Steve Gee asked:




Simple bathroom tile design ideas

One of the most difficult decisions that face you when you are remodeling your bathroom is the design of the ceramic tiles. Not only do you need to decide on the color and patterns on the tiles but you also have to consider how much of your bathroom you’re going to cover with ceramic. There are so many different variations of all this that it can get pretty overwhelming. I was recently faced with this problem with my own small bathroom remodel and I’m going to tell you exactly how I solved it.

Bathroom ceramic tile coverage

Ceramic tiles vary considerably in price and it’s easy to limit the coverage in your bathroom if you think that it’s going to be too expensive. I shopped around for tiles a lot and found a very reasonably priced line of ceramic tiles that were very similar to a lot of very expensive ceramic tiles that I’d seen. It definitely pays to spend time looking for the right tiles at the right price.

Because the ceramic tiles that I’d found were a good price I was able to afford to tile all the walls of my small bathroom from floor to ceiling which is what I’d set my heart on. I saved a little by not tiling the wall behind the bathtub that wasn’t going to be seen. I’d looked at a lot of bathrooms by then and I knew that bathrooms that are tiled 100% look much nicer than those that aren’t.

Ceramic tile design for small bathrooms

I have a small bathroom and not only is there a lack of space but little bathrooms can also feel small and cramped if you get the design wrong. The trick is to give your bathroom a light airy feeling. Plenty of light helps and so does a mirror or two on the walls. Choosing a light colored ceramic tile was the key to opening up my small bathroom because it reflects the available light and gives the impression that the room is larger than it really is.

Mosaic bathroom tile design

My first ceramic bathroom tile design idea was to use a bright white smooth tile throughout. This would have lightened up the room but I had the feeling that this would be overdoing it a bit so I looked at ways that I could break it up a little while keeping the same light and airy feel to the bathroom.

I eventually found a mosaic tile design that came in several pastel colors. The tiles were normal size so they were just as easy to fix to the wall but the surface of the tiles look like small rectangles raised a little from the surface to give a mosaic look.

I chose 2 colors, white and a light sky blue pattern and used about one third blue and two thirds white. The blue tiles were set at the lower part of the walls and look a little like the sea. This was a very simple but effective design.

Bathroom shower tile design

You don’t have to stick with the same arrangement of ceramic tiles in the shower but it’s good to use the same colors and stick to the same theme. I used the blue tiles to form a triangle with the peak in the corner of my shower. This has the effect of drawing you into the shower and making it look more inviting.

I hope that you enjoyed this article and maybe I’ve given you a few ideas for your bathroom tile design and remodel.

You can see how my small bathroom remodeling project turned out on this web page Pictures of Bathrooms Before and After Remodeling

Power10 asked:


I’ve never painted before and I’d like to paint my bathroom this weekend. I’d like to know all the basics in painting. I’m not sure what type of paint to get, how much to buy, what accessories are needed and how do I cover everything up in the bathroom so it doesn’t get paint on it. Basically, I need as much information on painting a bathroom as possible because I’ve never painted anything before.

Thanks.

BabyDolll128 asked:


Last night a bottle of one of my haircare products spilled on the floor near the bathroom sink as I rushed arounf this morning I didn’t notice it. i came home this after noon and I now have a neon yellow stain and I don’t know what to use to get it off if it will come off. I tried using the fantastic spray that was in the bathroom already but nothing came out would I use bleach or what??? Please help!

Scott Salter asked:




These days – with a greater emphasis on personal grooming than there may have been in the past – we are spending increasing amounts of time in the bathroom. With this being the case, it makes good sense to have your bathroom be a comfortable, indeed engaging place to spend some time. Homeowners usually don’t need too much persuading that they should give some thought to decorating their bathroom, but the question that then arises is “how?” or “what bathroom decorating themes should I employ?” Below is a discussion of some of the more popular themes.

Modern (Contemporary) Bathroom Décor

Contemporary bathroom décor is best characterized by its clean lines and gleaming surfaces. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that this type of décor is more commonly found in your modern urban apartments. Stainless steel fixtures such as sinks, medicine chests, bathtubs, shower walls, faucets and spigots feature heavily in contemporary bathroom decor and are available in wide variety of shapes. Glass and ceramic fixtures will also tend to feature in the modern bathroom décor.Lighting also plays an important part in contemporary bathrooms with fixtures ranging from simple to funky and available in all colors, shapes and styles. A light dimmer can be useful to soften the light to achieve a particular mood or to brighten the light whilst applying makeup

Rustic (Country) Bathroom Décor

A country theme should be redolent of a slower pace and a relaxed atmosphere and country bathroom decors tend to be dominated by classic bathroom fixtures – with the clawfoot tub being one of the more notable examples.

