Because the bathroom is often one of the smaller rooms in the house, it makes an easy one to re-do affordably and with great style. Designer bathrooms are a trend that's here to stay because they make the bathroom experience for yourself and guests much more enjoyable. Below are three ideas for stunning designer bathrooms that you can do yourself, and not break the bank.
The Ralph Lauren Bathroom
Ideal in rich, older homes or in a swanky bachelor pad, a Ralph Lauren-inspired bathroom will be a masculine and modern place to take care of business.
Start with walls in a dark color – either a rich chocolate brown or a dark Chaps blue color – to make the space feel like a man-cave. Leave the ceiling white to keep the feeling of spaciousness and keep it from being too cavelike. Also, dark colors work best in a room with ample natural light.
Next, choose a manly light fixture to hang as a centerpiece in the room or a vanity fixture to hang over the mirror. You may want to consider replacing fixtures in the bathroom, depending on your budget, and finding square-cornered, masculine sink, tub and toilet fixtures shouldn't take too much doing.
Think about installing new bathroom floors in a dark wood or tile, and then find towels to complement the colors you've chosen.
Great finishing touches include a framed mirror in a dark brown or black, and some apothecary jars on the counter to hold miscellaneous bathroom stuff and display them – try cotton balls, Q-tips or decorative soaps (manly ones, of course!)
The Tiffany Bathroom
That little blue box has inspired many a woman to do many things, but a Tiffany bathroom will make your home the talk of the town because it's unique and exudes class.
Start by matching Tiffany blue exactly – if you don't have your own little blue box to take to the color-matching spot, take a Tiffany & Co. catalog with you. This blue is specific, and if it's off by a few shades, can be pretty hideous.
It's got to be an exact match. Leave the ceiling white and consider installing some glossy white crown molding around the top of the ceiling for a touch of class. White tile or light, light hardwood floors are ideal for this bathroom, as are some fluffy white mats for the floor in front of sinks and the tub. The fluffier the better.
Next, one of the key elements of the Tiffany bathroom: a chandelier. IKEA has a great selection of girly chandeliers at inexpensive price points, or try antique or vintage stores for a magnificent one without breaking the bank. The overall point: it must sparkle, so make sure it's clean.
Glam up your shower by either replacing the glass with sparkly clear glass (none of this textured glass will do for Tiffany!) or by installing a shower curtain and glam rings in a crisp white fabric that feels luxe when you touch it.
If you can find them, embellished mirrors (those cut to look fancy around the edges, etc.) will look stunning, or in the event you can't find them, try a mirror framed in a simple white frame to set it off against your Tiffany blue walls.
Finish off this look with some high-quality, fluffy white towels and you're ready to bathe in luxury.
The Ann Taylor Bathroom
This classy womenswear store is known for sticking to the basics – black and white is always classy. Channel this classic American look in a black and white bathroom that plays up its assets.
You have two choices here: you can start with black walls and use white accents, or start with white walls and use black ones. Which you should choose depends on your room. If you're working with a bathroom full of mirrors and windows, you can pull off black. But in the case of a cramped or dark room, stick with white walls and black accents for a more open feeling room. Painting a room black can be a chore, so either have it done professionally or mask every (and I do mean every) surface you don't want to paint black before you even open that can of paint.
Your off-color accents should be seen in towels, in hardware (faucets, towel racks and shower door, for example) and in places like a frame on the mirror or a rug on the floor. Try to keep details crisp, for example, by choosing only rounded-corner items for a smooth finish. You can do square corners too, if that's more your style. White tile is a great way to crisp up the bathroom and can be very inexpensive to do yourself (see an installation guide here).
Finally, if the black and white theme doesn't have quite enough personality to it for your style, try one punch of color – integrate bright red towels, or pick a wild cheetah animal print. If you'd like to keep it tamer, try a zebra print, as it weds the black and white in a classy way.
