Monday, July 28, 2008

Accessorize Your Bathroom For an Inviting Experience

For most people the critical aspect of a bathroom is really just does it have a toilet? While we agree this is important, theres more to it when youre talking about that private sanctuary in your home. Women are typically more interested in the look and feel of a bathroom than are men. This is proven in my household where my husbands bathroom can be buried in dirty clothes and dust and he doesnt care as long as theres a good stack of magazines. My bathroom, of course, must be more inviting, less scary.

Accessories can add that perfect inviting touch to any room in your home, including the bathroom. I love walking into bathrooms that have a warm glow, gentle lighting, and they must smell great. This is often difficult to overcome by its very nature, but there are so many good smelling accessories on the market today. Candles, scented oils, room sprays, various soaps; the list really is endless.

More physical accessories are also important. Tower racks, towel warmers, pretty baskets to hold your big fluffy colorful towels, magazine racks with an interesting variety of reading material (critical for those long visits), and of course PLENTY of toilet paper within easy reach.

How about eye appeal? Your bathroom needs to look clean and fresh. Sweep the floor, have a shower curtain or door that is free from stains and mildew, clean the tile grout and cracks. Is your ceiling falling in? Patch it up. Is the floor warping from water damage? Repair it. Are the walls boring and blah? Dress it up with family photos, wall art, cute bathroom decorations (found at any Hobby Lobby or decorator store), even think about repainting or re-wallpapering to give it a fresh look.

For your own personal needs the absolute basics are really all you require, but think of your guests entering the bathroom. This is the scariest thought for me. What will they find? Hair? Dirtiness? Will they think Im a slob? Prepare an inviting space for them and youll naturally benefit.

Kristen Easton is a versatile writer on a variety of consumer topics including the bathroom vanity and hot tubs.

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