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Your bathroom does not just have to be a utilitarian space. Your bathroom is actually a place where you spend a fair amount of time, though no one likes to think of it that way. Like any other room in your home where you spend any amount of time worth noting, your bathroom design should be welcoming. It needs to reflect your personality and tailored to your comfort.

If you want a space to luxuriate and relax, a beautiful bathroom is a wonderful refuge. If you need to wake up and get going, a well thought through bathroom design can help you shake off your desire to go back to bed.

Nice bathrooms will help everyone in your home be happier, healthier, and feel more, well, more at home.

Walnut-Creek-Modern-Farmhouse-Larkey-Park-by-The-Home-Co The definitive guide on how to decorate a bathroom
Image source: The Home Co.

A bathroom remodel is an intimidating experience. However, if you’re wondering how to decorate a bathroom, these great bathroom ideas can help you figure out what to do with your bathroom design.

Table of contents

a) how to decorate a small bathroom
b) how to decorate a white bathroom
c) how to decorate a small bathroom with no window
d) how to decorate a bathroom counter
e) how to decorate a bathroom on a budget
f) Quick questions for decorating a bathroom:
– how much does it cost to decorate a bathroom
– how long does it take to decorate a bathroom
– what to decorate a bathroom with
– what to decorate bathroom walls with
– what do you need to decorate a bathroom

How to Decorate a Small Bathroom

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Bathrooms tend to be one of the smallest rooms in your house, sometimes only a bit bigger than a walk-in closet. They are also highly functional spaces, meaning that a good layout is vital, though it is a serious challenge in a small bathroom.

With small bathroom designs, you need to get as much as possible out of your small floorplan. There are a number of ways to streamline your small bathroom without sacrificing form for function. The first thing to do is to not worry about a tub and add a frameless glass shower screen instead.

You should also focus on creating an illusion of more space through smart use of lighting, mirrors, and windows. remember that glossy surfaces will reflect more light than more matte ones, while color should be used to highlight elements and not to dominate the small bathroom design.

Using Color

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If you’re looking to bring some life to your small bathroom, color is the perfect way to do it. Be sure to balance having enough color in your small bathroom to brighten it but not so much that it is overpowering. Fresh yellows, blues, and green are good choices.

You could take the color from floor to ceiling, Leave the countertops, sinks, and other surfaces, as well as the fittings, white. You can also use colored accessories as a way to bring color into a space where repainting as a part of a bathroom remodel is not really workable. In that case, use great or brown to anchor the room.

Let in Some Light

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Natural light helps open up any space. Use skylights and clerestory windows to flood your small bathroom with natural light. These kinds of windows are even more important when you have very little wall space to go around.

For small bathrooms with high ceilings, you should add as many windows as possible. Use an opaque glass to make sure you have some privacy.

Don’t worry about a shower door. If your small bathroom is approximately five feet wide, use the space that would be used for a shower door to squeeze in a toilet and maybe even a 30 inch by 6- inch tub. Under these tight conditions, you should use a glass shower panel rather than a glass shower door. This will still keep most of the water in the shower and will also free up any needed elbow room.

To help take advantage of the light in your small bathroom design, use mirrored cabinet doors to trick your eye into seeing a larger room. Downlights are also a good choice for small bathrooms with low ceilings and are pleasantly unobtrusive.

Use Space in a Different Way

Make use of any wall recesses (or add them) to provide storage for toiletries without taking up any of your valuable floor space. Try to keep the vanity clear and generally keep clutter to a minimum.

To avid closing off any corners, use a part wall or a glass panel shower screen. See if you can float the vanity. This will help make the bathroom look bigger and also frees up space for use for storage for smaller items.

Also, consider rounding the vanity. Sharp corners become small hazards in tight spaces. If you keep the corners of your vanity rounded, it becomes much easier to get around without worrying about hip bruises.

Stick with White

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Older homes tend to have many features that are not exactly modern. While modern design is all about sleek shapes and shiny surfaces, older bathroom designs tend not to be that. While there are many options for dealing with this in a large bathroom, in a small bathroom there are far fewer.

However, by using white as the primary color of your small bathroom design, you can get around this issue without needing to do a massive bathroom remodel. Use white (or another natural color) for your walls. Finish the paneling and plasterboard with paint specially meant for wet areas.

