How to Choose Art for Your Bathroom
A bathroom can be a sterile, boring place, but it doesn't need to be. Here's how to choose and display art - and make sure the art survives. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Polyurethane Finishes
- UV-protective Glasses
- Art
- Picture Frames
- Posters
- Vintage Advertisements
- Mat Cutters
Instructions
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Identify the spaces you want to fill. You may need to rearrange towel racks or change the way the shower door opens to get the layout the way you want it.
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Decide on a color scheme if you haven't already.
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Select a theme if you have one handy. A guest bathroom can provide a perfect opportunity to display your collection of Peter Pan memorabilia or Las Vegas plaques.
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Choose items that evoke relaxation, cleanliness and general health if you don't have a collection handy - vintage vitamin advertisements or spa posters, for example.
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Check flea markets and rummage sales for ideas. A bathroom is the perfect place to let your funky, creative self take over. How about an old lithographic plate for a laxative advertisement or a series of vintage postcards of watering holes?
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Frame the pieces well if they're paper, using archival quality mats and sealing the backs. Light, water and steam in bathrooms can pose unique threats to art, but if you frame the pieces well, they'll be fine.
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Seal the pieces if they need it. Anything porous, such as a plaster wall sconce or papier-mâché mask, will do better in a steamy bathroom with a coat of polyurethane.
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Make it a point to check your art once in a while. Light changes during the year, so something that's fine in December may find itself in direct sun come June, and a piece that's fine one year may take on moisture damage the next year if the backing comes loose.
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Tips & Warnings
Red is the canary in the coal mine for art - it's the color that goes first when a piece gets too much light. If you notice changes, move the piece.
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Comments
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Nov 22, 2005
Remember, children use the bathroom too and parents might not like them looking at loads of nude pictures. -
Nov 22, 2005
I don't know why, but a lot of people choose nudes for a bathroom. This is declasse and might very well make guests to your bathroom uncomfortable. Since it's the one room where your guest are likely to spend time without you, don't create controversy.
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Nov 22, 2005
I think nudes are a perfect choice for a bathroom, because it is one of the few places where we are fully nude, often in front of a mirror. Having beautiful representations of the human body around reminds one to celebrate one's own body, especially when the bathroom frequently also contains a scale. But if you think nudes will make your guests feel uncomfortable, limit them to the master bath and put something else in the powder room.
