How to Design a Small Guest Toilet

Having a tiny guest toilet doesn't mean that it cannot be both stylish and functional.

Most guest toilets are small, with some even tinier than you can ever imagine. From toilets built under the stairs to those built close to the home's entrance, these rooms, which are a necessity in residential homes and apartments, need special attention if they are small.

The state of your guest toilet is a reflection of who you are. yes, guests may judge you wrongly if your visitor's loo is dank, dark, and nondescript. Its state may also be an indication of what to expect of the other bathrooms in your home.

So, how do you style a tiny guest bathroom?

There are numerous ways to maximize space in your small bathroom and make it look adorable and stylish. With a little creativity and the right tricks, you can certainly achieve this.




Make the Bathroom Appear Larger


Because it's a small room, you must first find ways to make it appear larger. You can achieve this with mirrors. The mirror effect can be achieved with either silver (or gold) mirror glass tiles or mirror sheets, and if you have a tight budget, you can opt for peel-and-stick 'mirror' tiles.

Choose Small-Scale Fixtures 


What type of fixtures work best for the interiors of tiny powder rooms? Smaller sized WC (compact toilet) and a small vanity unit. A compact toilet is not only best for small toilets, but it is also water efficient. Installing a corner sink is a good trick, and so is a floating vanity. This frees up floor space and creates a visual feel of extra space. Never consider a sink with a pedestal for a tiny toilet.

Choose Compact Furniture


As there is barely room to fit in toilet furniture, install a ledge made from wood or stone (marble) above the WC.  The ledge provides enough space for some needed items, including decorative toilet accessories and a small bowl of potpourri or bottles of scented oils and a diffuser. Alternatively, you can hang over-the-toilet open storage to hold extra toilet paper, extra hand towels, tiny pots of cacti or other small plants, etc...

Finishes


Don't feel you need to use small-scale patterns in your tiny guest toilet. In small spaces, large-scale patterns can trick the eye into seeing expanded space, so even as the floor area remains the same, the bathroom will appear and feel bigger. Remember as mentioned earlier, expand the space with a mirror finish. Even in the tightest spaces, having a mirror stretch across the wall instead of just the vanity area works best for tiny spaces. And if you'd rather paint the walls, use a vibrant colour that will make the room a visually pleasing space.

 Toilet Fittings


Use a wall-mounted faucet. It will not encroach on a tiny sink/vanity.  When you mount a faucet on the wall, it allows for a narrower sink or vanity, which in turn frees up space in the whole room. You can try a wall-mounted faucet in traditional design, as this style works all the time. Because of wall space constraints, mounting a towel bar on the door will keep a hand towel in close reach. Toilet roll holders can be free-standing or mounted close to the compact toilet bowl.


Further Reading:
How to Create Zones Within a Room 
7 Ways to Change Your Living Room from Drab to Uplifting
How to Create Spa-Themed Bathrooms: 11 Things to Add
9 Eclectic Style Mistakes to Avoid
7 Room Partition Ideas - Room Dividers
Downloadable and Printable Worksheets for Interior Design Projects

Top 5 Materials for Kitchen Worktops and Counters

Beautiful and durable countertops are the ‘crowning glory’ of well-designed kitchens. Just as stylish hats complement smart outfits, countertops enhance and beautify cabinets. They are the impactful finishing elements of an entire kitchen.

Beautiful white kitchen design.
(Image used under license from 123rf.com)

High-end kitchen worktops are made from natural materials like slate, quartz, granite, marble, engineered stone, and hardwood. While less expensive ones are made from man-made materials like laminated boards, simulated stone, ceramic tiling, and solid surface composite like Corian. But this post is about the top five popular choices of homeowners and kitchen designers.

Properties of the Top Five Kitchen Worktops


1. Quartz


Quartz possesses a refined, lustrous, and polished look. It has a sophisticated appearance similar to granite stone. With quartz, you get a consistent colour and finish, quite unlike granite and marble. As a kitchen worktop, it doesn’t harbour germs or breed bacteria, is easy to clean, and is stain-resistant.

If you love natural quartz but find it unaffordable, there is a man-made lookalike called engineered quartz. It is quite hard-wearing and is water-resistant.


A quartz countertop. Notice the lustre, beauty and sophistication of this kitchen worktop. Durable and hard-wearing, quartz counters come in an immense range of colours - from pure whites to greys, deep reds, browns, mirrors and sparkles, virtually in all the colours of the rainbow.


2. Granite



Granite is the second most sought-after worktop for kitchen cabinets. It is a natural stone and the only material ranking close to the perennial top choice, engineered quartz. Granite comes in various shades and a mix of colours. Colours depend on the region of the world they come from.

