If you recently read the article on Ways To Elevate Your Bathroom, you might have come away with a million and one ideas of how to make your bathroom feel like a little slice of heaven. I know I have!
So much so, in fact, that I wanted to share a few more thoughts on achieving that balance of making your bathroom a functional yet relaxing space. It can be a bit of a juggling act at the best of times, but with a little ingenuity and foresight of what areas to keep an eye on, here are some more ideas that I hope has you going “oh, I should do this in my bathroom too!”
“Waterproofing” your essentials
I’m going to touch on space a few times in this article. One area in particular in which I think space is virtually non-existent is around the bath. Some of us will have a cover bath or one touching the walls, which gives us a little shelf to keep things on. Unlike your living room where you can move a sofa or bedroom where it’s easy enough to shimmy a bed around, you can’t do the same with your bath.
But what about those evening where you want to run a bath, treat yourself to a glass of something nice, and give yourself time to read (or, in my case, attempt to read before giving up to swipe through your phone uninterrupted). Make sure you never run the risk of books getting splashed on, or phones & tablets falling in the tub, by having a bath shelf handy.
Personally, I would recommend getting a solid wooden bath shelf over a plastic shelf, as in the likely event water will splash up, wooden shelves don’t get as slippery as plastic ones. There are some great budget options online, and I recommend looking for shelves that have been sanded down into sections.
Just make sure it is a shelf where the ends are concave, rather than sitting flush on the edge of the bath. The basic flat blocks are more prone to moving or sliding off.
Making your radiator a space saver
There is no worse way to start your day than having to stand in a cold bathroom. We have all been there on those days where the shower is acting up, and you’re hesitantly leaning in with one foot to check if the water will ever get warm. A big reason for cold bathrooms, even when you have the home heating on? Your radiator!
With every inch of space at a premium in your bathroom, you will tend to find that it usually has the smallest radiator in your home. I had a little panel radiator that had seen better days, and yet, when we’re redecorating bathrooms, the radiator is usually the last thing we think about.
That’s why I want you to imagine what it would be like if you swapped out the radiators for ladder heated towel rails. They don’t have to be ladders that stretch from floor to ceiling, but something which is the same width as your little radiator there. Get a decent towel rail, and you’re looking at somewhere to keep everyone’s towels and a robe or two. No more having to leave a damp towel hanging over the door frame or bannister to dry.
Dimming the lights (smartly)
Lastly, when trying to create an ambience in the bathroom, we all dream of lighting candles to create a little mood. You might want to avoid candles leaving imprints or heat marks in bathrooms where you have plastic fittings. And because I do not particularly like the fake LED candles (a big waste on batteries), I recommend dimming the lights for a cosier atmosphere.
But, I hear you say, getting a dimmer switch installed would be costly. So how would you get around that? You don’t buy a dimmer switch at all. Get some smart light bulbs instead, which would be a fraction of the price. They look normal, and with an app on your phone to control them, you can dim from the bath to get it just how you need it—no more leaning over to the switch from the tub and soaking half the floor.
Now get to making your bathroom feel special
Thanks for reading. I hope you found these extra tips helpful, or they at least give you some more inspiration for making your bathroom a welcoming place. Don’t forget, you can check all the latest articles on improving your home right here.
