Sprucing up a bathroom with wood baths
When it comes to bathroom furniture and fixtures, few homeowners take risks in terms of design and style. Many people just allow their bathrooms to be functional, rather than being both practical and stylish. From a decorating point of view, the bathroom is the perfect place to create a relaxing and elegant mood. It is common for people to choose white, as this is associated with cleanliness, but all white bathrooms can lack character and personality. Using the right combination of colours and materials will be key components in the creation of a beautiful bathroom space.
Whilst some may think that having a smaller bathroom means more limited choices in terms of decoration, this is not the case. One can actually be bolder with colour and material choices in a more compact bathroom, as the results are less likely to be overwhelming. Wood baths are a great choice for both large and small bathrooms, however they can look especially dramatic and stylish in a smaller space. These types of baths are often chosen when homeowners want to create a truly unique look in the bathroom; baths made from wood give an entirely different ambience to a room, in comparison with standard baths made from ceramic or fibreglass.
It is important to create a budget when redecorating a bathroom, particularly if you are considering investing in larger fixtures such as basins, shelving and baths. The budget does not need to be exact, but it is a good idea to have a rough estimate in min, so that you can then select the pieces and decor accessories that are most important in creating the look that you want.
If one is on a small budget, creating a beautiful bathroom can seem like a challenge. If this is the case, the most important thing to remember is that quality counts more than quantity. Special, bespoke pieces such as wood baths will add a touch of luxury to a bathroom, but several cheap pieces will only create a busy and rather unpleasant appearance. Wood baths have a rustic quality and so will look fantastic in a French countryside themed bathroom. They are a good choice for those who want to ‘soften’ the appearance of a sterile and cold looking bathroom, as wooden materials tend to add a vintage feel to a room.
One or two key features will make the bathroom aesthetically pleasing and practical at the same time. By combining one or two key pieces with a dramatic colour of paint on the walls, you will end up with a bathroom that looks understated, elegant and luxurious. Paint is generally inexpensive and can revamp the look of a bathroom with just a day’s work. Creating a feature wall is a great way to keep costs down whilst improving the appearance of the room. One wall painted in a striking colour such as burgundy or amber will warm up the bathroom without you having to spend a fortune.
Wood baths make the most of a smaller bathroom
Compact bathrooms can present quite a problem, particularly for those who want a luxurious space where they can completely relax and unwind after a hard day. However, with a little effort and more thought, a modestly sized bathroom can still be a haven for total relaxation.
One of the main problems of a tiny bathroom is where one should put toiletries, towels and other items. Storage in a smaller bathroom needs to be installed in way that doesn’t swallow up what little space is available. Using the corners and crevices of the room is the best way to ensure that you make the most out of the room. Corner shelves, built in cupboards and storage space underneath the sink are all viable options in a compact bathroom space. These will allow you to keep everything you need in the room, without creating a sense of clutter and overcrowding.
Keeping things minimalistic is important in a small bathroom; this is not the right space for lots of accessories and unnecessary decorative items. Use colour to create a sense of style in the room, rather than objects. Painting one of the walls a striking colour and adding a matching towel or shower curtain will ensure that the room has personality and yet still feels as spacious as possible. Of course, you can add one or two accessories to the room if you wish; candles, soap dishes and other pieces will certainly help to add character to the room, but the key is to not overdo it with this type of accessorising. Less is definitely more in a modest sized bathroom.
There are some bathroom suites that are designed specifically for the more compact bathroom space. However, these can sometimes make the room feel even smaller. Choosing one luxury bathroom piece, such as a wooden bath, will make the room feel more like a luxurious space. Wood baths are an unusual and beautiful way to incorporate a stylish touch into a plain bathroom. If you decide to do this, then its best to choose slightly smaller additional pieces, as this will allow the stunning design of the bath to stand out.
Wood baths are an elegant way to make a bathroom appear larger and more luxurious, but there are other methods that work well too. A large, framed mirror works beautifully in a smaller bathroom, reflecting the light and creating the illusion of a far more spacious room. Combined with wood baths, large mirrors hung correctly will do wonders in a compact bathroom. The right lighting is just as important; overhead lighting can be a bit too harsh in small room, so it’s sometimes best to use wall lights that produce a softer glow. Make the most of candles as well, as these will create a wonderfully luxurious atmosphere, in any size of room.
Remember to add a heated towel rail in a compact bathroom, as this is the perfect way to heat up the room, store your towel neatly and warm it up for after a shower or a bath.
The natural beauty of wood baths
Many people do not consider the possibility of using wood as a material in decorating a bathroom, as it is often assumed that water and wood are not a good combination. This used to be the case with untreated wood, as it is more prone to warping and mould damage when water is present. However, wood today is stained and treated to minimise or even eliminate such concerns and so can be a fantastic choice of material for use in the bathroom.
The central piece of almost every bathroom is the bathtub; wood baths are an excellent way to bring this material into the room and add a rustic touch to the decor. A sleek, varnished and panelled wooden bath is an excellent choice for a contemporary bathroom, but if you want to play up the historical, aged look that wood can bring to a room, you can use rough sanding, nails and unvarnished wood on your bath to help create this feel. If you are concerned about the lifespan of wood baths, or simply do not wish to commit to a bath made entirely from wood, you can add wood panels to a basic porcelain tub, thereby creating a similar look with less of a commitment. On a more practical note, wooden baths are a great choice for those who have very young or elderly people living with them, as these types of bathtubs are far less slippery than, for example, a porcelain or fibreglass tub, making them safer.
Modern bathrooms are often associated with shiny, minimalistic surfaces and an almost clinical look. However, if you are the kind of person who wants to bask in the tub for an hour or two, it’s safe to say that the more welcoming, cosier appearance which comes with the use of wooden materials is a better choice. You needn’t choose between modern practicalities and traditional aesthetics; today you can have the best of both worlds. Wood baths are the perfect example of this, as they are sturdy and quite durable, yet add a warmth to the room which other materials simply cannot achieve.
Taking a bath is a relaxing, almost ritualistic experience which many people rely on to melt away the stresses of the day. Natural textures and materials are an important part of creating the ultimate relaxation experience. However, if the main surfaces of your bathroom happen to be quite minimal and somewhat harsh, it isn’t necessary to completely redecorate, as simply adding a wooden bath will soften the look of the room dramatically. The natural wood grain will add an interesting texture to an otherwise simple bathroom. Walnut is a wonderful type of wood to use in a bathroom, as it adds depth and elegance to any room. Lighter woods such as beech and pine can be stained to match the rest of the colours in the room, however almost every kind of wood looks beautiful if left unpainted. Wood baths may require treatment every few years to maintain their stylish appearance.
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