Pink bathroom ideas are trending, and for good reason. It’s probably not escaped your notice that pink has moved firmly out of the ‘cute and sugary’ camp and into the ‘sophisticated shade’ camp. So why not think about updating your bathroom in this hot on-trend hue?

Like any other colour in the spectrum, there are a multitude of shades to choose; from the palest calamine, powder or blush pinks to the bolder and more striking fuchsia and candy colours, plus everything in between.

And fret not, if you think pink may just be a flash in the pan, and you’re not sure you will like it for the long term, there are subtle ways to introduce the shade to your bathroom idea before you fully commit.

Pink bathroom ideas

1. Get creative with tiles

Image credit: Tile Giant

Think about laying sections of tiles in different colours and directions, like those seen here. These Somerset Petal Pink tiles from Tile Giant look gorgeous laid vertically next to the Somerset Light Grey and Somerset Green Gloss, which have been laid horizontally.

Experiment with bathroom tile ideas by laying them out on the floor first though, to be certain you like the colour combo and pattern.

2. Mix blush and monochrome

Image credit: Future plc/ Simon Whitmore

With a monochrome palette as the foundation of your bathroom – ie the expensive items like the bathroom flooring, tile, sanitaryware and furniture,  you’re free to experiment with colour and update as and when you see fit.

Painting the walls in this pale blush shade and adding some dusky pink accessories is an effective way to soften the monochrome look, creating a cosy and cool vibe.

3. Balance a dark patterned floor

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

When it comes to a striking bathroom floor darker shades are ideal, providing a grounding colour that almost pushes the ceiling further away in a trick of the eye. This is especially great for small bathroom ideas. Keeping the colour on the upper walls of the bathroom is vital to balance the use of colour on the floor, but that doesn’t mean it has to all white and plain. A soft pink is perfect to bridge the gap between adding colour and keeping it soft and subtle.

4. Set the tone with pretty pink paintwork

Image credit: Future PLC/ Tim Young

Painting your walls in pink is an inexpensive and easy way to update your bathroom, as sanitaryware, flooring and tiles needn’t be changed.

Lakeland Paints do a great selection of pinks that are Anti-mould and VOC free, meaning they’re odourless and non-toxic, as well as gorgeous. The company are still delivering too.

5. Use blush as a backdrop

Image credit: Crosswater

This simple white Infinity Divine vanity unit from Crosswater looks super modern against the millennial pink painted wall. To add a further hint of pink the on-trend terrazzo floor tiles feature fragments of mineral pink tones.

For an inexpensive alternative, try Walls and Floors for porcelain tiles that look like terrazzo.

6. Make a statement with a tiled feature wall

Image credit: Bert & May

In for the long haul? Create a feature wall of decorative pink tiles to add endless personality to a bathroom space. Splash out at Bert & May. The encaustic tile experts have a fabulous choice of colours and patterns for your walls and floors. They’re not cheap, but worth the investment.

These Spanish-style Pradena tiles get their gorgeous colour from natural pigments, making it a softer way to bring in a touch of pink to the decorating scheme.

7. Pack a punch with stylish mosaics

Image credit: Claybrook

These gorgeous Confiserie recycled matt glass mosaics at Claybrook will pack a punch in any bathroom. Available in triangular, square or chevron shapes, these mosaics will transform your bathroom from plain to pizzazz instantly.

8. Let natural plaster pinks set the tone

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore

This bathroom conversion is full of warmth and character. The design features a shower cubicle with glass screen, geometric floor tiles and pink plastered walls. Ensure the wall is sealed sufficiently in the show cubicle to make it watertight.

To add further warming tones the bathroom mixes sleek matt black details with warming brass and gold fixtures and fittings. The patterned floor tiles echoes the accent colours to make the scheme feel cohesive.

9. Softly contrast navy blue hues

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

Use a washed-out pale pink on the walls in place of a stark white to soften the contrast between light and dark decorating colours. In this elegant bathroom scheme light touches of pink, on the top half of the wall and through towels and accessories, helps to take a gentle approach to gradients of colour.

