My brother went hiking recently. Besides energy bars, a first aid kit, and a sleeping bag, the biggest thing he packed into his backpack was water. And not just one or two bottles. He had to take nine litres of the stuff. Nine litres might sound like a lot, especially when you have to carry it around with you on your back, but he’s a strong lad, and he managed just fine. And then again, nine litres isn’t actually a lot of water, in relation to how much we use every day.

And having to carry his water around probably gave my brother an invaluable lesson. I don’t think we always realise just how much we take piped water for granted. Having a tap is something that we’re all used to. It’s how things have always been. Our homes have several taps, both hot and cold. We turn on the tap, and we have water. It sounds amazingly simple, and it is, until you start taking a closer look at those taps, and what comes out of them.

Every year, 900 people in the USA die due to contaminated tap water. That’s nearly three every day, although it’s a relatively small percentage of the 900 000 who get sick for the same reason. Besides these concrete statistics, there is also an unmeasured impact of the quality of tap water, with various alimentary cancers being ascribed to the water. The figures may be for the USA, but where purification techniques are essentially the same, the figures can be used as a rough guide. It doesn’t make for particularly reassuring reading then, does it?

But it’s not as bad as all that. There are various ways of purifying water. One of the most common is the carbon filter, which, as the name suggests, uses carbon granules to filter the water passing through it. A carbon filter is useful in that it removes chlorine, some lead, and pesticides from the water, but there are a lot of things that slip through it. The same applies to water softeners. Hard water, which is caused by a high concentration of calcium and magnesium ions, is “softened” by the softener, but the softener won’t remove contaminants. (Generally speaking, the magnesium and calcium have no adverse health effects, although they are damaging to some industrial equipment and piping, and they make the water taste strange.)

This brings us to the oldest method of water purification – distillation. You may think that distillation would leave you with 100% pure water, but this is not the case. The pesticides and herbicides which are so common in modern agriculture remain in the water, even after it has been distilled, making it unsafe to drink. These chemicals enter the water via surface run-off from contaminated land. They are very pervasive, but they are essential to modern farming. Either way, distillation on an industrial scale would not be practically efficient.

Which leaves us with the question – what are the authorities doing to purify the water?

The answer to this question depends on where the water is coming from. Ground water, taken from deep below the surface of the earth, does not usually require any treatment at all. But most tap water is taken from surface sources, and requires treatment. This treatment may involve sedimentation, or flocculation, which is what happens when solid particles in the water settle out of the water. Filtration is also a common process, using various types of filters. Getting rid of harmful chemicals can be done by ion exchange, which removes inorganic pollutants.

Most water treatment facilities also disinfect the water, usually by means of chlorination. Chlorination involves adding chlorine or chloramines to the water, in order to kill off micro-organisms that cause disease. The chlorine also keeps the water clean as it travels through the pipes to your home. This is why tap water tastes different if you leave it to stand for a day – the chlorine, which is a gas at room temperature, vapourises out of the water.

Once the water reaches your home, there are various devices on the market which can further filter and purify it. Manufacturers of these devices typically claim that they remove heavy metals and other inorganic pollutants, which is a good thing. Then there is bottled water, which is usually advertised as being “bottled as source”. This is not a good thing, because there is no way of knowing if the bottling process included purification.

So, next time you turn on a tap, you may pause to consider what comes out of it. But don’t be too alarmed. At least you are living in a country where the tap water is drinkable. In China, the most populous nation on earth, the tap water always has to be boiled before drinking. At least you have been saved that inconvenience.

It’s probably something that we’ve all had to think about at some stage. Either you’re used to taking a shower in the morning, or you like to soak in the tub at night, but then one day you had to spend time away from home, and the place you were staying at only had one or the other – only a shower, or only a bath. And with your usual customary shower or soak taken away from you, you were knocked out of your comfort zone and forced to adapt to something that you were not entirely used to. However, there may be more to it than mere personal choice.

