More Easy Ways To Update Your Bathrooms

There must be a voice somewhere whispering “refresh and update your bathrooms” as this is the second guest post in a week I am sharing on this topic.  don’t worry, it is not a repeat of the prior post, so take a read and perhaps get inspired to do some bathroom updating yourself this weekend!

Bathroom Updates

Megan Gates is an active blogger who provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to Suffolk Rentals, NY Rentals, home improvement and the latest architecture, design and fashion.  Follow her on twitter @MEGatesDesign.

If you’re looking for an easy home makeover project to do this weekend, look no farther than your bathroom. With these easy tips, your bathroom will be looking fresh and chic in no time.

Bring in some bold or neutral splashes of color (depending on the wall colors) in a simple way by buying a new shower curtain and new towels. Your towels do not have to always be out of sight and can be folded over a bar, washcloths can be folded on the vanity, or you can have an extra towel or two on the back of the toilet. Don’t forget your bathmats and window curtains if you have them.  Toothbrush holders, soap dispensers or dishes, and bathroom cups will also add a nice accent of color if you match them with the towels and bathmats.

S Interior Design would say that your accessories don’t need to strictly match, but rather coordinate well with one another. 

Make your vanity look modern with some new hardware. By changing the handles and knobs, you can modify the look of your cupboards and drawers in minutes. Add a new, modern mirror and update the sink faucet. Change your old lighting fixture to a stylish modification. If you do not want to change the sink or faucet, bringing in a large mirror that covers most of the wall over the sink, and adding bright new light bulbs is a quick and easy update.  How many times have you gone into a bathroom and found the lighting is just awful for sprucing up and getting ready for the day.  Lighting makes a huge different when it comes to a bathroom. ]

We could not agree more with the lighting commentary!!

If you want to change up the entire color of your bathroom, bringing a new color to your walls is a simple afternoon project that can result in a major room transformation for little money. Your bathroom is a small room in comparison to the rest of your house so deciding to paint it is not as much of a time and money commitment as it may be in another room. Since the room is small, experiment with a bold color. If you don’t like it, it’s easy enough to change it to something else. If you decide to change the color of your bathroom, choose a neutral color for all of the accessories mentioned above.  If you decide on a neutral warm tone, spice it up and definitely add those bold accents.  Remember though, that since it is a small room, staying away from dark colors is a good idea to keep your bathroom feeling open and fresh.

S Interior Design  varies from this opinion on staying away from dark colors…..we say go bold, go dark if that is what your design scheme needs.  Small will not feel any smaller.

 

With these simple steps, you’ll be surprised at the dramatic changes your bathroom can go through in a weekend. Share any other smart and chic ways to update a bathroom here!

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Easy Bathroom Decorating Ideas

Below you will find a guest post from Valerie Gravel representing Smart Tiles on the subject of bathroom renovation.  Smart tiles are a fabulous option for  a home owner who is a DIYer!

Before

After Smart Tile Installation

After the kitchen, the bathroom is the room you use the most every day. It’s where you get ready in the morning before you dash off to work and where you take a few minutes to relax in the evening while soaking in a hot bath or a shower. If you’re thinking of giving your bathroom a much-needed makeover, here are a few trendy tips you might want to take into consideration.

Merging one room into one:

People need more and more room to escape the fast paced society in which we live, that’s why the size of bathrooms has increased over the last few years. Merging two rooms into one like a bathroom and bedroom is a trend that has been exported from the hotel to the home and it is catching on quickly in the home renovation world.

Going digital:

Technology is all around us and we rely on it almost 24 hours a day. You can have a television in your refrigerator door now, so why not do the same for your bathroom. Imagine watching your favourite movie or television program in your bathroom while you soak your worries away in a bath. What could be more perfect than that?

Heated floor tiles:

Tiled bathroom floors are cold all year round. Heating them with a radiant floor heater is a good idea because not only will the heat prevent you from getting cold feet; it might actually help you save money in the long run. It’s true that installing a heated floor may raise the cost of your renovations, but once tiles have been heated, they retain their heat for a long time and they continue to warm the room even after the heater has been shut off. Therefore, a heated floor might help you save a couple of dollars from your heating bill.

Multiple mirrors:

Even if the trend dictates that bathrooms are becoming larger, not everybody has the space to double the size of their bathrooms. People who live in smaller houses or in apartments might want to put multiple mirrors in their bathroom to create an illusion of grandeur that will make the room look bigger than it actually is. Also, mirrors come in some many different shapes, sizes, and frames nowadays that they can look great in any type of bathroom decor.