10. Make a colour splash at bathtime

Image credit: Davide Lovatti

A bateaux bath is the height of luxury, so take it a step further and have the exterior painted in a beautiful bold shade, like this fuschia pink. Most companies will colour match to Farrow & Ball, Dulux and other popular paint shades. Add a blind or towels in complementing colours and voila!

11. Use black to define clean lines

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore

The dusty pink on the walls in this bathroom is clearly defined thanks to the clear dividing line of black grout, between the lightness of the white metro tiles and the pale walls. The dark lines provides more of a contrast, to stop the two lighter colours blend into one. The dark edging adds a contemporary edge to this bathroom scheme.

12. Add a vintage feel

Image credit: BC Designs

Enhance elegant shades of a grey bathroom with a splash of paint. Here that injection of pink comes in the form of a bath, but the same approach to adding an accent colour works for sinks too. Pink sinks are a big thing for modern bathroom designs, as baths become less in demand – in place for bigger showers.

13. Make pink soft and subtle

Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes

This scheme manages to be both gentle and glamorous at the same time. The soft pink painted walls, pale timber floor and mixed grey tiles work a treat next to the sage green cabinetry, while the pretty chandelier adds a touch of luxe.

14. Add some glamour with a glitzy wallpaper

Image credit: Amanda Turner

Wash away your cares with a soak in this luxurious bathroom. Surrounded by these glamorous walls, you’ll feel like you’re on a weekend break in a swanky hotel.

Try Ilovewallpaper.com or Graham & Brown for metallic damask wallpapers. Make sure you choose. one that is suitable against splashes or use a sealant.

15. Match your bath to pink wall panels

Image credit: Future PLC/ Heather Lewin

Timber wall panelling ideas are an inexpensive way to splash-proof a wet area in a bathroom and make a stylish feature.  Tongue and groove boards can be bought at B&Q or Homebase – and both DIY stores have extensive ranges of paint that can be used in bathrooms.

For a luxe look invest in a freestanding bath and have it colour matched in the same paint shade. BC Designs and many other bath manufacturers will do this.

16. Panel in pink

Image credit: Future PLC/ Davide Lovatti

If you’re more sure of your colour likes and dislikes, go for a more permanent option, like this striking candy pink bath panel and vanity unit.

Otherwise opt for a surface that can be repainted at a later date. Harvey George has a wide selection of colourful vanity units.

17. Try a pink and blue colour clash

Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole

Even if you already have a strong colour in your bathroom, don’t let it deter you from adding another. Seen here, these beautiful electric blue tiles have been given a new lease of life with this vibrant splash of fuschia pink, creating a distinct zone for the basin area.

The wooden washstand and the white walls, shutters, bath and basin ground the scheme and keep it the just right side of calm.

Are pink bathrooms in style?

The simple answer is yes, pink bathrooms are very much in style. Pink bathrooms was one of the most searched interior terms of last year, increasing year on year. The trend for pink tiles is growing, you only have to look at the 37.9k posts on the hashtag #pinkbathrooms to see how this colour scheme has grown in popularity.

What colour goes with pink in bathrooms?

The colours that go with pink in a bathroom colour scheme is open to personal tastes, depending on the shade of pink. White sanitary-ware contrasts brilliant against any shade of pink on the walls. Pink bathroom tiles are seen paired with soft shades of green, to create a delicious pastel colour palette – to create a serene and relaxing scheme.

Pale pinks contrast beautifully against darker shades of black and navy blue, softening the look of light and dark. Rich magenta pinks make an impact against equally bold shade of electric blue and charcoal grey.

The post Pink bathroom ideas: on-trend schemes in soft blush, bold magenta and coral appeared first on Ideal Home.

Living room wallpaper ideas are bigger than ever before. For years, we have been led to believe that painted walls are the only way to go but that is no longer the case as wallpaper grows in popularity. A plain and neutral paint base can indeed be a good starting point from which to build a decorating scheme, but if you ignore the spectrum of colours and patterns available in wallpaper, you could be missing out.

