Easy Ways to Add Character to Your Bathroom
Try these quick ideas to add some personality to your washspace
Bathrooms are one of those spaces that tend to be clean and clinical rather than decorative, but there are lots of quick, affordable ways to add a more personal feel. Here’s how to make your en suite, cloakroom or bathroom a lot more interesting.
Make monograms
Even if you don’t have the space for two basins in your bathroom, you and your significant other’s initials will look fab on the walls. Or just yours, of course, if you don’t have to share.
This is an easy look to recreate. Craft shops often sell ready-to-decorate letter shapes like these (they’re called 3D mache or decoupage letters – you’ll find them online, too), and all you need to do is add a lick of paint on the sides and some scraps of paper or pretty gift wrap on top.
Paint the sides of the letter first, then leave to dry. Fix the paper in place by covering the face of the letter with double-sided tape and placing it onto the back of the uncut paper. Leave it that way up on a cutting mat and use a craft knife to trim all the way around. Add a layer of diluted PVA glue all over to seal it nicely. Finally, fix picture hooks to the back of your letter to hang it up.
Even if you don’t have the space for two basins in your bathroom, you and your significant other’s initials will look fab on the walls. Or just yours, of course, if you don’t have to share.
This is an easy look to recreate. Craft shops often sell ready-to-decorate letter shapes like these (they’re called 3D mache or decoupage letters – you’ll find them online, too), and all you need to do is add a lick of paint on the sides and some scraps of paper or pretty gift wrap on top.
Paint the sides of the letter first, then leave to dry. Fix the paper in place by covering the face of the letter with double-sided tape and placing it onto the back of the uncut paper. Leave it that way up on a cutting mat and use a craft knife to trim all the way around. Add a layer of diluted PVA glue all over to seal it nicely. Finally, fix picture hooks to the back of your letter to hang it up.
Add a shelf or four
If you reach for novels over glossies, get a small library set up in the loo by asking a carpenter to fit a series of sturdy shelves above a basin unit.
Go to town decorating the edge of each shelf slat, using chevrons, triangles, stripes or waves… whatever takes your fancy.
Read reviews of carpenters and joiners in your area.
If you reach for novels over glossies, get a small library set up in the loo by asking a carpenter to fit a series of sturdy shelves above a basin unit.
Go to town decorating the edge of each shelf slat, using chevrons, triangles, stripes or waves… whatever takes your fancy.
Read reviews of carpenters and joiners in your area.
Fashion a magazine rack
Everyone reads in the bathroom, right? Especially if it’s the only place you get five minutes of peace. Rather than clutter the floor with a traditional magazine rack, try making a leather holder for the wall instead, like the one shown here.
You’ll need a long strip of leather (about 1.5m if you want your rack to hold three magazines), a piece of soft wood cut to your desired length (around 30cm x 5cm x 2.5cm), some push pins and wood glue.
Take your piece of wood – this will act as your base – and loop the top of the leather strip over to the back, so the raw edge is tucked under by about 4cm. Dip a push pin’s spike in a little wood glue and push it through the leather into the wood, about 1cm from the top, to secure it.
Loop the leather strip back on itself and pin it to the wood base three times to create three loops (using two pins for each loop – one at the start and one at the end), leaving room for a rolled-up mag to slide inside each one.
Dip the spikes in the wood glue each time to give your handiwork extra strength. Pin the remaining leather at the bottom of the wood base, trim to finish and then leave to dry.
Fix mirror hooks to the back of the wood at the top and bottom, so you can hang it on your wall and it won’t move about.
Everyone reads in the bathroom, right? Especially if it’s the only place you get five minutes of peace. Rather than clutter the floor with a traditional magazine rack, try making a leather holder for the wall instead, like the one shown here.
You’ll need a long strip of leather (about 1.5m if you want your rack to hold three magazines), a piece of soft wood cut to your desired length (around 30cm x 5cm x 2.5cm), some push pins and wood glue.
Take your piece of wood – this will act as your base – and loop the top of the leather strip over to the back, so the raw edge is tucked under by about 4cm. Dip a push pin’s spike in a little wood glue and push it through the leather into the wood, about 1cm from the top, to secure it.
Loop the leather strip back on itself and pin it to the wood base three times to create three loops (using two pins for each loop – one at the start and one at the end), leaving room for a rolled-up mag to slide inside each one.
Dip the spikes in the wood glue each time to give your handiwork extra strength. Pin the remaining leather at the bottom of the wood base, trim to finish and then leave to dry.
Fix mirror hooks to the back of the wood at the top and bottom, so you can hang it on your wall and it won’t move about.