Because it does not breed bacteria, its surface is perfect for food preparation like rolling pastry, seasoning meat cutlets, cutting vegetables, and breadcrumbing. Granite lasts almost forever.



Black granite kitchen worktop - perhaps the most beautiful type of granite tops in today's modern kitchen. It is considered stylish, elegant and powerful with regal elegance by interior and kitchen designers, no wonder that it is in such high demand.  A black granite worktop is an excellent choice for any kitchen.

3. Marble


Many homeowners who desire high-end kitchen worktops generally opt for granite, but granite tops come with a high price tag. When this is the case, marble is the second choice because it is more affordable than granite, quartz, or slate.

Marble comes in arrays of colours representing hues and shades of earth tones. From white marble to salmon, emerald, and olive-brown, the beauty of the stone lies in the grains and lines crisscrossing its surface. Negative of marble stone? It is soft and porous and absorbs stains pretty rapidly.


White marble countertop installed on pure white kitchen cabinets. The characteristic streaks and grain of this marble showcasing gentle grey and taupe hues fit beautifully within a variety of settings, especially in smaller sized kitchens. A smart and contemporary look.


4. Corian: Composite Stone


Corian is (without a doubt) one of the market leaders in kitchen worktops. It is a man-made composite material that is versatile, durable, and easy to repair in the event of unsightly scratches and chips. Its elegantly smooth surface is cool when touched, non-porous, and stain-proof. It is extremely hygienic because it doesn't trap germs, bacteria, and dirt. It also resists mildew and mould formation because its flowing seamlessness and coved backsplashes mean there are no crevices to trap filth.

Corian countertops can accommodate all styles: modern, contemporary, minimalist, and traditional kitchen designs. They are available in an array of visually pleasing colours.

Beautiful Corian kitchen cabinet worktop and sink. Made from high-performance DuPont, this solid surface composite is available in a dazzling array of colours, forms, and styles.

5. Butcher's Block


If you desire a ‘warm’ classic look, something unique and exotic, butcher's block should be your choice. Formed by joining and pressure bonding staves in a vertical formation, end grain butcher's block worktops are uniquely constructed. In contrast to solid wood, they are extremely hardwearing and durable, and their tactile surface is suitable for direct cutting in food preparation. 

Butcher blocks come in various wood species to satisfy different homeowner requirements. Butcher block worktops can be produced with two different wood types, like a maple and walnut mix, or a single wood type, like oak.

 

Butcher's block kitchen counter surface with a unique grain pattern you'll never find in standard hardwood kitchen countertops.

Each has distinct characters, texture, and appeal. They are generally beautiful, possess unsurpassed durability, and are long-lasting.

So, if you feel these durable and attractive kitchen worktop materials are unaffordable, remember that their allure and longevity are well worth the extra expense.



Further Reading
Slate Kitchen Worktops: 16 Reasons Why They Are Getting Popular
How to Create Spa-Themed Bathrooms: 11 Things to Add 
7 Ways to Change Your Living Room from Drab to Uplifting
10 Kitchen Remodelling and Makeover Ideas


10 Ways to Decorate An Alcove Effectively to Make it Functional


Most interior designers love working with alcoves and find that they have great design potentials in that they can be designed and decorated in such ways that they become a focal point in any room, instead of being an ignored or uninteresting space.

Alcoves are recesses you’ll find within interiors spaces (hallways, living, dining, bedrooms, or bathrooms). They range from tiny nooks to wide bays. But many homeowners don’t know what to do with these recesses and end up placing a planter, a nondescript item or storage boxes into theirs. Others just leave them empty.

However, there are quite a number of ways to turn a niche into a spectacular space that’s not only aesthetically pleasing, but functional as well, depending on its width and depth, whether it has windows or not, or its ceiling height.




10 Ways to Turn Your Niche into an Impressive Space


1) If your alcove is wide and deep enough to fit in a comfortable chair like a sofa or divan.  Add a smartly styled table in front of it to serve as a coffee table and set this on an area rug. If it is a wide bay window recess, you can add side tables. Hang a large painting on the wall behind the sofa and put a  table lamp on one of the tables and artsy decorative pieces on the others.

Regard this space as a cosy nook, a quiet area away from the household crowd, or a small retreat.

2) For smaller alcoves, mirror the walls from dado height up to give an illusion of a larger space. Antique themed mirrors or bronze mirrors look great with this style. Add a high display stand or something like a plinth and place a large vase of freshly cut flowers on it. You may prefer to place a treasured carved statue, an abstract piece of artwork, an aquarium, or any decor item that's a good noticeable size. Fix a decorative pendant light fixture to drop from the ceiling. Now, you have a beautiful spot that enhances the room.