With more possibilities than ever, from bold blousy florals to captivating murals for those who want to make a big impression to plain textured designs, there’s a wallpaper to suit all living room ideas and decors.

Living room wallpaper ideas

Many brands now produce both wallpaper and paint, so tricky decisions are often already made for you when it comes to creating perfectly coordinated combinations. Be brave and find colours and looks that work for you. Our pick of the best living room wallpaper ideas will inspire your wallpaper journey.

If you’re new to hanging wallpaper, have a go at putting it up yourself. You might find it easy to begin with a small area, such as a chimney breast, to build up your confidence before you tackle a whole room.

1. Add depth to a colour scheme

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore

Wallpaper no longer means you have to add standout patterns and prints. The trend for textured wallpapers is back, allowing you to add depth to a colour scheme without overpowering the space with pattern.

In this striking blue living room idea the wallpaper adds interest to the use of colour, preventing it from feeling flat but not distracting fro the blue colour scheme. Painting the skirting boards in the room helps to immerse the entire wall in a unified colour.

2. Imitate wall panelling with wallpaper

Image credit: Wallsauce.com

“Wall panels add subtle textures and still achieve their original function of maintaining warmth, fulfilling our longing for the tactility and natural materials that modern life is often lacking’ says explains David Harris, Design Director at Andrew Martin. ‘Wall panelling is often seen as a traditional addition to our homes but fast forward to today and many people are adding their own spin to panelling, making it a more accessible design trend, which makes it so relevant for decorating in 2021.’

‘If taking part in this DIY task seems overwhelming, you can now achieve a wall panelling look through the use of wallpaper which offers the same effect requiring minimal effort.’

3. Enhance a rustic scheme

Image credit: Future PLC/ Dan Duchars

Use a living room wallpaper idea to add character to a decor scheme, such as this rustic country-style setting. Use a striking design to enhance the natural elements of your living room, such as woodland scene to add character to a cottage living room with exposed wooden beams and low ceilings. Choosing a wallpaper design around your existing decor will create a subtle yet stylish approaching to decorating.

4. Frame the fireplace with pattern

Image credit: Simon Whitmore

Wallpapering either side of a fireplace helps to cement your choice of wallpaper as the focal point for the room. Choose a wallpaper that contrasts but accents tonally with the paint shade on the chimney breast to help balance the scheme. The neutral linen upholstery and the washed wooden furniture help to anchor the look.

The yellow armchair cements the choice of accent colour in this grey and yellow living room idea, giving it more prominence.

5. Invite texture to walls

Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson;  Fragments wallpaper, £31 per sq m, Rebel Walls

Where you’re looking to add interest to wall surfaces but not wanting fully-on pattern, seek an alternative design that emulates the look of a distressed surface. By doing so your walls will ooze character and interest without overpowering the scheme by layering too much pattern.

The grey shades of this ‘Fragments’ surface wallpaper design offers a subtle warmth and shimmering effect, which gives walls a soft yet intriguing finish.

6. Coordinate pattern to match soft furnishings

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore

Immerse the whole living room in coordinating pattern to add a real wow factor. Just be sure the room is large enough to take the look, often in small spaces too much pattern can overwhelm and make it feel claustrophobic. Take this fine example as best practise, where the pattern is soft and subtle, with a mid-tone green on a neutral ground. The light contrasting background helps to inject a brightness to the scheme, to prevent it from feeling too heavy.

7. Create a quiet corner for reading

Image credit: Future Publishing Plc/ David Giles

There’s nothing quite like a trompe l’oeil wallpaper to create a sense of intrigue, faking a set up that isn’t really there. Take for instance this library-effect wallpaper, which creates the look of stacked bookshelves to dedicate a corner of this living room as an imaginative reading nook.

Clever use of wallpaper can create a sense of space, tricking the eye into making the space appear bigger than it really is.

8. Make artwork of a wallpaper design

Image credit: Future Publishing PLC/ Tim Young

Make a statement of a wallpaper by framing it. This creative idea allows you to use a wallpaper in your living space, in a more imaginative way. It’s great for not only adding a quirky touch to the decor, it’s also great if on a budget. Only one roll will be required to cover a smaller section of wall.