Use the same color for all your trim, including your picture rails, dado, mirrors, skirting, and window frames. Keep your fixtures white. Strip back linoleum or another flooring in order to see the original floorboards. Avoid crowing the small bathroom with furniture and other items.

Use Bright Tile

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Stick with simple fittings with a small bathroom, but introduce color through bright tiles. Include an interesting feature wall or a mosaic floor or a colorful wall strip. Mosaic tiling easily adds glamor to any space.

An iridescent tile will help reflect light. Tiles like this often come in sheets which will help reduce the installation time. If you use colored wall tiles with white flooring, you’ll create an interesting visual contrast.

You could also add visual depth by taking a colored tile pattern from the floor and up onto the walls. For a seamless look in your shower, make the shower trayless and have a freestanding towel rail to keep the walls clear. Complete the look with a wall-hung toilet and sink.

Look Into the Layout

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Sometimes, the real issue with your bathroom décor is actually the layout. This can often have more impact than square footage alone.

You don’t have to blow your budget to fix this sort of problem. To save money, you need to work with and not against the architectural style of your home.

You should avoid moving any plumbing or knocking out any walls (or building new ones). For traditional homes, leave the cornices, skirting, doorframes and window shutters. Removing these elements can make your bathroom feel clinical instead of modern.

While glass shower screens can help keep the bathroom more open and less cramped, you can stick with your older vanity and also add a solid benchtop and doors that have a decorative profile. Havigna white ceiling is a classic look that helps your bathroom feel light and fresh, but you can also have a paneled ceiling that helps make it pleasant. Paint or tile your bathroom walls in one color.

How to Decorate a White Bathroom

Pure white is a popular choice for bathroom décor. It has the obvious perks of being clean, natural light, and refreshing. However, a white bathroom can be very intimidating.

It seems like a white bathroom has to be ultra-clinical and featureless, but the truth is that a white bathroom can be very versatile. Here are some tips and tricks for decorating a white bathroom.

Neutral Colors

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Neutrals like white, beige, and other similar light colors are very popular for bathroom decor because they are both versatile, can lighten and brighten, and will visually expand a space of any size.

When starting to design a white bathroom, think about how to center the bathroom design on how much of the décor you want to dedicate to the white them.

You can go all the way with this, as some homeowners do, or you can take a more subtle approach. If you are going to a bathroom that is as white as arctic snow, then leave no towel, fixture, or surface untouched. You should work every element of your bathroom into the color scheme.

For a more subtle take, you can add a few key elements to unite subtle décor to give a greater emphasis on the white aspects of your bathroom decor, making it the dominant color.

The best way to start with this all white color scheme is with the linens. You can find towels, rugs, and shower curtains in all manner of white patterns, solids, stripes, and other designs. Just take a look online or at your nearest home decor store.

You should also make use home décor. Use white containers for toiletries and other bath supplies, white linen baskets, white flowers, white vases, white artwork, and white mirror frames. This will help to keep the white theme shining brightly and clearly. These elements can be our major tie to the color white in the theme, or just more elements of white in all-white bathroom.

To use white in a more subtle way, focus on a few key pieces. Think about having white frames for a collection of black-and-white photos. These can include lithographs, vintage posters, or photos of family and friends. You can then complement these with a few other carefully chosen elements, including white soap dispenser and dishes, small decorations like statues and keepsakes, and the hardware on the cabinets.

You can also use a white bathroom décor in your shower or bath alone for a cleaner look. Use elegant white containers for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Enclose your shower in frosted white glass. Consider storing all of your shower and bath accessories in hanging white racks in your shower space.

How to Decorate a Small Bathroom with No Window

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Bathrooms rarely have very many windows or very large ones—and all too often, they have no windows. This can be an issue, especially in smaller spaces, because natural light is very helpful for making spaces seem more pleasant and larger.

You can end up feeling boxed in every time you use this bathroom. Fortunately, there are some helpful bathroom design tips and tricks that can help combat the issues of a bathroom with no windows.

Embrace White Bathroom Décor

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White is a great way to lighten up any space, whether or not it has windows. It works even better than mirrors for making a space look larger. While the obvious way to introduce white is by painting the walls, you can also have it in through accessories.