In fact, taking a good soak in the bath has been proven to have several health benefits. The most obvious of these is the deep muscle relaxation caused by the warm water surrounding your body. This effect is very much like a massage. At the same time, your circulation improves due to the vasodilatory effect of the warm water (“vasodilatory” is a fancy way of saying that your blood vessels widen – chocolate and alcohol also cause this), making it easier for nourishing blood to reach the tissues of your body. The opposite effect, namely constriction (narrowing) of your blood vessels, is achieved by bathing in cold water.

Bathing in warm water has also been shown to decrease your blood sugar level, making it a good idea for those who have diabetes. Spending 30 minutes in a bath with the water at about 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) can cause a reduction in your blood sugar level of around 13%. Taking a cold bath has the opposite effect, by increasing your blood sugar. A further benefit of a warm bath is that it opens up your pores, so that toxins are able to leave your body. This cleansing effect is very important, and can be enhanced by the addition of milk to the water, which will make your skin softer and smoother. There is also a whole range of plant oils that you can add to the bath water in order to create an aromatherapy effect, such as chamomile, which relieves stress.

However, there are those who do not enjoy taking a bath. Besides the time factor, a bath also uses more water than a shower. This is an issue particularly in homes of more than one person. There cannot be many things as annoying as turning on the taps in the shower only to be greeted by cold water because someone has used up all the hot water running a bath. And obviously the more water you use, the more you are going to pay for it.

A bath holds anything between 100 and 200 litres of water, which is about 30 to 50 gallons. That’s a lot of water – you could make 400 to 800 cups of tea with that amount of water. A shower doesn’t even use half of that. And you should also keep in mind that most of the water in the bath is hot water, which requires energy to heat. The geyser is one of the biggest consumers of energy in a home. You can try switching it off at strategic times in order to save energy, but you can’t really prevent the large amount of energy that it takes to run a bath. And one day you may forget to switch the geyser on again, and then you will be forced to take an icy dip, or wait a few hours.

Speaking of icy dips, taking a cold shower has been found to have several health benefits. Besides the fact that it is a sure-fire way of waking you up properly in the morning, it also improves circulation, by causing more blood to flow to your organs. The cold water causes your body’s metabolic rate to rise, and it is believed that this improves the functioning of your immune system.

For the guys, cold showers have been shown to increase the level of testosterone in your body. This isn’t only about macho tendencies – men may find that due to the increased level of the hormone, they will have more energy in general. Research has also shown that bathing in warm water decreases a man’s sperm count, due to the relatively high temperature of the water surrounding the testes. This is something to keep in mind if you are struggling with infertility issues.

However, there are times when a cold shower should be avoided. If you are suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure or a fever, a cold shower is not a good idea, due to the fact that it causes constriction of your blood vessels. The sudden cooling of your body may also exacerbate the fever.

Modern psychology recognises that some people simply hate showering – the condition is known as ablutophobia, or fear of showers. But for whatever reason, there are those of us who prefer to take a bath, just as there are those who shower every day while the bath gathers dust and trapped insect corpses. It’s as much about personal choice as your favourite colour or the food that you eat. But at least you can say that next time you’re deciding whether to take a soak or a quick shower, you are making an informed choice.

For some reason, the bathroom tends to get the short end of the straw when it comes to designing a house or apartment. We’ve probably all seen and used bathrooms that were too small, or which had a peculiar “space-saving” design, meaning that you practically had to stand in the toilet while you were taking a shower, or you had to undress in front of an uncovered window of frosted glass that somehow seemed a little too transparent for your liking. I can’t imagine that it’s intentional, but some architects just don’t seem to pay as much attention to the bathroom as they do to the other rooms, or they seem to run out of ideas when designing the bathroom of a house, merely placing the different bathroom amenities randomly in the room or squeezing the entire bathroom into a tight corner of the structure. Sometimes, when the estate agent talks about a “wonderfully economical use of space”, it’s a warning sign, and it’s only when you view the premises that you realise just how “economical” (and uncomfortable) that design really is.