9. Dominate one wall with pattern

Image credit: Future PLC/ Jeremy Phillips

Choose the most dominant wall in the room to become a feature wall to position your chosen wallpaper design. This will most likely be the wall with the fireplace on, or if you don’t have any architectural focus points it could be the wall with the TV – where all the furniture points towards. Creating a feature wall helps to anchor the remainder of the decor, directing all eyes towards the wallpaper.

10. Compliment a colour palette

Image credit: Future PLC/ Tim Young

Add a tonal wallpaper design to walls that sit cohesively beside painted walls. Keeping a coordinating colour scheme here stops even a busy prints from over powering the room.

11. Create a decorative backdrop

Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore

An open-back shelving unit can be backed beautifully by a decorative wallpaper. It’s a great way to add layers to the look, creating even more of statement. To stop the busy wall from toppling the rest of the room keep furniture neutral for balance – a bright white helps to create a striking contrast.

12. Tie an open-plan room together

Image credit: Future PLC/ Mark Bolton

Use an eye-catching wallpaper to unify different living zones in an open-plan space. Here, two separate seating areas are visually drawn together by a whimsical botanical print running around the entire circumference of the room. Paper from the dado rail upwards to prevent the scheme from becoming too busy – it’s a sneaky way to save money on your scheme, too.

13. Smarten up with pinstripes

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Bevan

Create a tailored, designer look in your living room with pinstripes – they look just as smart on your walls as they do on suits. Choose soft greys so the scheme doesn’t feel overly masculine, and add a luxe touch with accents of gold in your accessories and soft furnishings. Keep window treatments plain and simple, making the walls the star feature.

14. Clad a chimney breast in wallpaper

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Scarboro

Embrace architectural details that lend a sense of charm to the space. The beautiful of decorating a small area with wallpaper means you save on costs because only one roll is required.

In this small living room idea the wallpaper helps to balance the fully stacked bookshelves either side of the fireplace, in the alcoves.

15. Play with mid-century patterns

Image credit: Future PLC/ Claire Davies

Add a sense of retro fun to your living room scheme with mid-century colours and patterns. When it comes to 1950s prints, it’s a case of the bolder the better, so be brave and create a striking feature wall in a daring shade or design. Balance your wallpaper with a streamlined period-style sofa in a complementary colour.

16. Pick a theme and stick to it

Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain

If you know you are going for a strong theme or trend in your living room, then pick out wallpaper that will complement and emphasise your theme. A botanical patterned wallpaper will instantly conjure up thoughts of the great outdoors. Carry the theme through to the rest of your scheme with natural wood furniture, soft pebble tones and rustic woodland accessories.

17. Make a statement with monochrome

Image credit: Future PLC/ Lisa Cohen

After an effortlessly contemporary look for a modern living room idea? You can’t go wrong with monochrome. Create a dramatic backdrop to your scheme with a bold black and white wallpaper, such as this striking cityscape. Paint woodwork black to frame your feature wall and turn it into a work of art. To soften the scheme, add a smattering of furniture and accessories in natural wood tones.

18. Go totally tropical with vibrant hues

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Bevan

Transform a plain white room into a tropical paradise with a wallpaper teeming with exotic plants. Continue the colonial jungle feel in the rest of your scheme, with cane furniture, plantation shutters and a cocktail trolley for those early evening gin and tonics. Choose a wallpaper with a white backdrop and your scheme will still feel light and airy, despite the vibrancy of the pattern.

19. Try a tonal scheme

Image credit: David Brittain

Pick a wallpaper featuring different shades of the same colour to create a subtle but striking feature wall rather than overwhelming the space. Opting for a simple design instead of a hectic pattern will also help to soothe the scheme. To break up a papered wall, place your furniture and artwork in strategic positions around the edge of the room.