Think about painting the walls a white that has a hint of color and then using white accessories to emphasize the openness and lightness of the bathroom design. Even without any natural light, this will create a lighter and airier space.

Use Glass and Lucite

Without a window to let light in, you should take extra care to introduce materials that take light away from the space. Use polished metal, glass, mirrors, and Lucite to add interest and drama while not having anything that will absorb light. This will bring uniformity to the bathroom even if there are not lots of colors.

You can also extend this idea to your accessories by purchasing Lucite accessories to keep items on your counter. They will seem to take up less space than solid colored pieces. This helps to keep the room from feeling cluttered.

Use a Leggy Vanity

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Instead of a more traditional solid vanity, get a leggy open vanity. It will provide less storage, but it you have room elsewhere for bathroom times, like a closet or linen cupboard, it’s a good choice.

This kind of vanity will extend the sight lines of your bathroom and help it feel more open. Make sure that any airy vanity you buy includes a towel shelf, which you can also use for baskets of smaller items, It will still feel very light.

Emphasize this by getting a vanity that is white, or made of metal and/or glass. This can also help the vanity appear to float, an interesting visual element. A front rail is a nice place to keep a small towel to dry your hands and face.

Use Several Mirrors

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Including mirrors in unexpected places will help make the bathroom seem larger, especially if you place them near the ground. At this level, mirrors will help the floor stretch out.

Consider using mirrors for toe kicks or closet doors. If you get a full wall mirror, you will visually double the space. Adding a second mirror, or just a mirror frame, over a large panel will help create a focal point, more visual interest, and a more intimate atmosphere.

Layer Lighting

If you don’t have a window, you lack anything to counteract the vertical light coming straight down from your overhead lights. This is not flattering for the room or for anyone looking in the mirror. Wall fixtures bring the light back to glow to your face and your space.

The best way to fight this off is to layer your lighting over the glass. Create this layered look by hanging a plug-in pendant light above. This is a particularly good idea when cutting your existing bathroom mirror is not an option.

How to Decorate a Bathroom Counter

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Bathroom counters are a challenge. They need to be functional and attractive at the same time. They easily become cluttered with every item you think you need in the bathroom and it becomes easy to lose items in the mess.

They seem to accumulate items without any effort at all in not time and there is never enough for everything. Trying to turn your bathroom counter into a pleasant, cohesive place is a daunting task.

Use these bathroom design ideas, tips, and tricks to help tame your bathroom countertops so they are both useful and look good.

Add a Tray

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One of the easiest way to help organize and decorate your bathroom counter is to add a tray. It will corral all your accessories and smaller containers, keeping them from getting tossed all over and making them easier to find.

It also creates a more finished and purposeful look for your bathroom. You can find all kinds of trays, from simple plastic ones to small decorate woven baskets. With the tray, you can make sure you know where things are, make sure they stay there and look good.

Try a Monochromatic Look

For a cleaner look, you can’t beat monochrome. Keep the colors present on your bathroom counters to a minimum. This helps prevent the clutter from becoming overwhelming and also makes it easier to find where things are as well as organize them.

Try to get soap holders and other bathroom counter accessories that are the same colors. Any trays you use should have the same monochromatic color scheme.

This coherent look will help you to keep clutter down. You’ll be able to easily spot whenever clutter is starting to gather on your bathroom counter and start cleaning it away.

Include Some Greenery

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Nothing freshens up a space like live plants or fresh flowers. Flowers will liven up the space and can even add a slight fragrance.

They’re naturally cheering, especially if they have bright, cheerful colors. They are also a great complement to a number of themes, from cheerful sunflowers for a bright bathroom to tropical blooms for lively jungle look.

If you have issues keeping plants alive, consider using succulents instead, succulents are low maintenance and look great place in small pots on your bathroom counter. They are a nice bit of greenery that requires very little work and will last a long time.

Use Apothecary Jars for Your Essentials

Use apothecary jars for your essentials. They’re a chic way to store things that don’t really look good out in the open. They’re still accessible, though, so you can easily get what you need early in the morning or after a long day at work.

Include Candles

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Candles are incredibly atmospheric. Taking a bubble bath with candles make for a relaxing evening, or use them to make your bathroom smell nice. If you don’t like scented candles, you can still use unscented ones to help your bathroom feel like a relaxing refuge.