There’s no excuse for a poorly designed bathroom. It’s a room that we use every day, often more than once, so comfort and ease of use should be factors in its design. For many of us, our morning routine starts in the bathroom. It’s a very personal place. In fact, an aesthetically pleasing bathroom experience may be about more than just those twenty minutes in the morning before work, or taking a bath in the evening. According to the principles of Feng Shui, the design and location of the bathroom can have far-reaching implications for the inhabitants of the property.

For the uninitiated, Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese system of living that incorporates principles of home design, among others. Translated literally, the name means “Wind Water”, because the Qi (pronounced “chee”) energy that is central to the doctrine of Feng Shui is dispersed by wind, but conserved in water. This conservation of Qi energy is particularly important when it comes to bathrooms, because using the bathroom involves coming into contact with water, as well as the exit of water (or energy) from the premises. The following are some of the basic concepts that Feng Shui prescribes for the positioning and design of bathrooms.

To begin with, the location of the bathroom on the property is very important. The bathroom should not be positioned so that it is always in view, or so that it is the first thing one sees on entering the premises. Therefore, the bathroom should not be positioned at the front entrance, or in the centre of the house. According to Feng Shui principles, if the bathroom is in the middle of the house, it will always be in view of the occupants, and they may develop physical or mental health problems (which I have to admit sounds rather drastic). Apparently, it is very difficult to counter this negative effect. Then again, positioning the bathroom at the entrance allows the Qi energy to exit the house, which is also to the disadvantage of the occupants. A further suggestion in positioning the bathroom is to keep it away from the dining area and kitchen, so that it does not open onto either of those rooms.

Generally speaking, the bathroom should be situated on the northern side of the house, because in the Feng Shui philosophy north represents the element water, which is essential to the functioning of the bathroom.

Concerning the design of the bathroom, Feng Shui recommends that plants are placed in the bathroom, or some other decoration, in order to create a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, and not a dour, clinical “hospital” experience.  The introduction of a large mirror is also recommended, as this will increase the sense of space in the room and make personal grooming easier, allowing you to view yourself properly. The room should be well ventilated and receive plenty of light, either through a window or a skylight.

There are also Feng Shui guidelines for using the bathroom. Listening to music while bathing is recommended. The toilet seat should always be down when not in use (sorry guys, the girls win this time!) and the bathroom door should remain closed at all times. In order to counter “bad” or “negative” energy, it helps to place a wind chime or bells at the bathroom door, and to avoid loss of Qi energy it is also essential to fix any leaks in the bathroom as quickly as possible, as the leaking water represents a waste of energy.

Of course, these design principles may be difficult or even impossible to implement in some cases, while some of them are basic common sense, and are common design practice anyway. Then again, some of them may not be to your taste. And then there are those of us who would dismiss it all as pure superstition. Ultimately, the choice is yours. But whether you take these Feng Shui principles seriously or not, the fact remains that the bathroom should enjoy adequate attention in the design of your home. It’s an important space where we spend a lot of our time. Using your bathroom should be a pleasant experience. Even if you have moved into an existing house or apartment, there are probably improvements which can be made, and, with the right advice, making them may be a whole lot easier than you may anticipate.

Image courtesy of Ken Lauher

INSTRUCTIONS FOR KNOCKING THROUGH THE TAP HOLE

You will need:

A 10mm Pin or Centre Punch

A Claw Hammer

Safety Goggles & Gloves

It is highly recommended that safety goggles and gloves are worn when knocking through the tap hole.

Position the pin punch on the surface of the sink over the centre of the part-drilled hole (please note that the red dot labels are for guidance only and do not give the exact centre of the tap hole).

Gently tap the punch with a claw hammer until a hole is punched through, and then continue tapping out the excess from around the hole, ensuring any rough or sharp edges are removed.

Next time you buy someone a gift, why not kill two birds with one stone by buying your loved ones a gift they will enjoy that can also be used to improve your home’s appearance?

Those who enjoy DIY will appreciate DIY gifts because their present will last longer than their birthday, anniversary or Christmas Day and will give them something to look forward to. There are so many DIY projects that can be done around your home, from the big to the small, and they all help in the maintenance and appearance of your home. These projects can also be very simple with all the DIY kits available today, but there is no lack of more complicated DIY projects for those looking for a challenge! This wide choice and range of DIY projects make DIY gifts suitable for people of all ages.