Going green:

Renovating while still being kind to our environment is a trend that has been catching on not only in bathrooms, but in every room of the home as well. Imagine recreating a spa like atmosphere in your own bathroom. With the help of wood furniture and even by encasing your bath tub in a wooden frame, you could relax in spa without ever having to leave your home. It’s also quite eco-friendly to install low flow toilets and energy-efficient lighting while renovating your bathroom.

Painting with neutral colors:

Bathroom colors have always been neutral, and that trend never really went away. While I am not condemning the use of color in the bathroom, neutral colors should be your palette of choice if you plan to add a new coat of paint to your bathroom. It’s better to favour relaxing colors like beige, olives and pale tones. If you’d like to add contrast to your pale room, use dark furniture or colored accessories.

Choosing the right lighting:

A bathroom shouldn’t be too bright. Since the room is used for different reasons throughout the day, different types of lighting should be installed to keep things lit up or tone them down when you need to. Consider installing a dimmer switch to set the proper mood when you want to relax in the bath or the shower and install bright lights where a woman would normally put on makeup.

Changing without spending a lot

If you’re not considering to have your whole bathroom made over, you could just change a few existing elements to refresh your existing decor. Custom sinks and counter tops are all the rage and self adhesive tiles  used as a frame for your mirror or as a backsplash will add diversity to your bathroom without the need of contractors invading your home for weeks to come.

 

 

Sunlit Interiors

I always say there is no better light source than natural light and always strive to leverage it in my designs.  Here in perpetually sunny Arizona, we are fortunate to  have a lot of sunny days to enjoy.   When Arcadian Lighting  offered to write a guest post on this subject for our blog, I was very pleased. Here it is, enjoy the fabulous visuals.

Arcadian Lighting is an e-commerce website that specializes in top lighting ideas around the world, and while I may write for them now, I had already been a fan of their site for years. I’ve been writing about home decor for almost half of my lifetime, and it’s given me a deep love and appreciation for style and creativity when it comes to interior design. And that’s why I love blogs by professional designers like Suzanne Lasky – what could be better than getting ideas straight from the expert? Thanks for letting me guest post here today Suzanne!

While light fixtures such as ceiling lights and wall sconces can illuminate a space, there’s something that is just as beautiful: sunlit interiors. Sun-drenched dining rooms and glass-walled bedrooms, bright bathrooms and living rooms full of sunshine, these eight rooms take advantage of Mother Nature’s greatest asset.

Mellow yellow

Design Home Interior via

As if the sunlight coming through the massive windows weren’t enough, this living room also has yellow walls to keep the space bright. The dark brown wood furniture and exposed paneling provide a nice contrast.

The brightness of whiteness

decorpad via

White looks all the more clean and crisp with an abundance of natural sunlight -this striking kitchen may have a stylish ceiling light, but the multiple windows are ample enough.

Second is just as important

Home Bunch via

Secondary transitional spaces like hallways and staircases crave just as much sunlight as main living spaces – in this image the size of the window may not be seen but the wealth of sunlight can’t be denied.

A double dose

Jackie Clarke Realtors via

The light fixtures in this tall living room are illuminated but it’s the glare of the sunshine pouring in through not one set of windows but two that the eye is drawn to.

A wall of window

French design on the Texas Coast via

The perfect place for a picture window is in a kitchen that also doubles as an informal eating area – by day the sunshine fills the room and by night, stylish pendant lights do the trick.

Bring in the brilliance

b-3 bond via

Expansive windows like this create incredible shadows on the walls at dusk and dawn – they add to the unique texture of the formal living room.

Look overhead!

Miauu Interior Design via

Yep, it can show birds, planes, and an endless supply of sunshine – massive skylights in any space, from a bathroom or kitchen to a kid’s bedroom, are always a hit.

Beam me up Scotty

Villa Mirador via

Who wouldn’t want to show off the extraordinary design of this room? A wall of windows stretches the entire length of the space, as do the remarkable wood ceiling beams.

Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. If you like this post, be sure to stop by the Arcadian Lighting blog and say hello!

 

 

Design 101- Some Interior Design Basics

Design 101:

The elements of design are: space, shape, form, mass, line, texture, pattern, light and color.

What do you think the most important element is?  The answer might be surprising. 

The most important design element is LIGHT
Natural sunlight and artificial light affect the appearance of all other elements of design.    

How To Use Lighting in Your Design:
Balance overhead lighting with wall sconces, table and floor lamps for a softer, more relaxed lighting effect.

