Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, certainly knew how to enjoy a good bath. Messaged in rich oils, soaked in milk and honey in a pool surrounded by hand maidens and lotus blossoms. She knew how to unwind after a hard day of ruling over Egypt.

So a long bath has been part of people's lifestyle for a long time. Now bathroom decor is the most important part of a Residence's interior. An ideal bathroom is functional, clean, maintainable, and has a tidy appearance, with wet and dry areas separated by a low ledge. It is a place you can retreat to in privacy, spending uninterrupted time tending to your needs. It reflects your individual sense of style by displaying your love of particular colours, your favourite textures and patterns. There are various styles of bathroom décor to choose from such as Indian-style, British Style, Chinese Style, Luxury, Different Levels, Black and White etc.

The most important part, at least for the designer, is budget, as well as the client's choice. A small bathroom is a challenge for an interior designer. This is a small, spacious master bathroom. The designer arranged light peach-coloured non-slippery tiles in the bathroom's wall and floor. Light coloured tiles look spacious. There are various types of tiles in the market. "Safety" is a vital issue when planning a bathroom's decor. So safety-conscious clients do not want to be victims of spills and slips in the bathroom. That is why the designer arranged matte tiles, which is ideal for a bathroom. A decorative floral border line is set 2'-6" high above the cabinet basin on the wall. The mirror has to be placed so that it does not overlap the border. The counter basin top is covered with matching Parlotto Cecile marble. The edge of the marble top is semi-circle shaped.

A medium size 5'-7" bathtub is fitted as per bathroom measurements. Bathtub, washbasin, and W/C all are modern style in shades of off-white to match with the tiles. Accessories and mixers also play an important role in the beautification of a bathroom. Stylish silver mixer of well-known brand names are used in the bathroom.

Lighting is another important consideration. In our country, traditional lighting is handled very badly. A bathroom must have light fixtures, plug-points switches that are grounded and protected with circuit breakers and kept well away from the bathing area. The designer arranged various lights for proper purpose and beautification, and also arranged plug point for hair drying and saving necessity. A proper hot-and-cool plumbing system was placed in the bathroom, which is also very important nowadays. A window was installed for daylight and exhaust fan for air circulation.

The large mirror with the wooden frame was set above the basin to make the bathroom spacious. A designer-made curved marble slab was placed next to the washbasin. Above the slab, a beautiful, slim etched glass rack with a wooden frame was installed, with spotlights to illuminate the perfumes and decoration pieces. Sometimes, the bathroom is a good place for keeping a personal photo frame. Why restrict such things to a living room? As the bathroom is the place where one can unwind, it is a good idea to keep a magazine basket and/or a weight machine there.

At a corner of the bathtub, two-step glass shelves are attached for storing bathing accessories. Beautiful towels are favourite item. So a towel rack is settled above the bathtub.

'Wet Area": this is a major consensus point when designing a beautiful, dry and clean bathroom. Wetness is a hazard. To avoid wetness, designer arranged floor-length shower curtains beside the bathtub. To further minimise wetness, it is necessary to keep the needed accessories close to the bathing area.

The door to the bathroom has to be chosen very carefully. Wooden or particle-board doors don't last very long, while plastic doors, which are more durable, are not popular with home-owners. This bathroom has a wooden door with molded beats.

Finally, a bathroom mat, plants, and small decoration pieces were added as finishing touches to provide the perfect bathroom.

By Nazneen Haque Mimi, Interior Consultant, JOURNEYMAN. For further details contact e-mail: journeym@citechco.net
Photo Credit: Mohidul Haque