20. Bring zing with bright colours

Image credit: Lola Design; Hummingbird Black & White Mustard Wallpaper, £99 per roll

If you want to introduce bright shades into your living room, balance a neutral scheme with a colourful wallpaper. Pick out tones from the wallpaper and echo them in your soft furnishings – this zesty lime yellow occassional chair help to draw the room together. Use a neutral colour like beige to break up strong blocks of colour where needed.

21. Fake wood cladding

Image credit: Future Publishing Plc/ Simon Whitmore

Use a creative wallpaper design to create a wood effect on walls. In this tonal living room the wallpaper fakes the effect of wood cladding, adding a rustic element to the decor. The tones within the design are picked out in the soft furnishings to make the scheme feel harmonious and effortlessly chic.

22. Add a touch of flower power

Image credit: Lola Design; Ladybird Stone Wallpaper, £99 per roll

Bring a contemporary country living room to life with a floral wallpaper. Balance a large botanical print with plain painted walls for the rest of the room to make a real feature of the space. Here the wallpaper has only been used to create a striking feature wall behind a sleek walnut sideboard. Stick to plain or simple patterns in your soft furnishings, leaving the wallpaper to take centre stage.

23. Create a sense of drama

Image credit: Future PLC/ Richard Powers

Add a theatrical touch to a neutral scheme with a bold printed wallpaper. This rich midnight blue and gold pattern creates a focal point out of the modern chimney breast and immediately draws the eye. Touches of gold add a sense of luxury to the space and tie in with the metallic elements around the rest of the room.

24. Update an old classic

Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Bevan

Create a contemporary cutting-edge vibe in your living room with a wallpaper that puts a new spin on a classic print. A pixelated design transforms this floral pattern from traditional country to contemporary cool.

For a strong, unified scheme, pick out colours and patterns from your wallpaper and reiterate them in your soft furnishings and accessories.

25. Welcome nature indoors

Image credit: Future PLC/ Spike Powell

Bring elements from the garden indoors with a classic wallpaper showcasing country flora and fauna. This spring-inspired country living room idea features gentle blooms, birds at play and leafy greens. Wirework pots and antiquities complete the potager look.

Spring greens, soft lilacs and pretty pinks on white backgrounds give this classic style a fresh modern twist.

26. Set the scene

Image credit: Future PLC/ Katya De Grunwald

Embrace the great outdoors and cover your wall in graphite-hue forestry. This pictorial mural depicts towering trees and cloud-lined skies in a soothing palette of blues and greys. Positioning a powder-soft velvet chaise in front of an exquisite etched backdrop creates a serene corner for reading. The dark tones of the upholstery treatments and rug chime nicely with the feature wallpaper for a cohesive feel.

27. Nod to the past

Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme

Use a striking retro wallpaper in a mix of classic 1970s colours, such as browns and oranges, to create a feature wall that is loud and proud. A wallpaper is a surefire way to help your distinguish a zone or theme in your space. Here, an assortment of modern and traditional furniture, such as the gentlemen’s leather armchair and mid-century sofa, sit well with the vintage display cabinet, while a greyscale Bowie artwork completes this 1970s scheme.

28. Personalise your walls

Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore

Work a world map into your décor for a cool artwork with international appeal. Maps come in myriad styles and scales, and they make great wall art, as this scheme proves. For a vintage vibe, go for a multi-map design like the one shown here. For country-house grandeur, try a blown-up oil-painting mural. Or why not try a photo print of trees and bring the outdoors into a city flat?

29. Proceed with painterly pattern

Image credit: Future PLC/ Adrian Briscoe

Introduce brushstroke-style patterns in bold colours. Drawing on the work of French painters Bonnard, Monet and Seurat, this painterly wallpaper pays homage to artistic spirit. This Impressionist-style wallpaper effortlessly showcases the graduated, ombre-effect that we have all come to know and love. Position a mirror on a wall opposite a patterned wallpaper and it will reflect the design at different angles as you move around the room.

30. Get in touch with texture

Image credit: Future PLC/ Jamie Mason

Mimic the look of stacked stone and exposed brick walls with realistic-looking faux wallpaper. Great for modern, urban spaces as well as country dwellings, this brick-style wallpaper effectively depicts a traditional, weathered brick wall. Faux wallpapers look all the more striking if kept to just one feature wall, with neutral furnishings and accessories. Less is more, so don’t use them in more than one or two rooms or the effect will be diminished.

