Boy oh boy, have we ever got the blues… but we don’t want to trade them for anything.  Instead, we’ll just bathe a few bathroom walls in them.  Perfect timing to cool a space down for summer, no?

One of our favorite fellow design blogs, Design*Sponge, shares a sneak peek (above) into the bathroom of Kelly Osborne of See Jane Work, an office organization and style site, with its sweet cottage blue cabinetry and miniature subway tiles.

There’s a purity about the space, just as there is in the classic American bathroom shared by Better Homes and Gardens. The beveled windows, walnut-hued finish-outs and small bursts of silver keep the light blue hue defined and contrasted against, giving it a balance between masculine and feminine.

Of course, there’s the other end of the spectrum as well, as illustrated in these two rooms; they’re practically lunar, they’re so sleek, dark and minimalistic. We suspect these are the sorts of bathrooms in which one listens to classic rock or smooth R&B when getting ready for an evening out; a distinctive sound with a discerning curve could find its place bouncing off of tiles like these in spaces with few fabrics to absorb sound.

Something tells us there’s a resounding absence of, say, Yanni:

Whether inspired by sky, sea or something else altogether, a blue bathroom does nothing if not provide a calming effect. And in a space where we start and end the day, that’s a perk with which we wouldn’t mind showering ourselves.

Photo credits: Design*Sponge, Better Homes & Gardens, Simping and Elle Decor

In every small bathroom there is the challenge of where to put personal items, how to store cleaners out of plain sight, and how to accommodate your guests when using your tiny bathroom.

There are many blunders that homeowners make when trying to outfit their bathroom, such as putting in a pedestal sink to save space, but then there is no place to store towels or for guests to put their purse.

Here are tips to help you overcome common guest bathroom blunders in your home.

• Think of your guests first: While a beautiful guest bathroom is nice to have, your guests will appreciate a well thought out and functional bathroom even more. If you have a small pedestal think, consider putting a small stool, side table or even a decorative wall hook for your guests to hang their belongings. Install shelving or design architectural niches in the wall to house soap, extra toilet paper rolls and hand towels so your guests don’t have to search.

Photo credit: Design Sponge

• Hide what doesn’t need to be seen: While this sounds obvious, the truth is that many of us forget that guests don’t need to see your personal hygiene accessories, bathroom cleaners and extra supplies. Behind the toilet on the floor is not the best storage place for anything. Visually, it looks unkempt and it’s probably less than sanitary for housing anything, as well. Opt for a closed cabinet vanity or utilizing a closet in an adjacent linen closet. If you have enough space, consider reusing a piece of furniture to house towels, paper towels and small pampering items for your guests to easily access.

Photo credit: Houzz

Your guest bathroom should feel welcoming and above all, comfortable for your visitors. Even if your guest bathroom is small, use these helpful ideas and tips to accommodate simple hospitality items that will make your guest bathroom beautifully functional and make you look like the thoughtful homeowner.

Photo credit top: Colorado Homes Magazine

Short of the bed, the bath is the one thing in a home designed to do the most magical job of reducing our stress and restoring our perspective. Even the tiniest of old-fashioned claw-foot tubs and European showers can bring us peace simply by the act of stepping into them and feeling the hot water swirl around us.

Today’s quintet of baths, though, takes relaxation to a whole new level; one might even call them transcendent.

From the pool-style shorefront soaking tub fashioned into the form of a small infinity pool to the walk-in shower open to the yard beyond on three sides, these bathrooms are practically spa vacations in and of themselves. Bringing the great outdoors in can take a quiet bubble bath and transform it into a life-affirming experience; let’s just hope the neighbors aren’t watching.

Photo credits: Centro Architecture (x3) and DesignBoom

It goes without saying that colorblocking is all the rage this season, at least per the Spring 2012 runways where women’s clothing is concerned. A few tastemakers in the interior design realm — Martha Stewart, for one — have started dabbling with its adaptation into home decor as well, and as far as the bathroom is concerned, the idea couldn’t be smarter.

Colorblocking is easy to achieve in a smaller space, since there isn’t much math to be considered in terms of how many items to include from each color in any given scheme. Trial and error is easier in a tiny room, and while the trend can be implemented in the form of paint, wallpaper or tile to achieve the look above, it can also be as simple as adding a bold, fruit-punch-hued Martha Stewart shower curtain or a brightly geometric set of towels.