Country decors in general tend to be dominated by wood, but with wood and water not mixing that well it’s best to stay away from wooden floors. However, wood can be worked in just about everywhere else. Wooden pegs and racks can be used to hang bathroom towels. Open storage cabinets – for toiletries and fragrances – look good when made of wood, and a wooden toilet seat will always look the number.

Vintage (Retro) Bathroom Décor

As with all bathroom decors, a vintage bathroom décor should fit in with the overall theme of the house. This can be one of the more difficult bathroom decors to successfully implement as finding vintage fixtures often means burrowing around salvage yards – and then there is also the question of whether they meet today’s building-code requirements.

There are however, some manufacturers who have bought back some vintage-style sinks, faucets, bathtubs and toilets whose designs were first introduced in the 1920’s. Porcelain tiles with a smooth finish are needed to finish this look.

Asian Bathroom Decors

Asian Bathroom Decors are a popular choice for anyone working within a confined space. They tend to be characterized by their simple elegance and combination of traditional bathroom design with distinctly Asiatic touches. Decoration tends to center around potted plants and the use of screens, with soft lighting also being employed.

Pursuing a bathroom decorating theme will ensure that your bathroom doesn’t turn into the poor cousin of all your house’s rooms and have it be a place that can draw favorable comment.

Donna S asked:


I accidentally left my bathroom’s heat lamp on too long. It burned out. Is it very expensive to fix?

Me asked:


And isn’t overly harmful when slightly breathed in (accidentally, that is)?

My bathroom location has little to no ventilation, and Fantastik or bleach sprays are simply intolerable during cleaning, and they leave a horrible gaseous smell for two hours afterward. I’ve tried Comet in a bucket with a rag or sponge, but it takes too long to clean a toilet with that, it seems; I’d rather have a (germicide) spray.

Thanks for the answers.

Mike Foti asked:




Finding the right type of bathroom window in remodeling or new construction can be tough. Here are two problems many homeowners have with their bathroom windows:

1) A remodeling bathroom window challenge – Your existing window is sitting right in the middle of a bathtub or shower area and the window frame is rotted or rusted out. You want privacy, you want the window to look good, and you don’t want the constant maintenance of having to re-caulk the window or rework the wood framing around the window.

2) A new construction bathroom window challenge – You’re building a new home with a soak tub or Jacuzzi in the corner of the master bathroom that has windows above the tub at eye level which are clearly visible from your neighbors property. You want a high privacy and good looking contemporary style window, but don’t really want to invest in expensive blinds.

How can you solve these two problems with style while maintaining your budget? One answer – bathroom glass block or acrylic block windows. This article will explore the benefits of these types of windows for your home.

Glass Block Window Benefits for your new home or remodeled bathroom

Here are the 8 benefits you’ll realize by replacing your existing bathroom windows or installing blocks in your new home bathroom window:

1. Increased privacy – With homes being built closer together as land costs continue to escalate finding a cost effective window that provides privacy in your hall bath or master bathroom window can be difficult. With block you can pick a high privacy pattern like Icescapes or Delphi from Pittsburgh Corning or Ice or Pristal from Mulia to let light in, yet maintain the privacy you need.

2. Reduce your heating and cooling costs – Most existing bathroom windows have old aluminum frames or deteriorated wood frames with a single pane window glass inside. They are inefficient windows which frequently fog up, required a lot of effort to maintain, and cause your heating and air conditioning costs to be higher. Block glass windows are 10 times more energy efficient than single pane glass and provide a combination of obscurity and style many vinyl replacement windows do not.

3. Increased Security/Ease of Gaining Entry into the Home – Existing window are flimsy, usually held in with caulk and are an easy target for break ins. New glass brick windows are mortared in for most remodeling projects, making them difficult and time consuming to attempt to break through. New construction glass block windows come with a vinyl frame and nailing fin providing excellent security.

4. Cut Maintenance takes time, money and energy – Single pane metal and wood windows need to be repainted and caulked to keep the elements out and to prevent rust and deterioration. With block bathroom windows there is no maintenance needed since the windows are either mortared in or nailed into the framed walls in the property.

5. Easy to clean – These windows can be cleaned with soap and water or window cleaning solution.

6. Windows will become easy to operate – Existing bathroom windows are sometimes rusted shut, or cannot easily be opened making a bathroom retain excessive amounts of moisture, allowing mold spores to grow. New block windows can be combined with fresh air vents or power exhaust fans to make your bathroom healthier for your family and friends.