The ceiling fan light kit or the recessed ceiling lights are not the only light your rooms should have.
In addition to understanding how to balance artificial light, you need to understand how to manage the natural light.

Use window treatments that give you the option to control the natural light.  Options include cellular shades with top down/bottom up features, a multi-layered drapery treatment with a sheer bottom layer and a top heavier fabric layer and for a more modern look, solar shades that give you the ability to look out (darker tones) but block harmful rays.

Here are some other DESIGN BASICS to think about:

1.            Add color! Paint the walls (or wall).

2.            Mix & match eclectic pieces to create visual interest and personal style.

3.            Add an area rug to define open spaces.  An area rug will also add color and pattern to a space.

4.            Soften the room’s corner’s with plants…bring a bit of the outside in.

5.            Repeat accent colors through art and accessories.  Add new ‘life’ to a room by introducing a new accent color,using
colorful throw pillows and /or on window treatments.

6.            Arrange furniture in the center of the room away from the walls.

7.            Install new hardware on existing cabinetry (kitchen, bathroom, armoire, dressers)

8.            Balance overhead lighting with wall sconces, table and floor lamps for a softer, more
relaxed lighting effect.

Photos from House Beautiful on-line edition

Mirror Mirror on The Wall

There is no shortage of articles and blog posts written about mirrors.

Conventional design wisdom states that mirrors can help to add ‘light’ to dim spaces, and make a small space feel larger.
S Interior Design subscribes to the additional notion that a mirror should REFLECT SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.

I am struck by the amazing selection of styles of decorative mirrors available and wanted to share some of my recent finds with you. Of note:  the use of gold tones in the first two mirrors supporting the fact that gold, bronze and even brass is making a comeback.  I think after looking at these photos, you will agree, a mirror is not just for checking your hair on the way out the door in the morning. These are true art !

 

Alexander Sinclair Showroom

Alexander Sinclair Showroom

 

 

 

Alexander Sinclair Showroom

Collection of Venetian Mirrors

Global Views

Grey/Aged Metal Work

 

 

Fun Furniture in Austin

Unseasonably cold temperatures in Austin, Texas on Friday closed the schools, covered the roads in ice and snow and had many retail establishments opening late or not at all.    This Scottsdale, Arizona interior designer was none too pleased with the situation.  Luckily, I found LOFT.

Needless to say, it was not crowded as many had simply stayed at home on this frigid day.  A lovely young designer by the name of Mary was at the store waiting for a truck load of new furniture to arrive.  She had the schematic space plan all sketched out in anticipation.

My sister and I browsed the offerings at LOFT at a leisurely pace and I began snapping pictures with my phone camera.

Here are some of the great items I wanted to share _

 

 

 

2 great examples of the current revival of BRASS finishes.

Look up!  A sinuous pendant ceiling fixture that would be great over a dining table, a kitchen island or even in a bedroom.  It reminds me of a tailored woman’s suit in design.  Clean lines yet with curve.

This table lamp almost came home with me.  It reminded me of the sand art projects I did as a child.
A great conversation piece in a casual family room setting !

And perhaps my favorite find of all……..this amazing chest made from reclaimed wood with an unexpected design element of what else?  BRASS hardware.

So, if you are ever in Austin, Texas, make time to visit LOFT at the Domaine shopping area.  If you can’t get to Austin, you can check out they web site at http://www.lofthome.com

10 + Home Renovation Tips

Welcome 2011!

Some of you may be planning a home renovation project this year.  I wanted to share an informative article from
House and Home’s online magazine about 10 plus  important factors to consider before undertaking a home renovation project that will save you time and money.

S Interior Design provides additional commentary and photos to the article to make it even more complete.  Our edits are shown in red color font.

Save money and time with these smart home-reno ideas.

7 EZ Decor Changes To Make Before The Holidays

The holiday season is fast approaching.

It is not too late to make some decor changes to your home before the holiday guests arrive.

EZ Design Changes To Make Now #1

The 2010 holiday season is fast approaching.  We will be posting easy decor/design changes you can implement

NOW.

Inspiring Ceiling Pendant – From IKEA

Yesterday I had the pleasure of having my hair professionally cut and styled.   My hairdresser of 12 years recently re-located to a brand new salon space.  It is rather petite in size as only 2 stylists work there.   I am so enjoying the colors and design elements in the new space, one in particular.

There are 2 of these amazing lighting fixtures hanging from the ceiling.  I got to ‘study them’ as I lay head tilted back as my hair got washed and conditioned.    I couldn’t stop thinking about them and wanted to share.

IKEA Chandelier