Name: Joyce
Price range: $$
Rating: 5

Your bathroom is a place to relax, have privacy and engage in an overall sense of well-being. It's the one room in the house where you can rejuvenate and wash off the anxieties of the day.

Designing and decorating the bathroom needn't be stressful. There are endless options for materials and design to suit your taste and budget. Even a small bathroom can display exceptional taste and character with a few unusual tips in mind.

When it comes to bathroom decorating ideas, less is not necessarily more. Today we have more options than ever in choosing the look we want without spending a fortune.

If you want a softer, look go for neutral colors. Enhance a softer color with bold accents in your cabinetry, towels and/or bath accessories.

Backsplash - Decorating can extend to the small areas of your bathroom, such as the backsplash, the area behind your bathroom sink fixtures. This is where you can make a bold statement with color and texture that can tie in your walls and floors. Think about glass tiles in multiple colors to add some bling. There are also options mixing glass and stone tiles that give your bathroom a mix of an earthy and whimsy effect.
Walls - Use that same tile from your backsplash and carry it around the room as a band to act as a wainscot, the line around the room approximately at shoulder height. It's a decorating idea that can add color and texture as well as give your bathroom a custom look.
Shower - Consider replacing the tub with a walk-in, curbless shower. Not only does a smooth transition from the floor to the shower-pan, the location where the drain is placed, look smoother, it is also more practical when thinking of the future should you or someone else need the "roll" in. A standard 30" x 60" tub space allows you the option of converting the shower to 48" wide and adding a 12" bench. This design gives you plenty of space to move around as well as the option or need to sit. Hang your shower head using the hose model with an extra control and hook next to the bench and you have the perfect set up for handicapped universal design ready to go.
Floor - A big mistake people make with small bathrooms is thinking they need small tile. In fact, it's the other way around. Large tile make the room look larger. Large bathrooms can handle small tiles as the more square-footage you have, a smaller tile will allow a design to show. Large tiles open the room, so don't let a smaller bathroom inhibit your decision in choosing a larger format. When picking the color, think something inbetween the color of the walls and vanity counter.
Niche - Think of adding a recessed shower niche (cut out) in the shower for soap and shampoo. You can also add some color or the same tile from your backsplash into the back wall for added interest. A niche gives the shower walls a clean line and nice space for those bottles and bars that can tend to end up on the floor.
Vanity - Now is the time to change-up the old vanity cabinet for some of new, high-tech models on the market. Instead of the same-old rectangle, take a look at some of the new, multi-doors that have interior lighting, built-in electrical outlets and even a refrigerator section for medicines that need to be kept cool. Other styles are oval with decorator fluted edges for some added glamour.
Shelf - Another unique decorating idea for your bathroom walls is recessed open shelving for some bathroom knickknacks that add some fun to the room. You might have shells you found on your last vacation or the perfume bottles you inherited from your grandmother. It's a fun and interesting way to add a decorative option beyond colored towels.