Su Casa – Ask Cristina First published
in Latina
Style magazine.
©Cristina Acosta
Bathrooms - Fun or Formal
Dear Cristina,
“It’s time to
update the bathrooms in my home. I’ve had some people
tell me that I should match the décor of the bathrooms
to the adjacent rooms and other people say that it
doesn’t matter. I’m confused – which advice
is right?”
J. Mansanares
I don’t mean to add to your confusion
– but both opinions are right. To figure out which advice
is right for you though, you’ll need to take a little
time to reflect. A good place to start is by determining what I
call the foundation concept. If you’re wondering what a
foundation concept is, and how it relates to you, take a few
moments to do a short writing exercise.
Begin by thinking of a feeling you wish to enhance when you walk into the room. Examples of feelings that translate into a décor concept may include: serious, fun, happy, peaceful, playful, or sexy. Take a moment to write a sentence that describes the feeling you want to enhance when you enter the bathroom. (Yes, this does sound a little strange just give this exercise a chance.) We’ll call this your concept sentence.
When you have a sense for the feeling you want to express, give some thought to flow. Flow is the sense of the transition within and between rooms. Either of the opinions you heard might be the right choice depending upon the way the result enhances or accents flow. I’ll start by explaining the wisdom behind both opinions and then you can decide which advice is right for you.
• If a bathroom is adjacent to a
bedroom—such as a master bath and bedroom suite or a
bathroom between two bedrooms – decorating the bathrooms
in a style that relates to the bedrooms will result in an
enhanced feeling of continuity between the spaces. In other
words, you’ll get more flow.
• If the bathroom “stands alone” like a powder bath or bathroom in a utility room, you don’t have to be concerned with flow. The bathroom can act as an accent to the home. You can treat this type of bathroom as a unique, fanciful room that may or may not have much to do with the decor in the rest of the house.
If you’re wondering how knowing any of this is going to help you decorate your bathroom, bear with me.
When you figure out the feeling and flow you want for the bathroom, your subsequent decisions will rest on this foundation.
Take another few minutes and
write a new concept sentence describing the combination of
feeling and flow you want. An example of this might be:
“The downstairs powder bath is a playful, whimsical
bathroom that is an accent to the décor in our great
room.” Another example is: “This bathroom is
a peaceful retreat that reflects the calm décor of the
master bedroom.”
Any redecorating or remodeling project involves making a lot of choices. When you are considering any choice such as color, plumbing or lighting fixtures; or surfaces such as tile, stone or laminates, be sure to review your concept sentence and ask yourself which choice best reflects and supports the feeling you’re after. With that in mind, the choices you need to make to support that concept sentence will become obvious.
Many companies are making a variety of
products that encourage you to explore you creative options
when you decorate. A small bath can be the perfect room to
splurge. In the limited space an investment in a beautiful sink
or tile surface can yield a large return of style and beauty.
Artisan companies cater to the many custom colors and products
you may what to use in your bathroom – and white and
beige aren’t the only options. Lisa Danneker and Theresa
King, the Executive Vice Presidents of Sonoma Tilemakers say
“The rich textures, hand carved designs and fabulous
colors of our tile offer a world of design options. The
Stellar Collection color palette of 106 colors ranges from soft
subtle hues to rich colors in crackle, matte and glossy
finishes.”
Trust your intuition whey you make
your choices and you’ll end up with a unique and creative
room. Create a bathroom that you love.
Sources: www.sonomatilemakers.com
About the Author
Cristina Acosta is a color consultant, artist, home décor designer and writer. She is the author of Paint Happy! (Northlight Books) and contributor to a variety of home décor magazines. Contact Cristina for a color consultation.
