| | Pam at Retro Renovation started a blog called "Save The Pink Bathrooms" to address her concern that people buying Mid Century Modern homes were routinely tearing out their pink bathrooms as soon as they moved in. When Mamie Eisenhower was First Lady, her favorite color pink became very popular for home decor, particularly bathrooms. Pam estimates that there were 5 to 10 million pink bathrooms during that era and a large number of them are still around. She encourages homeowners to keep their pink bathrooms and helps with tracking down sources for pink tile, tubs, wallpaper, whatever you need. |
Of course, you don't have to be the owner of a Mid Century Modern home to have a pink bathroom. You can go with any shade from a soothing pastel pink to a vibrant hot pink. There are fixtures, wallpaper, tile, and accessories available for either a completely pink room or just a few splashes of color.
| | When designing bathrooms for kids, the number one priority is safety. There are lots of products made specifically for kids, like this plastic elephant cover for the faucet. Other safety items are non-slip appliques or mats to make the bathtub less slippery, toilet seat clamps, and step stools. If you're on a tight budget, you can child-proof the fixtures you have; or, if you want to splurge, you can buy new fixtures that are specially made for kids. The fixtures have no sharp edges and come in white or bright colors. Additional available features are toilet seats with handles or bathtubs with built-up bottoms so that Mom doesn't have to bend over to help with scrubbing. |
| If the bathroom design has to last for several years, you may want to go with a solid wall color and choose a pattern for your curtains, towels, and accessories and plan on changing those items from time to time. Peel-and-stick decals are an inexpensive way to decorate and they're easy to remove when you're tired of them. It's a good idea to place shelves at a height low enough for kids to be able to reach their grooming accessories, bath toys, and towels. Colorful reminders to flush, brush, etc. are a good idea if your little one forgets. | |
The fun part of decorating the bathroom is choosing the theme. If your child is old enough, you can go with his or her favorite characters, colors, or activities. If more than one child uses the bathroom, you may want to choose some kind of ocean/fish/spongebob theme that works well for both boys and girls. Here are a few theme suggestions.
The Powder Room is typically the bathroom located near the living room or kitchen, usually just a sink, mirror and toilet. When guests ask if they can use the restroom, that's the one they go to, so if you have a neglected powder room, why not let it stand out? The first thing to change is the color: muted or neutral colors won't work--it has to be something bold. Next consider the overall project: because the space is small and it gets very little traffic, you can go with unusual materials or do a theme room that you wouldn't do in a larger room. Finally, spend some time thinking of the accessories--if you'd like any soaps or lotions for your guests, leave them in nice containers in plain sight. Here's a few examples of remodeled powder rooms. Whether you love them or hate them, they definitely make a statement.
Now that we're in the winter months and everything is so cold in the morning, Laticrete has come up with the perfect solution for those of us who hate jumping out of a nice warm bed and stepping onto ice cold bathroom tile first thing in the morning. The Laticrete Floor mat is flat enough that it can be installed in a mudset underneath either tile or stone. It comes with a 7-day programmable thermostat so that you can conserve electricity on weekends when you sleep in or go out of town.
Because the heating mat is completely undetectable under the tile, your bathroom looks nicer and you don't have to worry about kids knocking over space heaters or getting them wet. It's the perfect solution for getting up on a cold winter morning. There's no more excuses for staying wrapped up in the covers. With Laticrete Flooor Heat your bathroom will be toasty warm and it has a Lifetime Warranty so you can use it for years to come.
A Duravit Paiova Bathroom is very striking with its clean, geometric lines. The bathtub's unique trapezoidal shape provides a wide and luxurious tub, yet it can still fit into a small space. The tub also comes with optional neck rest, matching step, and support bar for ease in getting in and out. The beautiful woodgrain paneling is available in a variety of finishes: dark or light, matte or glossy. The other bathroom pieces have the same wood finish-- the sink and vanity plus the optional storage cabinet. The toilet has the same clean lines as the tub and has a soft-close lid. Overall, the bathroom maintains an elegance in appearance while offering functionality and comfort in design.