7. Easy to open- Acrylic block windows can open completely (there is a casement window available in multiple frame and glass styles for bathrooms) and glass windows can be combined with vinyl hopper style air vents which open very simply as well.

8. Old Windows don’t fit your new design style – Glass block bathroom replacement windows now are available in colors, different tints, satin finishes, decorative patterns, beveled edges, and many custom architectural designs to match a contemporary, traditional, or transitional design style.

Your master bathroom or hall bathroom window no longer needs to be an eyesore. With a new glass block bathroom window you can get an easy to clean, easy to maintain, cost-effective/ energy saving window, and add to the style and value of your home at the same time.

Christine B asked:


My landlord just had the “Bathroom Fitter” people come in and re-do our tub/tub walls with an all-one-piece acrylic wall and tub thing-a-majig. Anyway, on my old regular tile/grout walls I used to use Comet, Tylex and Clorox Cleanup to get it clean and kill any mold, but now I don’t know what to use. I don’t want to ruin the finish. The paperwork says to make sure you use a product that is safe for acrylic, but I was checking out some of the labels in the store today and hardly any of them specify whether or not they’re safe for acrylic. Help!

ummar asked:


Our bathroom is tiled entirely with porcelain tiles (30 cm by 60 cm), floor to ceiling. We want to install a bathroom cabinet above the sink, onto the wall.

Is it safe to drill into the tile? Do we need a special drill? My dad is pretty good with handy work and he says we could drill int he grout between the tiles but I am not convinced!

I want to do this the right way so please advise. Many thanks.

Kathy Burns-Millyard asked:




If you’re like most of us, the most difficult rooms in the house to decorate nicely seems to be the bathroom. This is especially true when you have a large family and your kids are still small. Things just seem to be messy and disorganized more often than not.

It’s not too difficult to decorate this area though. You probably don’t want to go all out with an ornate decorating theme and make your bathroom look like a showcase… at least not until the kids are grown… but there are several things you can do now that will really spruce things up.

1. Put in matching bathroom accessories. Technically these don’t have to match completely, they just need to compliment each other somehow. And by accessories, I mean things such as a soap dish, trash container, towel holder, and toothbrush holder. You can even add mirrors and wall shelves if you’d like, but just putting in new soap dishes and towel holders often makes a drastic difference in the look of your bathroom. Don’t forget the toilet paper roll holder too, having a nice looking one really adds a finished, polished look to your bathroom decorating theme.

Bonus Tip: If you buy accessories in a solid, natural material you’ll have more versatility with your color scheme. Buying wood or brass accessories for instance, makes it easy to have multiple decorating themes to switch around with throughout the year, without having to change all the accessories each time.

2. Get some new towels and washcloths. These should either be a matching set, or individual ones that compliment each other too. And they need to tie in somehow with the new accessories you’ve put in.

If you’ve gone with the flexibility of wood, brass, or other universal accessories, your towels and washcloths can be virtually any color – or color combination – you’d like.

You don’t have to buy tons of towels and washcloths at once either. In fact, you can start with just one or two of each to use for display on your pretty, coordinated towel rack. You’re going for a decorating theme here, so making things pretty is a large part of the goal. If you’re able to buy multiple towels – or even entire sets at once, this will make you feel as if your new decorating theme is more complete. But it’s not required to start with, just buy enough to put on display if you’re short on money.

Also: Don’t forget the hand towels. These add a bit of polish and upscale elegance to any bathroom, particularly when they’re on display.

3. Put some potpourri or fake flowers around. These small touches are easy and inexpensive, but they really give your bathroom a more professionally decorated look. Pile a bit of potpourri into an extra soap dish that matches or compliments your other accessories, or lay flowers and greenery on a shelf beside a fluffy stack of towels. You can even weave greenery around various bottles that are on display in your bathroom, or around containers holding cotton balls and swabs too.

4. Put in a small area or throw rug. Even a tiny bathroom can use a rug… they’re almost always functional, and they can be quite pretty too. It’s a good idea to make sure the rug you choose is made of absorbent materials… particularly if you plan to place it in front of the bathtub or shower. If your bathroom is large enough, consider putting down several rugs. I personally prefer to have one in front of the toilet because the floor is cold, and one in front of the tub and shower too. You can also simply put the rug in the middle of the room as an accent piece.

When choosing rugs for your bathroom, be sure they match or compliment the color scheme somehow. If you’re primary color in the bathroom is sky blue but you have small amounts of midnight blue mixed into other things, it’s ok to choose a midnight blue rug. It’s even ok to choose a cream colored rug even if nothing else in your bathroom is cream colored – just make sure there’s a small amount of the sky or midnight blue in the rug and it’ll tie into the decorating theme almost automatically.