom.
- HAILEY, June 22nd, 2011 at 10:37 am
lol. Might as well look at a beautiful room while doing your business! I bet my wife would like the idea of the gold trim. Maybe I’ll look into that as an anniversary gift. Any thoughts?
- Anthony, July 13th, 2011 at 3:46 pm