In need of a wake-up call for your home this spring or summer? A little experimentation with colorblocking might be just the ticket, and it doesn’t require much effort at all.

Photo credits: HGTV, Martha Stewart and Echo Design

For today’s link roundup, we’re merrily skipping to the loo in each and every website we’re visiting this afternoon, and the abundance of natural light, inventive design and cool, clean decor has left us anything but disappointed.

First up, Houzz has us craving an outdoor shower inspired by and/or infused with volcanic rock like the one shown above in a dizzying collection of tropically sumptuous bathrooms.

We’re also rather smitten with the royally elegant nature of this mint green space with soaring windows and an oddly icy feeling of warmth, courtesy of Traditional Home, which kindly gives manufacturer info on every last speck of the room’s accoutrements:

Elsewhere, this serene bathtub view shared by Green Like Bathwater is calming our nerves just from looking at it — imagine the soothing qualities of actually taking a soak:

For the little ones who make us smile, Apartment Therapy takes a bite-sized look at five fun and creative themes for kids’ bathrooms…

And if you’re in the mood to retile, the good folks at Curbed know just who you should talk to: Lenny Kravitz.

On that note (ahem), we bid you a rockin’ Cinco de Mayo weekend. Our advice: tread lightly on the margaritas in lieu of spending Sunday morning on the floor of the subject of today’s roundup.  Feliz fin de semana!

Photo credits: Houzz, Traditional Home and Green Like Bathwater.

Agate is a brightly-colored microcrystalline variety of silica found most commonly in volcanic rock. Found at the Knossos site on Crete, it’s believed to have been a chief material used by the Minoan civilization during the Bronze Age. Today, it and its likeness are used in kitchens and bathrooms, harnessing the complexities of its visual appeal.

Found in more than a dozen varieties, agate is striking enough in small doses, but it’s most arresting when presented in macro form via a wall mural or decorative hanging, or when used in great measure to create a sink or full vanity.

The example below illustrates agate’s beauty when thoughtfully backlit and presented as a mosaic. Not typically found through large-scale home renovation retailers, it’s generally used in custom projects completed by professional interior designers. Its rarity, to some degree, comprises the basis of its mysterious allure, as well as its conversation-worthiness.

Photo credits: Stonesmiths.com, HGTV, In Style Decor and CGL Granite.

If you were told you could change one thing about your bathroom what would it be? Would you want a larger tub, more counter space, or more area to hide your clutter?

While you may not realize it, most people’s biggest complaint about their bathroom is about storage and lack of room to put their belongings when not in use. Clutter doesn’t always mean that you don’t need your items; in fact, clutter can refer to insufficient storage area to house your bathroom essentials.

Here are creative solutions for storing… or hiding clutter in your bathroom.

• Be honest about what you need to keep: Before you can organize, you need to take stock in what you currently have and can also part with. Let’s face it, every health and beauty item from the last ten years shouldn’t still be housed under the bathroom sink or in the medicine cabinet. Go through all of your storage areas and throw away expired medicine, health and beauty items, old curling irons, and items that haven’t been used regularly. Once you complete this step, you can assess how much space you really have.

Photo credit: House to Home

• Measure your space and get organized: Now that you have uncluttered your storage areas, measure to see how much room you have. Then visit an organization store with measurements in hand to see how you can consolidate your current bathroom essentials. Magnetic spice jars make great space savers for bobby pins, earrings, small accessories, buttons, etc… These can be affixed to the back of your metal medicine cabinet, or install a flat piece of metal to the inside of your wooden cabinet doors for more storage room. Look for vertical stacking drawers for smaller items or use open decorative baskets for open shelving vanities. If you have space, use furniture from other parts of your home to store toiletries, larger appliances such as hair dryers and extra linen.

Photo credit: Zsa Zsa Bellagio

Hiding your clutter doesn’t have to be a devious job. In fact, if you can get rid of your clutter and organize only what you use, you will soon see how much space there is to be had.

Bathrooms are one of the smallest rooms of your home, but they need to house a lot of elements. Use these helpful tips to get organized and utilize every spare space you have!

Photo credit top: Better Homes & Gardens

As temperatures rise and we find ourselves “glistening,” as they say in the South, under the weight of everything we’re trying to accomplish as the days stretch ever longer, there’s something infinitely soothing about slipping into a cool vintage bathtub for an even cooler evening bath.

