Please welcome back HGTV Host and Interior Design expert Lisa LaPorta in a continuing series of design inspiration videos. LaPorta will share her favorite tips on maximizing design in your kitchen and bath, then with each video our design experts will provide a few specific tips that you can try right away.
When you think about redecorating or updating the rooms throughout your home—living, dining, bedroom—your mind surely wanders to the laundry list of items needed to do a design 180 on the space. But one space in particular that takes very little to shake up aesthetically for the better is your bathroom. After all, there are no furnishings to replace or reupholster; no tables to refinish or swap out. All you really need is some paint, manpower, and an inspired plan that’s easy on the budget too.
Let’s start with the paint. What shade do your bathroom walls wear right now? Taupe? White? Bust through the beige blahs and opt for something to enliven your senses, like a vibrant coral. Pick a hue that tips towards red on the color wheel (we like Fireglow from Behr), which evokes energy and instantly draws the eye. Red hues are even said to increase the heart rate a touch, which, let’s face it, is probably pretty necessary on the occasional slow-moving weekday morning!
For the opposite effect, but no less of a valiant option, a dusty, deep purple is soothing but still makes a dramatic, customized statement. There is a very ethereal, regal vibe to such a shade, as long as you choose the right variation. Try a deep yet soft purple like Glidden’sFrosted Mulberry, paired with crisp, lacquer-finished white accessories and baseboard trim to keep it clean and modern.
Frosted Mulberry
If you’re still too bold-color squeamish, stick with a hushed, neutral wall hue and have some fun with accessories, a shower curtain and rug, or a painted vanity (read our previous take on this for a tutorial). An unabashed use of color points the way to inspiring design; so don’t be afraid to turn up the volume.
Top off your new, not-so-silent choice of color with a feminine, sculptural fixture like the Pfister Virtue faucet. It’s like art for your sink and the brushed nickel would pair wonderfully with vibrant walls. Those keeping to a tight budget could benefit by looking around the the house for common items or heirlooms that could be re-purposed. A homeowner submitted this image of a re-purposed window from her grandfather’s childhood home that she turned into a mirror. It attractively compliments the sculptural feeling of the Virtue faucet for a fraction of the cost of a store bought ‘distressed’ mirror.
Whether you opt to repaint your vanity, or leave it as-is, new hardware is always a nice finishing touch. Coral or eggplant walls would match up nicely with textured yet ghostly glass handles like from Baldwin that have an almost historic sense about them.
What color are you itching to try out in your bathroom, or have already employed to wow-worthy results? Tell us about your inspired selects below in the comments, or better yet, show us on our Facebook fan page!
