by Leona Gaita

Today we are joined by Leona Gaita, HomeWorkshop.com Interior Design Expert and Contributor. Leona shares with us her inspiring ideas and advice to help us enrich our homes and lives with beauty and elegance.

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It’s that time of year! Friends and family will be coming over, sharing good food, good cheer and good times… AND THEY’LL BE USING YOUR BATHROOM! Of course you’ll have everything ready in the living room and dining room: Flowers, candles, a beautifully set table, everything in it’s place right down to the perfectly plumped throw pillows…
But don’t forget the room that almost every guest will be stopping into, the POWDER ROOM.

This is no time for major renovations! Too busy,shopping for gifts, planning holiday menus. But here are some things you can add to the bathroom that will bring some pizazz and glamour with very little effort, and not much expense:

1. Swiss Dot Curtain. This is the quinessential bathroom window treatment, and here’s why. It’s a timeless classic. It’s a bit old fashioned, but never stuffy. It’s very affordable. It’s opaque enough for privacy, but very translucent for letting in the maximum amount of natural light. I recommend simple panels, as opposed to fussy shirred valances. The fabric is sweet enough without added extra fluff!

2. A highly polished chrome towel stacker will add a little shine and a practical storage solution. I think it adds an elegant spa look to the bathroom.

3. While we’re on the subject, a fresh stock of fluffy white towels to fill up your shiny chrome spa style towel rack. The great thing about white towels, is that they’re available at all price points, and they always look great.

OR…if your bathroom is bland and needs a little color therapy, check out these Marimekko patterned towels from Crate and Barrel. The bright red and white  give a hint of the Chrismas season. The Grey and white would look great in any bathroom with silver metal accents, or a Cararra marble vanity top.

Black and white is a classic bathroom combo. Shake things up with wild zebra print towels. Fun!

4. For a major shift in the mood of a bathroom, with little effort, get rid of the boring rectangle of glass you have over the sink, and replace it with a stunning Venetian mirror. I’ve never seen it fail. This will add so much sex appeal to your bathroom, that no one will notice crumbling grout, old formica or other sins of an aging bathroom!

5. Add an over sized art print. Most people tend to use itty bitty art in bathrooms…WRONG! Don’t be afraid to go BIG, using as much wall space as you’ve got. This will add drama, and help distract from any flaws that are part of the reality of life! I like this print for the drama, the bathroom friendly black/white grey, and the dash of yellow, which we can play up elsewhere.

6. If your powder room, also happens to be your BATHROOM, you can drape a mosquito net over the tub, for an all-out romantic look in 5 minutes. Just buy it, hang it, you’re done! If you like, you can use either gros grain ribbons or white drapery tie backs to add some extra swoop.

Photograph by Sara Gray, courtesy of Coastal Living.

7. If you have a free corner, add a pretty pedestal.

8.…And don’t forget the flowers for the pedestal! The dining table is not the only place for flowers. Nothing denotes freshness like cut flowers! And in a bathroom, what could be better?

9. Get pretty AND organized with a bathroom caddy. On ordinary days, you can use it for your own toiletries. For special occasions, you can clear your stuff out, and add scented candles, flowers and disposable towels.

10. If you would like to add some pretty little things, but are very pinched for counter and floor space, you can add a wall hung etagere. The piece itself can be very decorative, so I wouldn’t over load it.

So remember when you’re gift shopping, that YOU DESERVE A PRESENT TOO! One for me, one for you, one for me, one for you….

I’ve noticed that sprucing up for holidays has a side benefit: You get to enjoy the little improvements all the year long!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

How else could you quickly improve your guests’ experience?

Leona Gaita has an infectious enthusiasm for interior design that she shares with us, with her clients and with the readers of her popular blog, Gaita Interiors.

With a lifelong involvement in the fine arts and design, Leona designs for Gaita Interiors, a staple of the local community for over 40 years, serving Larchmont, Westchester County and the New York metropolitan area.