While we might dream about the luxury of an Old World style bathroom, grandiose in the amount of space and offering comfort in the most private of rooms, truth be told, our bathroom may be much smaller than our fantasies. However, that should not stop us from renewing our tiny space with some of today's hottest eco-friendly trends in bathroom designs.
Create ambiance for a slower pace by accenting your bath countertop with tall glass canisters filled with dried lavender, rosebuds, and other dried flowers. Create warmth by using gem tone colored candles of ocean blue, lush green foliage, and sunset oranges. Enhance your setting, minimize use of your overhead lighting and illuminate your bath with an elegant, energy-saving table lamp.� Accent � Accent or decorative lighting is most commonly used for illuminating walks with subtle light, or to highlight a key object or focal point in the home or surrounding landscape. We might not be looking for drama in your bathroom or have the need to spotlight a piece of art work. You could completely change the lighting dynamics of your bath or powder room by placing a small table lamp on your counter and eliminate the use of your old overhead fluorescent fixture. You know, the one that buzzes and flickers and drives you nuts in the morning. For other rooms in your home accent lighting can be accomplished by using track, recessed, or wall-mounted fixtures.When looking to upgrade your lighting, you should take note of some contemporary and beautifully illuminated bathroom cabinets. In essence, manufacturers have combined bathroom mirrors with lights offering some really cutting edge and sophisticated designs. Again, when space is limited, an option like this is a great functional solution.* Thick cardboard of any type can be used to protect CD(-ROMs) in the post instead of bubble wrap. Keep a small supply on hand, but don�t hoard it � it can build up to excess if you�re not careful.Your alarm clock buzzes, you awaken from a stupor, stumble out of bed, and trip over mislaid shoes. Unfortunately facing reality, to head to your real bathroom; nothing more than a closet with no natural light and the ambiance of a cheap hotel room littered with all the necessities of daily grooming.� Cotton Towels - spruce up those tired towels with some plush organic cotton ones. White against a freshly painted wall will look smashing.* Rubber gloves. Once they�ve got holes in the fingers, cut the wrist parts up for extra thick, strong rubber bands.When it comes to energy efficiency in your bathroom, you are not limited to just lighting and water conservation. Other strategies for going green in your bathroom could include replacement of the following:� Organize clutter � hide your grooming and make-up clutter by putting the items in woven baskets, a leather box, or perhaps just cleaning out drawer space.* Zip-lock bags. Does anyone throw these useful things away? Use them for smaller batches of frozen food, and for school lunches.If you've got a small budget to go with the small bathroom, here are a few brainstorm ideas which can be implemented in a short amount of time. They might just help you take a few steps closer to creating the ambiance of a small special private retreat. These same ideas can work for a guest bath or powder room, especially where you want to ensure a nice welcome for your friends and family.A double vanity sparkles with brushed nickel faucets and surrounded by glass, your counter sits uncluttered. Gem tone candles twinkle beside your Jacuzzi bath and dried lavender scents the air. Deep plush organic cotton towels are nestled beside your walk-in closet glowing with soft lights as you pad in slippers out to enjoy your therapeutic outdoor shower.When we say 'going green' we mean literally, as turquoise is absolutely one of the hottest colors of the year. Turquoise is a calming hue and easily makes you feel the warmth and gentle breezes of a tropical paradise. It's easy to blend the colors of ocean seascapes with bamboo, organic cotton towels, and natural botanical skin products.In the past, bath designers overwhelmingly chose incandescent bathroom lights over more efficient fluorescent fixtures because they buzzed, flickered, glared, and lacked dimmer options. Responses to energy regulations have led to fluorescent fixtures with dimmable ballasts, accurate color representation, and cool white and full spectrum colors, along with higher quality materials and innovative design styles. This all translates to delivering beautifully lighted rooms while keeping your utility bills lower.
Going green in your bathroom might just be as simple as changing the color of your bath towels; hopefully we have given you many more ideas for energy efficiency and lighting.
Author: Kathryn Dawson
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