CrossTeam Properties Offers Advice on Home and Garden Improvements

Are you in search of a bathroom design that is fresh, unique and possibly like nothing you have seen before? Maybe an Asian-inspired bathroom design is in your future! Asian-styled bathrooms are a great way to liven up what would otherwise be a cramped and dreary space, and it does not even have to cost you an arm and a leg.

One of the characteristics of Asian-styled bathrooms is the appearance of spaciousness that they seem to have regardless of the space that is actually available. This effect is achieved by a careful combination of surprisingly simple elements that work together to produce a serene and calming atmosphere.

A lot of Asian inspired bathroom designs incorporate lighting in distinctive and creative ways. While fluorescent lights are used in many contemporary designs, the traditional Asian inspired bathroom tends to use incandescent lights to impart a warmer and more calming feel. If a cooler, more modern feel is what you are after, you can go with fluorescent lights.

When deciding on a colour scheme, go for light colours that will help reinforce the airy atmosphere of your bathroom. If the results end up a bit more staid and boring than you were expecting, by all means feel free to add a few splashes of bolder colours as accents, or on bathroom furniture and accessories. Just keep in mind that a little goes a long way, and all the colours have to be carefully considered in the context of the overall bathroom design.

With the many bathroom accessories that we use day in and day out, you might as well consider them an integral part of bathroom design. If you are in the planning stages of the design of your new bathroom, you might want to pay particular attention to how the individual products and accessories you buy will affect the design of the bathroom as a whole.

Thankfully there are many places that currently sell bathroom accessories in a wide variety of styles, a few of which should be appropriate to the kind of look that you are going for. By all means, you should check out stores that specialize in bathroom accessories, as these are great places to see bathroom suites fully set up with everything in place so you can get a better idea of how things will work together. Don’t forget to drop by DIY outlets too however, as they have many of the same items at lower prices.

When planning for bathroom accessories, you will also want to take into consideration the materials that are used and how they will affect the overall design of your bathroom. Bathroom accessories and fixtures can be made out of anything from cast iron and glass to plastic and acrylic. All of these materials will have their own strengths and disadvantages, and you will have to keep them in mind with regard to how you will use these accessories. Also make sure that you take note of their size and how well they will fit into your planned bathroom design.

It is an unfortunate fact of life that most of us have to deal with limited living spaces nowadays. Whether you live in a cramped apartment or a modestly sized house, it seems that there is never enough space for the type of room that you want. As you can imagine, the bathroom always takes on a lesser priority when compared to the other rooms in terms of allotted space. So how then do you design for a small bathroom?

The first thing you will have to consider is what colour to use on the walls. Lighter colours will not only make a bathroom look brighter, it will make it seem bigger as well. You should also try to keep the walls as clear and open as possible. Large areas of open wall space will reinforce the feeling of space while, conversely, adding plenty of bathroom fixtures on the walls will make it look even more cramped.

You will also want to leave as much of the floor open as possible, allowing you to move in and about freely. Instead of bringing in a hamper or a towel rack that will take up precious floor space, you way want to consider building these into the wall instead.

As for cabinets and shelves, you can design them in such a way that they fit into the wall instead of extend out into the room. Remember: when space is at a premium, you will want to use every little bit that you have available to you.

If you are looking for a fast and easy way to enhance the design of your bathroom or even to introduce a whole new look, one of the key elements that you should look at is the lighting. Bathroom lighting can be almost considered a separate discipline unto itself, as important as it is in shaping the overall look and feel of your bathroom. With all the many options available in bathroom lights and lighting fixtures, as well as innovative new lighting solutions, there is no longer any need to be restricted to bathroom lights that serve a purely functional purpose and not much else. Today’s bathroom lighting solutions offer you numerous chances to impart a truly unique, soothing, or calming atmosphere to your bathroom.

One of the most effective ways to reduce the harsh glare that is characteristic of so many bathrooms is by installing two or more light sources strategically located. This will serve to diffuse the light, and help add a warmer and more inviting glow. 

You may also want to use lampshades on bathroom lights, particularly those that are situated in the vicinity of the sink or the vanity. This will help soften the light and make for a more flattering source of illumination. Of course you will want to install an additional brighter light for those times when you need as much illumination as you can get. Regardless of what type of bathroom lighting solution you go for, strive for visual appeal that does not sacrifice functionality.

With the limited space available in most bathrooms nowadays, it can be quite a formidable challenge to design it in a way that effectively combines functionality and aesthetic appeal. This is probably why so many bathrooms are designed purely with function in mind, leaving comfort, taste, and even privacy entirely out of the picture. It does not have to be that way however and there are many things you can do to enhance the look of your bathroom without detracting from its function and safety.