Use Pretty Soaps

Instead of using a boring bar of soap, get some pretty soaps and rest them on some nice sculptural soap dishes.

You could also get a unique and elegant bottle of grand soap that fits with your décor. There are even covers for ordinary hand soaps that you can easily change to match your décor or the season.

You don’t even have to use these decorative bars of soap, but can just use them as decorative accents in a bowl or vase. These soaps are fun and practical ways to decorate your bathroom counter.

Include a Framed Photo

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A photo is always a personal touch. Get a black and white print with a silver frame for an elegant look. If a photo is just too much, consider framed inspirational quote.

Either way, a framed image is a great way to decorate your bathroom counter. It is inexpensive and will take up very little room while being deeply personal.

Keep Perfume a Tray

If you’re a perfume addict, you probably have a lot of amazing perfume bottles you’d like to show off.

Keeping them on a silver tray on your bathroom counter is a great way to do this. It helps draw attention to them and keeps them organized very nicely.

How to Decorate a Bathroom on a Budget

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The greatest challenge of redecorating a bathroom or remodeling any room is staying within your budget. People tend to think that elegant and stylish bathrooms are expensive, but that is not the case. Small elements make a lot of difference and those small elements don’t have to cost a lot of money after all.

One of the keys to decorating a bathroom on a budget is shopping at inexpensive stores. You can find quality items at Walmart.

While Better Homes and Garden has a line that is always perfectly trendy, it tends to be expensive and you can find perfect items for much less without the brand name and at lower budget places. Bathroom specific stores tend to be more expensive, as well.

Here are some impressive ways to update your bathroom decor on a budget!

Start With the Simple Things

It’s all too easy to get caught up in the details when decorating a bathroom. In order to pull off bathroom redecorating successfully—and under budget—you need to focus on one thing at a time. First of all, focus on what will be seen first when entering your bathroom.

Most of the time, this will be your bathroom vanity, so you need to start with that. You should have something that will draw people in and anchor your whole bathroom design.

Paint

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Paint is the easier and most budget-friendly way to dramatically update your bathroom décor. A gallon of paint will cost anywhere between $20 to $50, depending on the quality of the paint and where you buy it. Quality paint is well worth your money. It will generally have more coverage per gallon and will go onto the wall much better.

If you have ugly tile in your bathroom, or perhaps out of date tile like pink and green, you can help make it better by adding a complementary color on the walls or lighting up the space with a neutral color on your bathroom walls.

This will allow you to make the bathroom more stylish without needing to tear all the tile you don’t like, which is not a budget-friendly solution by any means. Paint has a lot of mileage and can make a major difference in your bathroom design without breaking your budget.

Get a New Shower Curtain

Your shower curtain can also make a big difference in your bathroom. The shower curtain takes up quite a lot of visual space and makes an impression.

It honestly helps to set the tone for the bathroom decor. A dingy shower curtain can make the bathroom seem dirty and cheap. Replace your old shower curtain with a newer and stylish one to change the tone of the space.

Look for Nice Towel Hooks

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These tiny bathroom accessories do make a difference to the overall look of your bathroom décor. Add a decorative towel hook to give a bit of style to your bland bathroom. By giving some focus to a smaller element in the bathroom like this, you draw attention away from the parts that are not very attractive or modern.

Get New Linens

We all tend to collect bathroom linens over the years in a mix-and-match collection. We often don’t; know where all these came from, but the result is an eclectic mix. While this collection of linens can have a lot of personality, it can look very cheap and dirty, especially if the linens are very old and well-used. It might be cheaper to keep these old linens, but you can also replace them for a very low cost.

New towels will make a big difference to your bathroom design. A fresh set of fluffy white towels will brighten the space and make it more cheerful. Display these towels proudly on towel rods or draped on open shelves. Towels with interesting textures and designs can also achieve this effect with some added visual interest.

A new rug can also change the look of your bathroom design for the better. A simple white rug can help brighten the space much like white towels, while a patterned design can helps et the right theme of your bathroom.

Common Questions About Decorating a Bathroom

How Much Does it Cost to Decorate a Bathroom?

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Designing a bathroom can be quite a complex process. However, the end result is often a better layout, more space, more usefulness, and an overall better looking bathroom. A good bathroom design can also add to a home’s value by a noticeable amount.

