We live in an older home, built in 1911. Throughout the house, we have thick, beautiful dark walnut trim around the doorways and windows, all the kitchen cabinetry, and all the interior doors. We love it in all of these areas except in the bathrooms. Our master bath is super-small, 6x10 feet and there is dark wood everywhere. We have a wooden vanity, wooden cabinet above the sink, enclosed wooden shelves above the toilet and even above the shower. The walls are a medium cream color. Since we're renting, we are not allowed to paint.

I can't figure out how to decorate in this room! I tend to like cool colors, especially in bathrooms, but the wood has a very warm tone to it. I think warm colors are just going to make this room look even smaller than it already is and there is no window so it will look SO dark. A white color scheme would play off the wood nicely but is going to fade into the light walls. I like clean lines and modern shapes but the carvings on the wood are a little too ornate to match that style. I really dislike a "themed" bathroom, like fish or duckies, etc. We also have shower doors so I can't use a shower curtain to provide a big punch of color. I'm completely frozen and haven't done anything with these rooms even though we've lived here for over a year. I'm less worried about our main bathroom since it is larger, brighter and the kids' bathroom. Once I'm kicked out of my frozen state, I'll figure something out for that room. Can any of you with a decorator's eye give me any suggestions (preferably with some links since I need pictures) for my master bathroom?

By Sandysmom on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 01:57 pm:

I'll check into the links, but i have seen dark wood paired up with a very light lime green and it offset it it beautifully. Sherwin williams or Benjamin Moore has a website where you could decorate a room using different colors. I'll try to send you a link. Good Luck!

By Sandysmom on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 02:03 pm:

I hope this works, if not, go to sherwin Williams.com and hit the "Launch visualizer" button.

SherwinWilliams

By Sandysmom on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 02:07 pm:

Ok, I just hit my link and I think from there, all you have to do is hit, "Paint an Interior"

Picking a color is hard. I want to repaint my bedroom and my DH wants a gray color. When I think of gray, I think of a garbage can or those old file cabinets from years ago that were just an industrial gray. I think I may get some use out of this site too!

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 03:07 pm:

I read that you are not allowed to paint. But, while you don't need a shower curtain, is there any reason you can't hang curtains of some bright color that you like in front of the shower doors - those curtains with the loops at the top, suspended from a friction fit curtain rod with springs to hold it tight against the wall. Or bright curtains that you like and sew metal rings at the top, and you can then slide it aside easily to enter the shower. And how about a largish "trompe l'oeil" poster, framed, on the wall - some bright outdoor scene or even a Roman bath scene.

By Sandysmom on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 03:25 pm:

Tink, I apologize. Try as I might to read each post, having a 2 1/2 yr old constantly trying to get my attention, sometimes the detail of what I've read becomes fuzzy. However, with that link, you should still be able to at least play around with colors. *embarassed*

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 04:35 pm:

Sandy, I apologize. I certainly didn't mean to embarrass you - especially given the number of times I have overlooked something in a post and had to go back and post a correction or apology.

By Tink on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 04:43 pm:

No worries, Sandy! I actually looked at that site this morning before posting. I love to play around there and it's a great way to see colors combined. I don't visualize things well so it really helps to see it somewhere else first. Ginny, the curtain over the doors idea is a great one. I don't know why I didn't think of that. Unfortunately every wall is taken up in our master bath so the only room for a poster is right behind the door.

I'm wondering if a robin's egg blue and chocolate brown color scheme would work in there. Blue to tie in the cool tones I like, brown to play off the dark wood? Too trendy for an older style house? I'm so not good in this area.

By Yjja123 on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 05:03 pm:

I have ice blue & chocolate brown in my bedroom and bath. While I do not have an older home, I have antique furniture throughout. I think the colors enhance the antiques.
I also have a curtain in front of my glass shower doors. I think it softens the look (of glass doors) and it definitely adds color to the bathroom.
Play around with the colors you like and you can't go wrong.

By Breann on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 05:19 pm:

I love a light blue with brown. I think it looks very crisp and nice. And, I think it would be pretty with the darker wood.

Do you have pics of your bathroom? We could virtually decorate it for you LoL

By Mlee on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 08:23 pm:

Sandy, Thanks for the link. What fun! I'm going to use it to experiment with colors for my bedroom. It has a slight resemblance to Bedroom 5 at the Sherwin Williams site. I won't rush into anything, though, because the primer has only been on the walls for 8 years.

Tink, your house sounds great, but the bath sounds challenging. Maybe Breann could virtually decorate it for you while I virturally procrastinate for you.

By Sandysmom on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 08:42 pm:

I like the thought of robin's egg blue, as long as you have something to break it up. e.g.: striped towels, or floral towels with both the blue and brown in it. Just a suggestion

Ginny - (((hugs))) not a problem When I read your post, I had to laugh at myself. Trust me, no offense taken.

By Reds9298 on Monday, November 5, 2007 - 09:23 pm:

Tink - I think your idea of robin's egg blue and chocolate brown sounds BEAUTIFUL with what you're describing in that room. Go for it! (And kee your receipts, LOL!)

By Tink on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 - 11:10 am:

ROFL, Deanna! You're a girl after my own heart. Make a decision but keep a backup plan in place because you never know.

Sandy, I'm hoping to find a shower curtain or patterned towels with both colors in it. I don't think it will look very pulled together, if I don't.

Breann, I planned on putting up pictures with my first post but that darn bathroom is so small, I can't get a wide enough shot to do any good.

Mlee, I'm fairly sure I've done enough procrastinating for 5 people but the more, the merrier!

Thanks everyone! Sometimes, you just need to bounce ideas off someone to solidify it in your own mind. You are all great for that. Now I'm off to cybershop for blue and brown towels!

By Yjja123 on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 - 12:08 pm:

Do you have a Marshalls? I found my towels in blue/brown there. They had several different styles in those colors!