Work with the quirks
Those of you with unconventional homes know that a room with character can entail decorating challenges. While some consider unusual spaces charming, others see negative traits that are obstacles in the way of a balanced room.
Our feature bathroom photo (courtesy of Axor Hansgrohe) is an unusual space that speaks to this issue. If this room were wempty of fixtures and accessories you'd be left with a cavernous space with unusual angles, odd window placement (and size) and challenging lighting needs.
The naysayers may fret about pricey custom window coverings, placement and style of the bathroom fixtures and the challenge of decorating such large walls. Others will see possibilities for one-of-a-kind decor. In either case, reviewing what was done in our feature room will speak to both sides of this decorating coin, as it were.
Whether you see your unusual space as charming or annoying, there are quite a few ideas in our feature room that may help and inspire you.
Fixtures
First of all, the decision to use new, vintage-style tub, sink and faucets in our feature space was a good choice for this style of room. The claw-foot tub adds a sense of romance and luxury to the room.
Placing the tub on an angle with the faucet at the side rather than the end is in keeping with the angles in the room. If the tub were placed along the wall it would not have quite as much visual impact.
If your room has an older character, it might be easier to try to compliment the style by choosing period items rather than trying to make it a modern space. Luckily, vintage styles are available so you don't have to hunt down an antique tub or deal with old plumbing and fixtures to get the look you want.
Odd windows
A floor-to-ceiling window doesn't necessarily need to be covered in a traditional manner. Consider leaving the window uncovered to allow natural light into the space. This may also help somewhat with the lighting concerns, at least during the day.
If privacy is a concern, use a decorative dressing screen as was done in our feature room. The screen adds to the sense of whimsy and romance -- and it's portable. This is a much more cost effective choice than custom drapes or blinds, especially if you're renting.
There are other easy ideas for dressing a large window that won't break your budget. Translucent film can be used to give the glass a frosted look ,which will let in light but provide privacy.
Café curtains or shutters (placed at a good privacy height) are another cost-effective option. Even a simple panel covered with fabric can be set on the window sill when privacy is needed and stored away when not. A piece of foam core, some fabric and a little hot glue is all you need.
Too much wall space
If you remove all of the wall trim and moulding from our feature room you'd be left with a lot of bare wall space to decorate. Rather than trying to fill it up with art and bric-a-brac, do what the designers did in this room. Work with the character of the space by installing period trim to give the walls personality. This style of wall treatment needs no further enhancement so you don't have to worry about buying large paintings to enhance the room.
As you can see, the wall treatment in our feature room provides tons of character on its own. You can achieve a similar look using wallpaper and border (rather than expensive and time-consuming trim) to create faux panels.
This is a less costly, non-permanent solution that can be updated fairly easily when tastes change. Wallpaper panels are also a good alternative if you're renting. Consider using textured, paintable wallpaper that will have the look of textured plaster and may hide any wall imperfections.
Something's missing
When you're all said and done and the room still seems unfinished you may have to think way outside the box to give it that final touch of panache. In our example room, an antique fireplace mantel was placed on one of the angled walls.
While most would not think of using a fireplace mantle as an accent in the bathroom, it works beautifully in our feature room, even though it's a non-working fireplace.
The style of the mantel is in keeping with the period and again, further enhances the romantic and elegant aspects of the space. A period vanity/chair or a tall, shallow open cabinet filled with thick towels and toiletries would also work.
The vintage wicker chair is a nice touch but an antique slipper chair, chaise lounge or a low, upholstered bench or a set of upholstered cubes (which could also provide storage) could also work.
Other unusual decorative items that may work are an antique dressing dummy, a collection of vintage hats/purses, a turn-of-the-century bicycle (with the big wheel in front), a vintage pram, a decorative column -- you get the picture.
Fixed items
Things such as odd-coloured wall tiles (in a bathroom or kitchen) can be daunting, especially if you're renting. Either way, it's a big job to remove and replace wall tiles. If you can't remove them or don't want the mess, work with the colour rather than against it.
For example, celery green wall tiles from the 1950s may seem ugly and dated but this colour is coming back into vogue. Bleach the grout lines to freshen them up. Try to find accessories and linens that work with the colour. Make it look like you chose those green tiles and decorated accordingly.
You may also be fighting with a pink or powder blue sink\tub\toilet from the 1960s. Accent it with a modern colour, such as black, to punch up the look and provide drama. Choose a wall colour that is similar to the fixtures so they don't stand out as much. You'd be surprised how good it can look with the right accent colours.
I had to do a similar thing with our dated marble bathroom sink. Once I updated the vanity and walls with a cream-coloured paint inspired by the marble, the sink blends in beautifully.
Painting these items saved me from having to remove the entire vanity (which would have necessitated the flooring being replaced and so on and so on) I was able to update the room with the right paint colour. No fuss, no muss.
Some ingenuity can overcome older flooring. I'm sure the designers of our feature room went to great lengths and expense to have a new floor aged to look original and naturally worn.
So, if you're floor is well-worn but still in tact, celebrate it! That old flooring might just fit right into the scheme of things once you update the rest of the room. Try to work with it and co-ordinate the colours and pattern where possible.
Whether you see the glass as half full or half empty, your quirky space can have a beautiful, affordable outcome.
Connieoliver@shaw.ca