DIY gifts to decorate the house

The arty, crafty and creative may love getting a DIY gift to decorate their home. Here are a few ideas of what to buy for a DIY gift:

Some pretty material that can be used to make curtains in various rooms around the house, as well as all the necessary instructions and tools that are needed to make them. Choosing this kind of gift can be tricky, so you might want to find out exactly what kind of tastes the gift receiver has and maybe even drop some hints to find out what they would like to see in their home.

Paint, paint brushes and all the other necessary equipment for the gift receiver to give their home a fresh, new coat of paint wherever it is needed. Again, try to find out what colours, patterns etc. they like.

Seeds or colourful pot plants for house plants. Even better, buy plain pot plants that can be decorated and throw in some paint and other decorative items.

Equipment to make hanging accessories for the kitchen, bathroom or elsewhere in the home. For example, bathroom racks for toothbrushes and toothpaste or kitchen racks for spices or utensils.

Plain boxes that can be decoupaged or painted and used for items around the home, e.g. coffee and tea containers.

Something for the kids – plain curtain material or tiles around the house that can be painted on. This way, your kids can feel proud to be a part of your home’s interior decorating and your memories of them will be a part of the home for a long time.

If you’re a bit nervous to leave your decorating scheme in the hands of your children, you could give them something a little smaller to work on, such as plain fridge magnets.

DIY gifts to fix up and improve the home

If you know someone who loves getting their hands dirty around the house and is constantly finding something that they think needs fixing, then help them to cheerfully improve and fix up their home with a DIY gift, such as:

New taps that can be installed in the kitchen or bathroom, such as a pull out kitchen tap, a kitchen mixer tap or a bathroom basin mixer tap. Other options include shower heads and bath taps.

Supply them with all the necessary instructions and equipment to make built-in cupboards. You can even do the measurements yourself and get the right sizes yourself.

Use those colourful tiles your kids proudly made and lay them down yourself on your kitchen floor, shower floor or elsewhere around your home.

Equipment to sand down and shine wooden surface of chairs and tables and perhaps paint for a fresh, new look.

Give them whatever they need to make their very own kitchen island and even provide them with various add-ons to improve the beauty and functionality of the island.

Equipment to make a cabinet for their television or stereo, or shelves for a CD and DVD rack or wine bottle rack (and throw in a bottle of wine to get them started!)

DIY gifts for the chefs of the house

If your loved one enjoys spending time in the kitchen, then give them something that will help make their cooking and baking experiences more enjoyable.

For example, a splashback they can install, a rack that can be hung up and used to hold their recipe book open or cutlery and crockery that they can decorate themselves with beads or paint etc.

DIY gifts are useful for a number of reasons – they last longer than a birthday or Christmas Day, they occupy a person’s time for longer, they can have sentimental value and they maintain and improve homes. Finally, they are suitable for anyone of any age who enjoys a bit of DIY, so if you’re struggling to think of the perfect gift for your mother, wife, sister, father, husband or brother, a DIY gift could be your answer.

The United Kingdom is currently experiencing bitterly cold weather conditions. This can cause a lot of discomfort and the last thing you want is to wake up one day to find your water pipes are frozen or even worse, that they have caused flooding and major damage to your home.

New homeowners can take precautions

If you are fortunate enough to oversee the building of your home, make sure that the plumber does not run any supply lines in the outside walls of your home. Simply insulating outdoor water pipes does not guarantee they won’t freeze.

For the rest of us…

For the general public who were not around when their house was built, always remove the water hose from your outdoor spigot in the winter.

Rule number one is the most important

Know all about your main water supply – where it is and how to shut it off. In water emergency situations, shutting off the water quickly will minimize the damage. If you can’t locate the shutoff valve, use the valve inside your water meter pit.

Find the source

The source of the problem is typically found in the water pipes located in outside walls or in floors over unheated spaces, such as bathrooms over garages. In this case, keep your garage door closed.