A good part of the visual appeal of any bathroom is the space available. Ideally, bathrooms should have enough space to allow you to move around freely, without the cavernous feel that so many large bathrooms have. Even with smaller bathrooms however, it is possible to achieve this feel with a combination of lighting, colours, and appropriate bathroom fixtures.

Soft or light colours can work wonders for making a room appear larger than it really is. You can have a light colour on the walls for example, and choose or design the rest of your bathroom accessories and fixtures with complementary colours.

If you are more inclined to use bold colours, you can still implement them in a smaller bathroom design, but it may be a good idea to use them sparingly as accents. If your colour scheme uses bold colours primarily, it may actually give the impression of a smaller, more confined space.

If you opt to use wallpaper in your bathroom, try to stay away from overly complicated patterns or large prints. Subtle tones and patterns will work better, and you can even use wallpaper on only some of the walls.

A general rule is that all bathrooms require adequate light, good ventilation, plenty of storage, and fittings and fixtures that are as practical as they are attractive. Decorating to a Victorian style with depend to some extent on the style of sanitary fittings that are installed, easier if you are going to replace these with say a free standing roll top bath. Custom made stained glass windows will give an authentic look along with a tiled floor.

For a more traditional ‘English’ look this comfy style is one of the world’s best loved styles and has been since the Victorian era. For that relaxed look we would install traditional styled cabinets in a fine-grained wood of maple, cherry, or mahogany. This would be best finished by a white marble top which could be real or manufactured. A simple way to change the mood of the bathroom when this is complete would be to simply change the towel colours according to the season.

Many householders find themselves unhappy with their current bathroom and look to us to offer help and ideas before embarking on a bathroom project. Remodeling a bathroom can be a simple or complex task, depending on just how far you want to go with the project. The outcome of a bathroom makeover can enliven a house and totally change the feel of the bathroom. Here are some considerations which should be taken into account before we undertake any work with your bathroom makeover, ensuring that you get just what you are looking for.

First start by determining what needs to be changed in your bathroom, the existing fixtures, are they to your liking or are they outdated? In some cases, it may be necessary to remodel a bathroom so that light and air can be admitted to the bathroom for better ventilation. In others, the bathroom floor may be alright or will you require this to be replaced, perhaps with ceramic tiling? Are the decorations looking tired with signs of condensation and mould growth? All these and many others we can help you with, which can save money for you in the long run.

The bathroom is the place where we can relax after a hard day at work or a tiring day keeping the kids out of mischief. Your bathroom may be a ‘spa’ with piles of fluffy white towels scented candles and generous warmth from your heated towel radiator. Are you feeling comfortable already? To create this you have to pay attention to the paint colour, mirrors and lighting.

Do not be afraid to have your bathroom walls painted white, you can compensate by having the ‘fifth’ wall, more commonly known as the ceiling in a nice contrasting colour, maybe sky blue, pleasant when you look up at it from your bath. By having white sanitary ware in your bathroom you will not be inhibited in your colour choice for flooring and soft furnishings.

Bathroom mirrors can change the look of the room and a framed mirror and gives your bathroom a finished, and a more updated look. You can become really creative and hang a mirror in an art frame hung like a picture which can completely transform the look of the room, the difference can be amazing.

Wallpaper used to be a very popular way of decorating the bathroom, but in recent years more and more people are choosing to decorate them with tiles.

If you are keen to use wallpaper in your bathroom, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t. The main thing to bear in mind is that you do need a type of wallpaper specifically designed for the bathroom, because if you use a standard type it will not be able to withstand the damp and humid conditions and within a very short period of time will simply peel off. Generally, bathroom wallpaper is slightly more expensive than standard wallpaper, but since it is ‘fit for purpose’ it is worth the extra money.

The adhesive you use will have to be robust enough to cope with fairly extreme conditions, so carefully check the application guidelines that come with the paste. You should also be careful to mix the adhesive precisely in accordance with the instructions, or its strength may be compromised.

Finally, the last consideration before you buy the wallpaper is how it can be applied.  Bathrooms can be quite awkward to decorate, due to pipe-work etc and whilst tiles will also need to be cut and adapted, wallpaper usually follows a pattern. If you have a very full pattern, it can be difficult to cut around pipe-work whilst maintaining this pattern exactly. You should therefore choose the pattern carefully before you buy the paper and go for one that can be easily matched up.