Design ideas for an existing bathroom are just what you need for rejuvenating a tired space. So I’ve compiled some great design ideas with creativity and innovation to get you in the mood. Cosmetic, not structural, changes can usually be undertaken with some elbow grease and a free weekend. In my experience it’s best to be serious about fixtures, storage, and amenities but play with colours and surfaces. So what can you achieve?
Image courtesy of houzz.com.au
Design Ideas for an Existing Bathroom. Change the vanity. Instead of buying a regular run-of-the-mill vanity, why not recycle a character-laden piece of pre-loved furniture? It’s not a big job to add a sink and tap ware, but you may need a plumber to help you. Look for something with interesting features, usable drawers, or a flat platform to display towels, soaps, ornate glass jars or similar.
Change the top to granite, marble, slate, stone or sealed wood and waterproofed it ready for your choice of fabulous new tap ware. Add candles, flowers or a plate of neatly rolled hand towels.
If you have a small bathroom, consider installing the vanity off the floor – without ‘legs’. Because you can see under the vanity it gives the illusion of more space because the floor flows under the unit. This option may require additional flooring.
Image courtesy of Four Brothers
Image courtesy of Alden Miller Interiors
Image courtesy of Andrew Patton Photography
Design Ideas for an Existing Bathroom. Paint tiles. If you can’t rip out the tiles or laminate, then paint them. There are excellent laminate paints available – check out White Knights Paints – and tile paints available so speak to your local hardware or paint shop. Existing tiles should be well cleaned, have grout fixed and you’re good to go… or paint.
If you have a dark and dingy bathroom then painting tiles a bright white will allow light to bounce off, creating the illusion of more light. You can also paint the bath to match. Check out Rust-Oleum for matching tile and bath paint products.
Image courtesy of Proper Photography
Revamp mirrors. If you have a boring bathroom with a feature-less, full-width mirror above your vanity, rip it out. Patch up the holes, repaint the wall, and re-hang two fabulous mirrors of equal size with AMAZING frames. Think baroque – gold, patterned, in-your-face fabulous. I love Jack Horner Interiors for such mirrors, and much more.
Image courtesy of REF Arquitectos
Image courtesy of Chris Snook
Image courtesy of Peach Studio
Design Ideas for an Existing Bathroom. Add black. Install high gloss black tiles for a surprisingly chic and dramatic backdrop to a white bath.
Image courtesy of Alden Miller Interiors
Design Ideas for an Existing Bathroom. Add black. Adding some black accents can liven up a bathroom that hasn’t grown up yet. Yes really. For example, a bathroom with a ‘cottage feel’ may need to feel more mature, so add black trimmed white towels. Hang black-banded roman blinds and include a black enamel bucket to hold toilet rolls or towels. Or use black or iron towel rails to ‘toughen’ up the room.
Image courtesy of Backporcho
Swap towel rails for hooks. Have you noticed that lots of towels also have a hook for hanging? I do this with my kitchen hand towels, hang them from a hook. A simple idea for a bathroom is to replace the towel rail with several ornate hooks and hang towels there. This is great for an awkward space under a window, for example. Or install them on the back of the bathroom door.
There are many DIY design ideas for an existing bathroom limited only by your imagination, DIY abilities and sometimes budget. Try creating a display with interesting plates picked up from a flea market. Paint a mural or marble effect on the wall, or paint the walls in blackboard paint and provide a box of chalk.
Image courtesy of Kati Curtis Design
Image courtesy of Marco Joe Fazio
Image courtesy of Heather Banks
If you are looking for more tips and ideas on bathrooms, check out the ideas for expert bathroom design tips from Candana Bathroomwares in Sydney, clever bathroom storage, small bathroom ideas, the colourful Cosi towels from Melbourne, 12 luxury bathrooms, ME by Phillipe Starck, and tapware from Kohler. Plus there’s lots more great articles in the Bathroom+ section of this website, so please check it out.