3) Under-the-stairs niches can be converted to a work-at-home office. All you’ll need is a suspended surface to serve as your working surface, some shelves, a drawer unit under the suspended table top, and a nice chair, swivel if you like. The walls can be finished with a contrasting colour from the other walls in the room in a deeper hue colour that will accentuate the recess complement the other walls in the room. The back wall will also look great with a textured finish or wallpaper.

4) If you love aquatic life, have your alcove converted to an exotic space with an aquarium, seashells, driftwood, wallpaper with coastal, beach sand, or palm trees illustrations. Build the fish tank on a raised platform. Its height will depend on the alcoves ceiling height and how high you desire your aquarium to be. The platform can be a cabinet to serve as storage for fish food and aquarium tools and accessories.

If you don't particularly like aquariums, you can build a large open or closed plant terrarium instead.

5) An indoor water feature like waterfalls and is popular because of the tranquil feel it creates. You can add a floor standalone water feature with cascading waterfalls or a tabletop one placed on a decorative table. Whether you want something modern, traditional, or rustic depends on the theme of your interior space.

Tranquil indoor water features will greatly enhance your alcove.

6) An alcove can be transformed into a mini gallery that’s filled with photographs, plaques, paintings, or groupings of framed artwork. These can be arranged on all three walls of the niche and well lit with a ceiling light fixture that has a similar theme to the gallery display. For example, if you decide to arrange black and white photos or art décor works, the ceiling light must be of a design that goes perfectly with the theme. You can also use vintage-inspired wall sconces.

Place an imitation area rug on the floor, round, rectangular, square depending on the configuration of the alcove. Its size will depend also depend on the floor space of the recess. Your guests will linger in this space for a long while, enjoying the collections on the walls. It is important that they all be small, framed, and arranged in a pleasing manner.




7) Place an area rug in the alcove and under a low coffee table to display family relics and personal mementoes, keepsakes, collectables, and the like. You can also display unusual art objects, ceramics, figurines, etc…  Your collections should make your visitors linger and scrutinise.

8) Another design idea for an alcove space is to set a chaise lounge in the space with plush plump bright pillows or if you prefer, you can use a classic accent chair like a scroll chair. Hang a large framed artwork on the wall - metal artwork will be a nice. Set a runner rug in front of the chaise and place a small round top table on a thin pedestal to its side. A floor lamp directed within can throw in subdued light if or when the need arises.

9) If the alcove is less than 1metre wide, convert the space into a display section. Use thick shatterproof glazing for a floor to ceiling shelves and build a dropped (false) ceiling above, fitted with recessed lights that’ll light up your displayed items. The recess can serve as display shelves for anything from collectables and memorabilia to ceramic ware, porcelain vases, and small family photographs. You can display any of the items you want to show-off. Ensure the wall is painted a light hue so that whatever items are placed on the glass shelves will stand out clearly and distinctly.

Try to avoid clutter on glass shelves.

10) If an alcove is set with bay windows, a built-in upholstered bench with plush colour coordinated throw pillows placed as back support creates an awesome look, especially if it has a great view of the outdoors. If the bay window has a wide ledge, decorate it with scented candles, vases, pots of potpourri,  decorative art pieces, carvings, ceramics, and the like. It can be decorated nicely to enhance the alcove.

The platform of the upholstered bench can have concealed storage facilities that's not only a part of the furniture but a structure that is functional and handy.





With any of these ideas, you can turn your alcove, niche or other interior wall recesses into a designer’s delight, a space that can serve as a hiding place of sorts, a nook to read, a place to relax and take a nap on a daybed, or a place to exhibit your prized collections.


Further reading:

How to Clean Bamboo Window Shades

Bamboo window shades add natural warmth and style to any room, but if they collect dust, cobwebs, or stains, they can quickly lose that charm. 

Instead of letting them look dull or worn, you can bring them back to life with a few simple, gentle cleaning steps. 

In this guide, you will learn easy ways to dust, wash, and care for your bamboo shades so that they stay beautiful and last longer. And you can do it all without needing expensive tools or professional help.


Beautiful bamboo window blinds in the dining area.

How to Clean and Maintain Bamboo Window Blinds?


Classified as modern and eco-friendly, bamboo window shades have become popular interior accents cherished for their natural look, texture, beauty, affordability, and ease of installation. But how do you clean and keep them looking good and lustrous, just like brand new?

Because they are made from natural materials, bamboo blinds are, over time, prone to dust accumulation, cobwebs, and even mould and mildew if exposed to moisture or dampness.

Dusting and cleaning tools are:
  • Soft sponge (or washcloth).
  • Feather duster.
  • Oil soap.
  • Washtub (if necessary).
  • White vinegar (optional).

Dusting

Dust your blinds regularly, AT LEAST bi-monthly, and if you live in a dusty or sandy area, dust every four to five days. Use a feather brush for this task.

