The bathroom should be one of the areas around your home where you should feel relaxed. It is the most frequently visited room in the house; you, and members of your family, go to the bathroom throughout the day. A bathroom that you renovate, with the aim to make it feel calm and rejuvenated, will make grooming less of a task that you have to do and more like an activity you look forward to every day.
How can you transform your bathroom into a place for leisure?
A well-maintained and designed bathroom can improve your overall enjoyment of your home. It should stand out and be as stylish as the rest of your house.
Here are some design elements that may feel out of the ordinary, but will completely transform the space.
Luxurious Hardwood Flooring
The bathroom is the last place anyone would want to place hardwood flooring. After all, wood is known to warp and slope whenever there is a presence of moisture. There is, of course, always water in the bathroom. Mold can also be a problem considering how the fungi feed on natural materials, particularly wood.
However, it can be done. Hardwood flooring in your bathroom can provide warmth unlike regular porcelain tiles and even increase the value of your real estate property in case you want to sell in the future.
Applying a finishing agent over hardwood planks will make it immune to moisture. Usually, people use a polyurethane-based sealer which has been proven to repel water and any kind of liquid. It is also invisible when it dries, allowing the natural texture of the wood beneath to be visible in its full glory.
In addition to a finishing agent, homeowners can maintain the quality of their hardwood floor by installing tub and shower curtains. Placing bath mats around areas where water usually spills will add another layer of protection.
Wallpaper to Add Character
Wallpaper would be a great addition to any room, including the bathroom. It is true that regular wallpaper may not be suitable for spaces that are often exposed to moisture, but there are wall coverings that would not absorb water and humidity.
There are washable wallpapers: wallpapers that you can scrub with soap and water in case it turns grimy or dirty. This type of wallpaper is often associated with children’s rooms where there is a chance that a young artist will take their coloring pens and start doodling on every surface within sight. However, there are designs that look more grown-up and have sophisticated patterns.
Any wallpaper made of vinyl will also survive your bathroom. The material will repel water and can be cleaned with a damp cloth.
A Chair for Seating and as an Accent
Seating in the bathroom is not always something that comes to mind whenever a homeowner is in the process of designing and renovating the space. However, having a chair or two in the bathroom should be the norm.
One, it can provide an extra dry surface where you can leave your towel or your smartphone while you are having a shower or in the bath. Two, it provides a place for you to sit for all the grooming activities that you often do in the bathroom.
Ladies, in particular, will benefit from having a chair in the bathroom. Many women still shave their legs regularly, a task often done in the bathroom where they have immediate access to water and soap. A chair would also come in handy when they are applying their makeup and using the larger bathroom mirror as vanity.
A chair can also make the bathroom cozier. The tiles on the floor/walls and the ceramic sink turn the bathroom a little too chilly which, in colder months, would make you uncomfortable.
A Faux Fur Rug
A real rug, not those water-repellent silicons and plastics, makes the bathroom a true standout.
You should look for a rug made of cotton or anything that can be thrown into the washing machine. This way, you can ensure that the fabric is clean. Bathrooms are not the most sanitized place in the house, after all. Studies have found that the act of flushing can eject viruses and bacteria from the toilet to basically every crevice and corner of the space. For your best interest, clean it.
On the other hand, if you are concerned about moisture, man-made fabrics such as acrylic and polypropylene would not absorb water.
The bathroom is the first place you go to when you wake up in the morning and the last place you spend time when you sleep at night. Give it some love by treating it with a makeover.