Does a bathroom in your home suffer from a design mistake? Whether your last remodel wasn’t the success you’d hope for or you’re dealing with a faux pas from the previous homeowner, it’s important to achieve your design goals in the next bathroom makeover or renovation. We’ll take a look at 4 diverse bathroom design errors, complete with photos, AND explore how these missteps can be fixed or avoided. As you’ll see, sometimes a problematic bathroom can be greatly improved with a few relatively cheap alterations, while other situations may call for more substantial changes in order to be fully resolved.

 

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1. Overloading on white and gray.

 

The Problem: White has long been a dominant bathroom color. After all, key appliances like the toilet, sink, and tub are generally white or cream. Likewise, gray was a hot design color for years and is still used. Both tones can have their place in a successful bathroom design, contributing to a clean, cool look and feel. However, overloading on these cool neutrals leaves you with a space that is boring at best and uninviting at worst. “Stark” and “sterile” are often key descriptors for a bathroom like this.

 

The Fix: Thankfully, this is a design mistake that can usually be fixed with a few well thought out purchases. As you can see, the bathroom in the photo above does have a lot of white and gray. However, there are pops of warmth and color from the green plant and the red of the wall hanging. Also, instead of sticking with the coolness of white and gray by choosing silvery hardware, this homeowner adds contrast and interest to the space with matte black hardware, such as the glass mounted towel bar.

 

2. Dividing the space with a shower curtain.

 

The Problem: This bathroom has many nice features and looks to be recently updated. However, the shower curtain does not elevate the space. Moreover, it contributes to dividing a fairly small bathroom rather than making it feel as large as possible. Shower curtains and liners are also prone to infestation by mold, mildew, and bacteria. Even if this worst case scenario does not occur, brushing up against a damp curtain or liner is always unpleasant.

 

The Fix: If your budget allows for a more significant upgrade, replacing your curtain with a clear glass shower enclosure both improves its aesthetic and makes it look more spacious. A number of glass shower enclosures can be added to an existing tub:

• A hinged door beside a fixed panel.
• A frameless sliding shower door (see examples here)
• A shower screen attached with hinges or clamps

 

3. Being guided by fads when choosing materials and fixtures.

 

The Problem: It’s generally a mistake to spend a lot of money on a semi-permanent feature of the bathroom that will be very out of style down the road, rather than choosing timeless classics for expensive and difficult to replace items such as the tile and large bathroom appliances. The pink walls in the bathroom on the left are easy to adjust, but the dated flooring and vanity will be much more involved.

The Fix: If you use natural wood, timeless metallics, and neutral colors, as in the right hand photo, you have a backdrop that is better able to stand the test of time. As trends come and go you can adopt them by way of less expensive and much easier to replace items such as:

• rugs
• wall=hangings
• towels
• window treatments
• light fixtures
• shower door handle

 

4. Dark and moody gone wrong.

 

The Problem: Maybe this design was an attempt at Moody Maximalism or Dark Academia, but somewhere it crossed the line from dark and moody to weird and creepy. Loading up on dark colors and dramatic pieces is inherently trickier to navigate than embracing styles like Biophilic or Scandinavian Minimalism, and as you can see, an attempt gone wrong leaves you with a bathroom your guests just might be afraid to enter. I mean, honestly, who would dare step into that tub?

 

The Fix: Feel free to use moody lighting and to include dark colors and bold design elements. Just balance these with lighter colors and soothing natural materials. In the bathroom above, white vessel sinks, natural wood tones, and live plants keep the space inviting without detracting from the dramatic effect of the lighting, the dark floor, and the black sections of wall by the shower.

 

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Does fixing a bathroom design mistake in your home involve the need for frameless glass shower hardware? If so, we invite you to give Glass Simple a try! We offer homeowners the same professional grade products sold to our business clients and will deliver your order right to your home. Call our Virginia based team with any questions – (571)707-7760.