Get art up on the walls
Sometimes the idea of art in the bathroom is totally overlooked and we save it for living rooms, hallways and bedrooms instead. But if you like a long soak in the bath, you’ll want something beautiful to look at. As long as your pictures are framed behind glass and the back is sealed properly, they shouldn’t suffer from humidity damage.
Feeling arty? Learn how to create the perfect gallery wall.
Sometimes the idea of art in the bathroom is totally overlooked and we save it for living rooms, hallways and bedrooms instead. But if you like a long soak in the bath, you’ll want something beautiful to look at. As long as your pictures are framed behind glass and the back is sealed properly, they shouldn’t suffer from humidity damage.
Feeling arty? Learn how to create the perfect gallery wall.
Put up pretty pegs
Little loops of ribbon stitched to your hand towels makes a quick but sweet homespun touch. Show them off on unusual hooks, like these fun painted branches.
Go scavenging on a country or park walk and see what you can find to transform into pegs. If you’re using wood found outside, first give it a brush to remove any loose bark and dirt, then a rinse, wash, rinse again and leave it to soak in a light bleach solution. Finally, let it dry in the sun before you varnish or paint it.
Little loops of ribbon stitched to your hand towels makes a quick but sweet homespun touch. Show them off on unusual hooks, like these fun painted branches.
Go scavenging on a country or park walk and see what you can find to transform into pegs. If you’re using wood found outside, first give it a brush to remove any loose bark and dirt, then a rinse, wash, rinse again and leave it to soak in a light bleach solution. Finally, let it dry in the sun before you varnish or paint it.
Plant a terrarium
This just so happens to be a trend-topping idea right now, but a terrarium also has the beauty to last.
Introduce more greenery to your bathroom with a simple potted plant enclosed in a decorative terrarium, like this one. They make plant care easy, because the enclosed environment acts as a mini ecosystem with a constant level of humidity. Plants such as Miniature English ivy and moss fern will be happiest here.
This just so happens to be a trend-topping idea right now, but a terrarium also has the beauty to last.
Introduce more greenery to your bathroom with a simple potted plant enclosed in a decorative terrarium, like this one. They make plant care easy, because the enclosed environment acts as a mini ecosystem with a constant level of humidity. Plants such as Miniature English ivy and moss fern will be happiest here.
Mosaic a small section
If you have an area just above your basin or a recess in the wall like this, jazz it up with a few neat rows of tiny mosaic tiles. This is a quick job for an experienced tiler, so it shouldn’t be too disruptive, and the results will be worth it.
Read reviews of tilers local to you.
If you have an area just above your basin or a recess in the wall like this, jazz it up with a few neat rows of tiny mosaic tiles. This is a quick job for an experienced tiler, so it shouldn’t be too disruptive, and the results will be worth it.
Read reviews of tilers local to you.
Stick up a frosted window design
Get the look of etched glass on your windows using frosted film. It comes in a range of patterns, or opt for a plain style, like the one seen here. It’s an elegant but inexpensive way to protect your privacy.
The panels give the appearance of acid-etched or sandblasted glass for a fraction of the cost, and without sacrificing your natural light.
Get the look of etched glass on your windows using frosted film. It comes in a range of patterns, or opt for a plain style, like the one seen here. It’s an elegant but inexpensive way to protect your privacy.
The panels give the appearance of acid-etched or sandblasted glass for a fraction of the cost, and without sacrificing your natural light.
Hang up rope shelving
It’s amazing what you can do with two shelves, a drill, a length of rope, some knots and a picture hook.
This project nails the nautical look, even if you keep the rest of your décor fairly pared-back. Just make sure your picture hook can handle the weight of your trinkets and toiletries.
Tell us…
Are you tempted by any of these projects? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
It’s amazing what you can do with two shelves, a drill, a length of rope, some knots and a picture hook.
This project nails the nautical look, even if you keep the rest of your décor fairly pared-back. Just make sure your picture hook can handle the weight of your trinkets and toiletries.
Tell us…
Are you tempted by any of these projects? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
A colourful radiator is a great way to pep up your bathroom. This bold pink wakes up the grey scheme and looks smart teamed with pink towels. For a sophisticated look, stick to one bright colour in the room.
To tackle this yourself, make sure your radiator is completely cold, dry and dust free before you start and that it won’t switch on until after your paint is dry. If you’re starting with bare metal, lightly sand and prime it first before adding your paint.
Alternatively, ask a local decorator to do a professional job.
Find painters and decorators in your neighbourhood.