We’ve pulled together a roundup of four classic styles that we’re hoping won’t ever go out of vogue, regardless of how modern and frenetic society might become.

First, there’s the traditional copper tub (above), made of one of the earliest materials used in metalurgy. It’s in the shape of a “double slipper,” meaning both ends rise above the middle, forming a symmetrical curve, similar to the cast iron double slipper pedestal tub shown here:

A simple “slipper” tub, of course, has just one raised side, with the remainder of the tub’s perimeter staying flat; in essence, only one end allows the act of slipping downward into a reclining position in the water.

The clawfoot Bella Casa tub is a perfect example:

And last but not least, there’s the classic clawfoot tub, with an even perimeter free of curvature. It’s the basis for the modern bathtub but still stands proudly on its own four feet with a regal air of yesteryear. Apothecary-procured bath salts, unfortunately not included.

Photo credits: Vintage Tub & Bath.

It’s a fairly uncommon tile that may someday signify more than symmetry and come to encompass nostalgia once the penny is eventually retired from its status as legal tender.  The penny-round tile, normally used as flooring, is beginning to make its way up the walls of bathrooms and kitchens the world over.

As for its history, This Old House Magazine tells it best: “Originally sold in face-mounted paper sheets and set into a sand-and-cement mortar that also served as the grout, easy-to-clean unglazed porcelain circles debuted in bathrooms and kitchens in the early 1900s.”

Although it started out as a black and white only option, it’s now available in custom colors and is becoming ever-popular in sky blues and mint greens. In addition to its use as a wall covering, it’s specifically a fantastic option for a backsplash.

Installation is easier than ever, now that mesh backings and glue dots are becoming more typical. Less ubiquitous than square tiles, these classic discs — usually presented with 3/4- to one-inch diameters — provide a remarkably sweet, retro-modern finish to a small space.

Photo credits: House Tweaking, Remodelista, A Saltbox Interior Design, Design Sponge and Complete Tile.

When cleaning the bathroom, most of us try and get it done quickly and efficiently to lessen the pain of the experience. When cleaning the commode, most of us would rather get our teeth pulled then face this inexplicably dirty task.

Luckily, there are designer toilet brushes to make the job less daunting and many of them you won’t mind displaying beside the toilet. Take a look at these designer brushes that will make you rethink one of the dirtiest job in the house.

Ballo Toilet Brush: The Ballo brush is designed by Joseph Forakis who welcomes you to enjoy cleaning in a whimsical way. ‘Ballo’ means dance in Italian and this toilet brush actually wobbles back and forth or ‘dances’ across the floor. Forakis played around with the sense of balance and came up with this unique and cool looking brush.

”I am fascinated by the design of behaviour and gestures. A product becomes interesting and gets life from the energy created between a product and its user, in the interaction between them. Like a good tool which is suited to its purpose, the design is born from first designing the behaviour without compromising the function. Ballo moves, almost dances on the bathroom floor. It’s a funny but functional product that creates pleasure and gives an experience in people’s daily lives.” …Joseph Forakis

Photo credit: Normann Copenhagen

Clean as a Whistle Toilet Brush: If you are one of those homeowners that need to have a toilet brush that looks cute and does the cleaning the “Clean as a Whistle” brush is for you. Decorated with a cute bird perched on a branch allows for the head of the brush to hang gracefully and kept dry. So if you thought there wasn’t a way to actually enjoy cleaning the “John” we just gave you a reason to with this playful and fun bird toilet brush.

Photo credit: Mod Cloth

FRAGILE Toilet Brush: When cleaning the bathroom, you don’t usually associate cleaning with drinking fine wine – or maybe you do morning after you’ve had a few too many. Designer Anotnio Gardoni’s FRAGILE toilet brush resembles an overturned wine glass and is perfect for the bathroom that is sophisticated enough to only have fine accessories adorn it.

“Bathroom accessories are not normally fodder for design experimentation. Antonio Gardoni has taken a bold step in that direction, designing functional objects that add a touch of glamor to the toilet experience.”… Selectism

Photo credit: Selectism

So the next time you have to face the daunting task of cleaning the latrine, think of using one of these fashionable toilet brushes. Whether you want whimsical or sophisticated, there is a cleaning tool for your dreaded job. Although, with the use of these toilet brushes, you may decide that cleaning the bathroom isn’t as bad as it once was!