31. Wallpaper furniture

Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore

Who says wallpaper needs to go on your walls? Make a striking statement in your living room by wallpapering a key piece of furniture, such as a sideboard. This is also a fantastic way to upcycle an old item that might otherwise end up at the tip. Go for wood or brick-effect wallpaper for an on-trend trompe l’oeil look.

Loved this living room wallpaper ideas? We have plenty more wallpaper inspiration for you!

How to choose a living room wallpaper

There are many factors to take into consideration, aside form personal taste. Firstly consider how you use the room and whereabouts in the property it resides. In small living rooms a large scale patterned wallpaper might overpower the space. If the room is devoid of daylight for most of the day, busy patterns might also make it feel smaller.

If the space is an open-plan living room adjoined to the garden, a nature-inspired wallpaper might feel more at home – perfectly welcoming the outdoors in. If the room is more of a formal sitting room only used on occasions, the space might benefit more from a gentle print to create a calming, serene feel.

Where do you put wallpaper in a living room?

Do you have a Chimney breast or alcoves that would welcome wallpaper to make a characterful feature wall? In a living room generally speaking it’s best to wallpaper the most obvious wall. so the one you see when you immediately walk into the space. The wall with the TV on, to help disguise it to some degree.

Feeling inspired to add wallpaper to your living room?

The post Living room wallpaper ideas – to transform a lounge with pattern, texture and colour appeared first on Ideal Home.

Are you finally ready to invest in a solar system for your home?

When you start looking at solar panels for your house, you’re quickly inundated with information about how they work, how many you’ll need, and which companies provide the best service. It can get overwhelming if you’re not overly well-versed in solar power facts. But it doesn’t have to be.

In this post, we’re going to prepare you for this big purchase by telling you the 4 things to look for when choosing the best solar system for home use. If you get a great solar system, you’ll not only be helping the planet, but you’ll be saving loads of money along the way, so let us help you get this decision right.

1. First, Calculate How Much You Need

Before you start looking at different types of solar panels, it’s smart to have a good idea of how much power you need to generate to offset your power usage. This will tell you how many solar panels you should be installed, which you can then compare against your budget.

To figure this out, you can use one of the many free solar calculators online, or talk to a solar provider about your bills and they can let you know what you’ll need. Obviously, the more solar panels you decide to install, the more expensive it will be, but the more efficient your system will be as well.

2. Finding the Right Solar Company

As one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, there are going to be many solar companies vying for your business. To figure out which one is best for you, perform a quick Google search for solar companies near you. You have to be able to trust the company that you hire, so come up with a list of questions and concerns and take it to them.

3. Production, Durability, Efficiency

There is more than one type of solar panel on the market, so you need to get informed to figure out which one you want for your home. First, there’s monocrystalline, which is more efficient and sleeker-looking, but also more expensive to install. For a lower price point, there are polycrystalline panels, which aren’t as efficient and have a blue hue to them.

If you want something completely different, you can go with thin-film solar power, which is more flexible and lightweight than the more popular and more efficient mono and polycrystalline.

4. Choose Inverter Wisely

An inverter converts the energy from the sun, turning it from DC into AC, which you can then use in your home. You can either get a string inverter or a module-level power electronics inverter, depending on your situation.

If your home is situated in perfect conditions for energy production, then a string inverter should suffice, despite it being a much cheaper option. MLPE’s are more efficient (and more expensive), but only really necessary when there’s shading on your panels or you can’t direct them perfectly.

Get the Best Solar System For Home Use

Now that you know a bit more about the intricacies of shopping for solar panels, you can try to find the best solar system for home applications. With the help of a great installer, the process should be quick and easy. Once you’ve got solar installed, you can say goodbye to your pricey electricity bills once and for all.

If you enjoyed this post, come back again for more real estate and home tips.

The post How to choose Best Solar System for Home appeared first on Homelilys Decor.