After closing the main water supply valve to your home, locate the frozen pipe and run your hand along its length to find the coldest spot, i.e. the frozen area. Open the tap at the end of the damaged pipe to release water pressure.

Examine the entire length of the pipe for damage such as cracks, breaks and holes. These can cause flooding when the pipe is being thawed so in this case, it is best to call a plumber.

Thawing water pipes

After testing for water leaks, use a small desk lamp with its adjustable neck approximately one inch away from touching the surface of the pipe. You can also use an electric space heater on a low setting, a small propane torch, a hairdryer or a soldering iron which you can strap to the pipe with the hot tip in contact with the pipe, allowing heat to be conducted along the pipe in both directions. As a torch or soldering iron can cause the pipe to burst, use them only on the tap side of the ice block. You can pour warm water on the frozen area but as the water supply will be cut off, this is a messy option. Never use hot or boiling water as this can cause the pipe to burst! Once the ice has melted, water will drip from the tap. Close the tap and inspect the pipe for leaks.

Insulating water pipes

Insulate by using heater tapes or thermal blanket to wrap around water pipes or use a heated reflector lamp in a dry, enclosed space. Heater tapes must be wrapped between the pipe and the insulation to work. Wrap the heat tape in a spiral pattern around water lines (without covering the pipe solid), leaving one to two inches between the next spiral. Wrap the pipes loosely and secure the insulation in place with electrical tape.

If using a thermal blanket, measure the length of each water supply line and cut the thermal blanket twice this length. Soak the blanket in hot water and wrap it, two layers thick, around the length of the pipe so that it fits securely, but not tightly. You can use an old shoestring or duct tape to secure the blanket in place on the top or bottom.

Another option is to build a box or small cover over outdoor pipes and insulate the interior of the box for extra protection.

Frozen radiator

For a frozen radiator, apply heat by using hot towels, a heating pad, a hair dryer, a soldering iron or any other similar source of heat. If the room is warm, the ice will melt on its own, but very slowly.

When there is no power

Having no power makes it more likely that your pipes will freeze. Shut off the main water supply valve and open all taps so that water runs at a slow, constant drip, leaving no pressure in the system.

Handy products

Hot water optimisers have sensors that detect a temperature below a user-chosen set point. They then intermittently circulate tepid-warm water throughout your hot and cold waterlines.

A water heat rod will keep the water line from freezing above the frost line. More effective than heat tape, a heating rod will get around 90 degrees Farenheit and stay there as long as it’s plugged into an electrical socket.

Safety first

Using electrical equipment and open flames carries extreme potential for fires. Never use an open flame to thaw frozen pipes. Also never use boiling water as it may cause the pipe to burst.

Extra tips

Unplug heat tape and rods during warmer months to save on electricity

If you’re on a holiday, don’t turn your heating system off or set the thermostat below 55 degrees Farenheit because the pipes can freeze if the room temperature drops low enough. Have someone check on your home frequently.

If the same pipe freezes every year, try installing a louvered grill or create some source of air flow between the room that the freezing occurs in and a heated room. Look for small holes to the outside when insulating pipes and use expanding foam on these to seal out the breeze.

Prepare an emergency bottle for frozen water pipes on very cold mornings and heat the bottle in the microwave or in a pot on the stove to about 60 degrees Farenheit. Gently pour the water on the frozen pipe then slowly turn on the water and allow it to thaw for a few minutes.

Focus on areas most susceptible to freezing pipes, e.g. cold, isolated basements, garages, rooms over garages, outside walls, crawl spaces etc. Remember to insulate and heat drain lines here.

According to the UN, water use has been growing at more than the rate twice of population increase in the last century. By 2025, 1 800 million people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population could be under stress conditions.

These are just a few water facts, and they are alarming. If we continue to waste water as we do, in what state will our children find our planet?

Although some may find it difficult to believe, change starts with the individual. The little changes you make in the way you use water can have a far-reaching impact. If everyone does their part in conserving water, we can start to fix the problems we are experiencing and set an example for future generations to follow.