Photo credit top: Selectism

Today’s roundup is all about that bastion of vanity and cleanliness; the momentary sanctuary we seek from an uncomfortable conversation; the place where we wash all our cares away.

First up, Apartment Therapy does what it does best and introduces us to some intelligent solutions for small spaces; in this case, small sinks (like the one pictured above) for apartment bathrooms with little square footage. 

Over at FresHome, we get a glimpse at a sleek. black minimalist tub from Claudia Danelon and Federico Meroni’s Beyond collection:

Furniture Fashion walks us through a roundup of 10 gorgeous modern sinks like this slinky little number from Eumar:

Elsewhere, Decoholic treats us to a feast of 15 nature-inspired bathrooms, most of which spare no expense on greenery…

…those looking for traditional redecoration inspiration need look no further than HGTV’s designer roundup of more than 500 bathroom images, each full of ideas for the most functional room in the house…

…and lastly, Trendir gets truly progressive with its feature on a Parisian ensuite bathroom by designer Antonio Virga… although some things are best kept private, this room attempts to place that belief on its ear, but beautifully so.

Photo credits: Apartment Therapy, FresHome and Furniture Fashion.

One of the darkest and smallest rooms of your home is often the room you need the best light in – your bathroom. Your bathroom is where you get ready for the day, wind down for the evening and refresh during the day.

Many homeowners think they have to have light colors in their bathroom in order to enjoy the space. On the contrary, a dark bathroom with perfect lighting can be just as enjoyable.

Here are a few pointers for choosing the lighting that will brighten your dark bathroom:

• Highlight bathroom features: In many dark bathrooms, the need for contrasting colors is essential to making the space work effectively and look brighter. In dark gray, black, and brown bathrooms, bring light into the space with a white or bone colored tub, sink and toilet to break up the dark colors. Also consider using custom light fixtures directed at specific features. Floor lighting around a free standing tub can create a dramatic effect and add much needed illumination.

Photo credit: Knight Moves Blog

• Assess your natural light sources:  The best friend in lighting to your dark bathroom is a natural light source. Whether it is a window, a glass block wall diffusing light from an adjacent room or a solar tube diffusing light from the outside into your bathroom, try and bring in natural light whenever possible. If you don’t have natural light, sources choose lighting fixtures that diffuse and throw light around your bathroom. Wall sconces are beautiful to look at and come in a variety of directional fixtures. Overhead ambient fixtures will help create overall light to brighten your whole bathroom at once.

Photo credit: Ffffound

Your dark bathroom just got lighter with these tips to bring in natural and artificial light. Also, choose wisely when choosing paint colors to paint your bathroom. Many paint manufacturers have paints that have metallic and light diffusing properties to give a sheen or gloss to your walls. This, in turn, will help bring more light to your dark bathroom. So go ahead and bring on the dramatic dark aesthetics to your bathroom!

Photo credit top: A Bathroom Guide

Let’s be honest: bathrooms aren’t necessarily the most glamorous places in the world. They exist to serve some rather basic human functions we simply don’t talk about at the dinner table, so it stands to reason that their decor is really little more than an afterthought.

But then again, isn’t the bathroom also the place where we get glammed up before a big night out? It’s the place where we make our hair look just the way we want it to… where we sweep charcoal-colored shadow over our lids for that perfectly smoky eye… where we spritz on our favorite designer fragrance before heading out to conquer the world. So, really, why not glam up the space a little?

From ingeniously-textured light-reflecting tiles beaming flecks of illumination at us from all angles to the simplest of vanity ensembles, an array of metallic and mirrored accents exist to help us make our powder rooms sparkle, shimmy and glimmer.

The first three images in today’s post focus on tile inspirations, while the simple gleam of soap dispensers and toiletry containers in the fourth offer a quick and easy way to add some sparkle without too much investment.

If, however, a blast of big-time bling is in order, there’s always the Mosaiko toilet and bidet set, shared with us by our avante-garde-minded cohorts at Design Milk. There’s something to be said for “going big or going home,” we suppose, and where glamming up a bathroom is concerned, aside from the Mondrian’s disco ball bathtub we shared earlier this year, this is about as over-the-top as it gets.

Photo credits: House to Home (x2), Villeroy & Boch, Bed Bath & Beyond and Design Milk.