If you choose to hire a professional to do your bathroom design, the price can vary greatly. Some of the cost factors include the complexity of the project and the amount of labor needed. Below we look at some of the costs that go into a bathroom redesign or bathroom model.

Design Planning

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Bathrooms average a size of around 5’x8′ (40 sq. ft.). The average cost of a bathroom remodel is $250 per sq. ft. ($10,000). Design is generally a spate service and its cost should be added on to that of a bathroom remodel.

Before you start on your bathroom remodel, you need to discuss with your designer about what the new bathroom layout will be, as well as what materials you need to buy and what architectural elements, furnishings, and other features should be added. You need to have this talk with your budget and what you plan to use your bathroom for in mind.

Are you doing this bathroom remodel because you plan on selling your home soon? If that’s the case, then you should make your bathroom design choices should be heavily influenced by current market demands.

If you design your bathroom with sales in mind, you can possibly recoup 60% to 90% of your investment in the bathroom remodel. If you plan to stay living in your current home for several years at least, feel free to make your bathroom design choices based on your personal preferences and lifestyle.

Working With a Designer

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Bathroom designers are much like general interior designers. They don’t manage architectural changes or hands-on remodeling work. They give advice about both, however, and it is very smart advice.

Designers help you to choose a layout, materials, and style that works best with both your budget and your goals. By and large, interior designs offer design services for all kinds of rooms, but bathroom designers specialize in bathrooms only. The prices for hiring the services of a bathroom designer does not differ from those of normal interior designers.

Most bathroom remodels take 23 working days, or four and half weeks. The actual design work usually takes 24 hours total. a lot of this design work takes place before any remodeling work begins. It usually consists of initial meetings, planning visits, and the drawing up of design plans.

Designers may later stop by to check on how the bathroom remodel is progress and make sure the planned bathroom design is being followed. Most of the design should be finalized in the month of or a few weeks prior to when you begin remodeling.

When looking to hire a designer, look for one with an NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) certification. The NKBA certification will make sure that the designer has extensive education in the best practices of designing room layouts and planning storage solutions, as well as the installation of cabinets, plumbing, lighting, and typical bathroom fixtures.

Design Fees

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Bathroom designers tend to charge an hourly rate for their services. We have here a few standard whole project price estimates. These include coverage for initial meetings, planning, design presentations, additional meetings, and shopping for materials, as well as design documentation, drawings, and digital storyboards.

  • The average cost of hiring a designer to assist with a bathroom remodel is $3,000-$4,000. Basic design services often can run lower, at $1,400-$2,000.
  • To get just a bathroom design plan with no specific prices on specific items included in the plan, the average cost is $2,500-$3,000.
  • The added price of getting quotes for actual treatments, features, and/or pieces is an extra $1,500-$2,200.

Nay designers choose to offer one-time consultations, as well, where they can advise you on what bathroom design ideas might work best for your home. These design consultations generally run around $225.

Labor Costs

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Most designers charge $50 to $200 per hour. High-end designers will charge on the higher end of that range or possibly even higher. Professional design services will run you a total of $1200 to $4800 for a total of 24 hours of work. Site visits are also usually charged by the hour and typically have a minimum cost of about $100.

Here is a list of some common labor elements of a bathroom remodel and what each cost:

  • Bathtubs and showers: upgrading to a whirlpool bathtub usually costs $2815. Upgrading your shower stall costs $2000. Relocating and replacing the ub or shower can cost $4800-$5400.
  • Toilets: the cost of relocating and replacing a toilet is $360-$400.
  • Countertops and cabinets: installing custom cherry cabinets with granite countertops costs $3110.
  • Faucets: adding a polished nickel faucet costs $580-$760.
    • Tile: 120 sq.ft. of ceramic tile flooring costs $1320.
    • Light/fan: adding a light/fan combination costs $245-$265.
    • Medicine cabinets: installation of a recessed medicine cabinet costs $300.
    • Walls: insulation costs $685. Finishing costs $990. Painting costs $100-$290.
    • Electricity: electricians charge $65-$85 per hour. Project pricing depends on project specifics.
    • Plumbing: plumbers charge $45-$65 per hour. Project pricing depends on project specifics.
    • Carpentry: carpenters charge $70 per hour. Project pricing depends on project specifics.