There’s something in it for you too. You can cut down costs on your water and electricity bills and save money!

There are many ways you can conserve water wherever and whenever you use it. Here are some tips for the kitchen and bathroom.

Appliances

• When you buy new refrigerators, air conditioners, ice-makers, dishwashers, clothes washers and toilets etc, look out for features that save water, such as air-cooling and cycle or load size adjustments. For taps, use water-saving aerators and instant water heaters. Another way to get instant hot water is by insulating hot water pipes. Maybe you weren’t considering renovations or upgrades, but newer toilets, for example, are usually more water-efficient than older ones and newer dishwashers clean more thoroughly than older ones, therefore using less time to rinse dishes.

Being green while getting clean

• Test your showerhead by placing a one-gallon (3.78 litre) bucket in your shower and timing how long it takes to fill. If it takes less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model. Water-efficient showerheads are inexpensive, easy to install and can save up to 750 gallons (2 839, 06 litres) a week.
• Cutting back on one or two minutes in the shower can save up to 150 gallons (567, 81 litres) a month.
• When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water and adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth, washing your hair and shaving. This can save up to 25 (94, 64 litres), 150 (567, 81 litres) and 300 gallons (1 135, 62 litres) a month respectively.
• Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up and use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
• Bathe young children together.

Drip…. drip….. drip…… drip

• Listen for dripping taps and running toilets, then grab a wrench and fix the problem. Fixing a leak can save 300 gallons (1 135, 62 litres) or more a month. Fixing it is simple and it also frees you from listening to that annoying dripping sound. Not sure if your toilet has a leak? Put food colouring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak and fixing it can save up to 1, 000 gallons (3 785, 41 litres) a month.

Getting your hands dirty… or clean

• When washing dishes, don’t let water run while rinsing – fill one sink with wash water and the other sink with rinse water. If you don’t have two sinks, use a large container.
• Leave pots and pans for last and let them soak in water instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
• When washing your hands, don’t let the water run while you lather.

Do I have to compromise being hydrated for the environment??!

• No, but keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap every time you want a glass of water. This way, less water is lost to the drain.
• Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle to cut down on the number of glasses to wash.
• Get your eight glasses of water a day by eating delicious and nutritious soup. Simply re-use the water left over from cooked or steamed foods

Try to make these small and helpful changes in your home and notice how good it feels to know that you’re helping to improve the environment in your own way while saving money! Then pass your knowledge on to your friends and teach them to your kids so that individuals can team up in a bid to save the planet.

Once upon a time, a sink’s only function was to offer human hands a place to wash themselves. Nowadays, designers are coming up with some innovative sink designs in keeping up with a world that is constantly changing and moving forward. While this often results in sinks that are more attractive than they are functional, one thing is certain; they sure are interesting!

These sinks have a natural, water-weathered look and very shallow surfaces.

On the flip side, maybe shallow surfaces like this will send the message that we need to use less water.

More shallow surfaces – don’t turn on the taps too hard!

Lift a stone and the source gushes out and winds its way down to the plughole capped by another stone.

Sinks can amuse hand washers for hours these days!

Gravity sends the water vertically from the ceiling, but how long does one stare at this contraption before understanding its purpose?!

A fish tank turned sink.

Where does the water go to? It drains horizontally into the wall!

The height of luxury! The Meltdown sink (left) plays soothing music and its body lights up, projecting images onto the underneath of its recycable Polyethylene surface when the water runs. A luxury that also benefits the environment, the iSave Faucet Counter (right) monitors and displays the amount of water running away.

The sinks here double up as a bath (left) and toilet (right).

If you thought those designs were strange, it gets even weirder! Just take a look at these toilets and bathroom accessories:

Many people look to celebrities for trends, as the general perception is that the rich and famous know what’s hot and what’s not. Take a look inside some celebrity homes and see how they designed their kitchens. If your kitchen is ready for a new look, the following kitchens may inspire you.