With accumulated dust, use a soft brush to dust. This is only necessary if you haven’t dusted in a while. Ensure you dust between the slats as gently as you can. This is where most of the dust accumulates.

Cleaning/Washing

If necessary only, wash your bamboo blinds once every six months with oil soap. If you dust your blinds regularly, there is no need to dunk them in water more than once a year.

To wash:
  • Dismantle the shades.
  • Run warm water in your bath and add some oil soap.
  • If there is mould, add vinegar to the water instead of the oil soap.
  • Submerge bamboo shades in the bath water and leave to soak for no more than 5 minutes.
  • Scrub gently with a soft brush or washcloth.
  • When clean, remove them from the tub and drain the dirty water.
  • Rinse with warm water. Use the shower hose until all soap residue is rinsed off.
Remove from the drained tub and drip-dry outside in the sun until it dries completely.

Maintenance

For general maintenance, use a vacuum cleaner with a cleaning attachment. Let the attachment gently suck up trapped particles that dusting may have missed. You can also remove cobwebs this way.

An Easy DIY (do-it-yourself) Task


On a final note, cleaning and maintaining natural window treatments like bamboo blinds is an easy DIY (do-it-yourself) task that can be accomplished within a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon.

Always keep your window shades looking clean and lustrous. It is the kind of treatment befitting natural bamboo.



Further reading:

How to Convert the Balcony of a High-Rise Building to a Garden

Residents of high-rise apartments must miss gardens. We all love plants. They play important roles in our lives, aside from being beautiful.

If you live in a high-rise apartment complex, not having a proper garden doesn’t mean you can’t create one on your balcony.


Image created by author using RoomSketcher software.

How Do You Build a Garden on Your 10th-Floor Balcony?


If you are passionate about gardening but live so high up there, this is what to do. Start with the basics: floor, wall, and ceiling, and then determine your requirements for each.

1. Balcony Floor


Faux grass.
The best way to make the space look like a garden is to use good-quality faux grass flooring. It looks and feels like real grass, it will even fool the cows!

A cluster of plants.
Add a cluster of different-sized potted plants to a side, ensuring they are not in the way. If you prefer, a standalone tall plant in a clay pot will suffice. Not much floor space? Go vertical by placing small planters on mounted shelves.

A bed of smooth pebbles.
Create a bed of smooth pebbles with a custom-built metal trough 10cm (4 inches) deep. This feature, combined with the faux grass flooring, will transform your balcony into a garden.


Image created by author using RoomSketcher software.

2. Balcony Walls (if any)


Wood trellis.

What great way to create a garden feel, than by mounting a trellis on the balcony walls? If you love vines and creeping plants that flower, this is it. From light wood to bamboo and thin metal pipes, a simple trellis is a great garden material.

Faux (or real) stone.

Thinking rustic or country style? Faux-stone ceramic tiles are amazing. They look and feel like stone, and are affordable. Add that feature to part of, or a full wall. And if you'd like something lighter and easier to apply, good quality waterproof wallpaper or stick-on decals look great too.

Plant racks and shelves.

Display a collection of cute ornamental plants on hanging wall shelves (minimum of 4 inches/10cm) deep. The shelf sizes and numbers will depend on the available wall space. Display potted cacti, aloe, silver nerve, asparagus ferns, water bamboo, etc. on the shelves. You can also cultivate your herbs and vegetables here.

 
Image created by author using RoomSketcher software.


3. Balcony Ceiling


Slab ceiling.

With the balcony ceiling likely being the floor slab of an upper level, you can still create a dramatic ceiling for your only outdoor space.

For a slab ceiling, install hooks that you need to hang a collection of potted plants. Hanging potted plants is visually impactful. Hang them low and keep them away from the walk-path

Open balcony (no ceiling).

For the topmost balcony, you need a shade. Great ideas for this feature are pergolas, natural wood awnings, and painted latticework. Train vines to grow over them, or use them to hang various potted plants.


Image created by author using RoomSketcher software.


Make the Balcony Garden an Extension of the Interior


Balconies should have a meaningful impact as an extension of the indoors. They are not meant for storing bicycles, running shoes, gym equipment, and stuff. Your goal? Bring the outdoors indoors.

If you have space, add a cute garden chair, or two and a small table.

And if there is ample space, after setting up the garden, you may have room to seat a couple of people.

A styled garden beyond the living room is an impactful connection between the indoors and the outdoors. It enhances the living room and makes it appear larger.

So, even if your balcony is tiny, turning it into a garden enclave is worth the expense and effort.

It will provide a focal point beyond the boundaries of your interior walls.


Shop beautiful Home & Garden Products at Light In The Box

Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)