This is a bit of a marmite question. Some people are inclined to festive-up every nook and cranny of their home. Others prefer something a little more understated, sticking to a tree and little else. Even if you find yourself somewhere in between these two extremes, you probably don’t pay too much attention to your bathroom. It’s an overlooked space this time of year. We take a look at why you might want to give it a go, and what works best in these spaces.
The rise of bathroom Christmas decorations
Although festive bathroom decor isn’t a new thing, it’s certainly risen in popularity in the last few years. A recent survey of 2,000 adults found that 34% like to decorate their bathroom, and feel that this room is underappreciated when it comes to festive cheer. While some bathrooms of the house may receive more visitors than others, it’s also true that our bathroom decor can affect how we feel. There are a variety of ways that you can embrace the unique aspects of these rooms with festive sparkle.
Cloakroom
The bathroom that your guests are most likely to visit. There may be limited space in here, but some focussed choices can be both functional and festive. Centre your decoration on the functional, with fairy lights on the mirror, festive toilet paper and soap, and spiced potpourri. Any shelving and windowsills like we see below are ideal spots for a sprinkle of decoration!
Main Bathroom
For families especially, why not extend your Christmas decorations to the main bathroom? Let the kids tape their christmas pictures to cabinet fronts. Art and craft is one aspect of the holiday that children can get really on board with and freedom to decorate their bathroom increases that sense of excitement. Especially when they remember that Father Christmas might need to use the facilities!
En-Suite
The most private of domestic bathrooms, this is the place we go for a haven of calm. This can be made even more magical with some subtle decor like candles and pine greenery that brings the calm of a moonlit Nordic forest.
Bathroom Decorating Ideas
Whether you put up Christmas decorations for your own pleasure, or to show off your creativity to guests, we have a few fun tips to make the most of your bathroom
Choose a Theme
This might be a colour scheme, or a visual concept. Think about how your festive decor might tone in or contrast with your current bathroom colour scheme. Silvers tend to complement bathrooms which already have chrome or stainless steel fixtures and fittings. Golds sit nicely against modern green colour palettes. Classic red and green looks fantastic in a monochrome bathroom like the example below, as the colours will really pop. If you have display space, such as recessed shelving or sills, think about a conceptual theme. For example, varieties of stag, robin or gnome ornaments.
Sights and Smells
Bathrooms and cloakrooms are heavily scented areas of the home. Since Christmas has so many distinctive scents, your bathroom decor can easily tie sights and sounds together. Cinnamon flavoured soap or reed diffusers are a great idea. Similarly, mulled spice or pine scented pot pourri will infuse the room with Christmas and look pretty at the same time.
Light It Up
For any well designed bathroom, lighting is already key. Levels of lighting from the overhead wash to focussed mirror and recess LEDs help to create mood and ambience, like the lighting combinations on display below. Festive decor works to a similar principle. Tealights are both relaxing and seasonal, especially if you choose festive holders. Battery operated fairy lights look cute and magical draped around a bathroom mirror or window – just make sure to keep power sources dry.
Add Some Greenery
If you have a gap in between the top of your bathroom wall cabinets and your ceiling, think about adding evergreen garlands. These look classy and festive, and they won’t get in the way! The back of your bathroom door could house a wreath rather than a collection of dressing gowns for the season. If you have the floor space, a small Christmas tree is fun and cute. Indeed, the survey that we mentioned at the start discovered that 15% of adults have a Christmas tree in most rooms of the house!
Seasonal Accessories
If you want to keep things a bit more functional, invest in festive bathroom accessories. Themed items like a soap dish, hand towels, toothbrush holder and bath mats are straightforward. You could just choose shades of red and green, or go all-out cheesy with Santas and snowmen. It’s your call!
With more and more adults choosing to decorate their bathrooms for Christmas, it’s not as unusual a concept as it once was. It can be as simple as draping a garland around a lit mirror, or trailing lights along wall cabinets, or even adding a festive ornament here or there. You may even just decide to tuck into a mice pie in the bath! So however you choose to spread the Christmas spirit around your home, don’t neglect your bathroom!