How Long Does It Take to Decorate a Bathroom?

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As intimidating and expensive as a bathroom remodel can be, the actual process does not take very long. If all the parts work and are installed correctly, the bathroom remodel should be done in a matter of 23 days. If work cannot be done on weekends, this is about four and a half weeks.

Below is a cumulative bathroom remodel timetable. It makes several important assumptions: that no one gets sick, that all the tradesmen show up on time, that materials are readily available, and that the homeowner does not issue any change orders that slow down the bathroom remodel.

Dead days have been removed from this timetable and workday have been pushed together so that there are no gaps. It assumes that when one person is finished working, the next person starts working in their place right away. Note that reality rarely reflects our plans and it is safe to double the time to take to remodel a bathroom to 46 days or 9 weeks.

Demolition                          2 Days
This may take longer if the bathroom is on a second story or otherwise difficult to move materials from.

Rough Carpentry               2 Days
You may not need any carpentry if your underlying structure is in good shape.

Plumbing Rough-In           1-2 Days
Plan on the full 2 days or more if you are moving elements like the tub and the toilet.

Electrical Rough-In           1-2 Days
A good professional electrician can move swiftly, so it would be unusual for this to go more than a day.  Rough-in means to run the electrical lines but stops short of hooking up the final connections.

First Inspection                   1 Day    
The first inspection prior to finishing the work with drywall goes quickly and should only add one day to the total timetable.  However, since scheduling inspectors can be a problem, this can and often does slow down the remodel by a week or even two.

Insulation                             .5 Day
Insulating a bathroom should go very quickly because only one or two short walls are involved.

Hang Drywall                     1 Day
Drywall can be started the moment insulation is up.

Finish Drywall                     2 Days  
Finishing means applying joint compound, letting dry, sanding, and sometimes repeating.

Paint                                       1 Day
Painting a bathroom while it is still in its bare state is relatively simple and quick.  Except for the ceiling, no masking is needed.

Final Inspection                  1 Day
The final inspection itself does not take very long, likely less than 20 minutes for each inspector.  However, scheduling the inspector can slow down your work.

Tilework                              2 Days
Like drywall, the applying/drying cycle of tile takes time.

Cabinetry                            1 Day    
There tends to be minimal cabinetwork in bathrooms, so this should be a short process.

Flooring                            2 Days
The plain vinyl floor could go down in a morning; tile, engineered wood, and several others will take longer.

Hookups, Fixtures, Etc.    2 Days
Hooking up toilet, sink, and so forth.

Miscellaneous                  1.5 Days
Allow time for contingencies.

TOTAL   23 Days

What To Decorate Your Bathroom With

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There are many options for bathroom decor out there.  You can find bathroom accessories for just about any theme, style and in any color you wish. It’s important to include the basics, even if they seem ugly or seem to disrupt your decor. With so many styles out there, you can find things that will be a perfect fit and not a flaw in your bathroom design.

Look for bathroom accessory kits. These generally include a toilet paper holder, a toilet brush, a toothbrush holder, a soap dish, and bath racks to hold your bath and shower accessories. By purchasing them a kit rather than separately, you’ll create a sense of unity in your bathroom decor.

What to Decorate Bathroom Walls With

Bathrooms often have less wall space than other rooms in your home, but the basics of good wall decor are the same. You can create a visual focal point with one large piece of striking art, or create an interesting gallery of pictures or images that fit your bathroom design.

Shelves are also a must in bathroom wall decor, as they can be used to hold useful items or decorative knick-knacks alike. you can also place hooks on the bottom to use the shelves as towel holders, as well.

What do You Need to Decorate a Bathroom?

My-Houzz-Eclectic-Bohemian-Style-in-a-1976-Fixer-Upper-by-Alexandra-Crafton The definitive guide on how to decorate a bathroomImage source: Alexandra Crafton

Here are a few basics to get your juices flowing:

  • Artwork
  • Greenery
  • Candles
  • Hand soap dispenser
  • Basket for replacement toilet paper
  • Extra towels
  • Storage containers

Ending thoughts on how to decorate a bathroom

Decorating a bathroom is a unique challenge. Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone.

Whether you hire a designer to help, or just look online for great bathroom decoration inspiration, you can find plenty of amazing ways to turn your old bathroom into something new and refreshing.

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