Actor John Goodman’s well-lit kitchen has two kitchen sinks. One by the window offers pleasant views, making the often boring task of washing up dishes a more pleasant one, while the other sits on the island, creating a space for entertainment and meal preparation.

Oprah’s Hawaiian home also makes use of an island with kitchen sink. The kitchen tap’s dual handles gives the sink a symmetrical look.

This kitchen’s lighting and decor is stylish 70s. This is because its Elvis Presley’s Graceland Kitchen.

Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, uses an attractive colour palette in her East Hampton home’s kitchen. Olive green wallpaper forms a contrast against crisp white cabinets topped with a black granite countertop and black and white floor tiles.

World-class cyclist, Lance Armstrong’s kitchen appears sophisticated with a masculine touch. Browns, greens and gold encourage warmth while exposed beams, granite countertops and stainless steel pendant lights complete a stylish look. This design appears luxurious while being family-friendly at the same time. A comfy dining area and casual bar stools provide cosy nooks for family meals.

Kristie Alley’s kitchen features a clean look with painted white cabinets against a black and white tiled floor. The walls feature a beautiful glazed diagonal tiled design with chocolate brown trim.

Actress Kristen Bell’s clean white kitchen is spattered with touches of green, seen in the mossy carpet and fabric-covered stools with an orange floral pattern.  Yellow accessories complement the colour scheme.Charlie Sheen owns a spacious kitchen, made attractive with a cool colour palette. Large windows reveal scenes of nature, blending with the crisp green colour of his cabinets inside. A cowhide rug adds character and masculinity to the overall appearance.

No bathroom design is complete without the right accessories. Although bathroom accessories are usually the smaller items in a bathroom, they are still important. They provide the bathroom with functionality, make it more user-friendly and give it its finishing touch. When bathroom accessories work together, they can bring all the decor together, making its general appearance more attractive.

There are many kinds of bathroom accessories which means that no matter what type of bathroom you have, whether it’s traditional or contemporary, there will be something not only suitable for your bathroom, but beautiful too.

Toilet accessories

These include toilet paper holders, toilet seats, toilet seat warmers, toilet brush holders etc. These accessories, like most bathroom accessories, come in many different sizes, shapes and styles.

Take the toilet paper holder for example. You can get one with an old fashioned roller design, or an open hook design for quick and easy changes of paper, two point support rollerless designs, recessed models, mounted models, freestanding models etc.

Shower accessories

There are all kinds of shower heads and shower valves to choose from. Like all other bathroom accessories, homeowners can choose from the more traditional to more modern and innovative accessories.

Towel accessories

There are various ways you can hang up your towel in your bathroom. You can install bars, rings, hooks, stands or shelves. Once again, the variety of designs are endless. Towel bars, for example, can be single or double. You can also get heated towel rails, which makes your bathroom even more functional in chilly winter seasons.

An accessory that provides a place to put your towel is an integral part of your bathroom but they can also be beautiful. This kind of accessory can also be used to store other items. Your bathroom robe, for example, can be hung up on a hook or folded up onto a shelf. Glass shelves can make your bathroom look more elegant.

Cabinets

Even your cabinets can have their own accessories, such as drawer pulls. All the small details count! Drawer pulls can complement your cabinets and make a decorative statement in your bathroom.

Lighting and mirrors

Don’t forget about using lighting and mirrors to make your bathroom more attractive. Both of these can make rooms appear bigger than they really are. Lights can come in various shapes and forms as well as number. You can have one main light, or rather many different lights all over your bathroom, including in your shower and on mirrors.

The little, yet important, accessories

Then there are the other, smaller accessories that are just as important as the rest. These include a soap dish or soap dispenser, baskets and other holders for various objects such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, a hair dryer holder, pot plants or other items that serve to beautify your bathroom etc.

When all the equipment and accessories in your bathroom match or suit one particular theme or look, your bathroom can be transformed into a completely different room. What’s great about bathroom accessories is that they suit many budgets, so you don’t have to pay a lot of money to easily improve your bathroom’s overall look, but if you want a space that is truly luxurious, the list of stylish accessories that you can add to your bathroom is endless!