What’s the most impressive thing you can come across when visiting a friend’s home? It’s not the dinner plates, the furniture or the flowers. Actually, the bathroom decoration is where it’s at.
That extra layer of consideration in your bathroom is a true sign of adulting successfully – whether it’s adding fancy hand moisturizer or some luxe towels – and makes all the difference when you’re making the place nice for your guests.
The bathroom can really be a place to show off your decorating skills.
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To get the scoop on what’s hot in the world of bathrooms, including how to up your soap game by making your own, we spoke to Sydney stylist and DIY artist extraordinaire, Adam Powell.
Shower greenery (the good kind)
Adam’s first suggestion is one straight from the day spa:
“Something I love – that everyone is talking about – is hanging eucalyptus gum from your shower head. I don’t have a bath, so at the end of a big day this is such a soothing way to unwind.”
Eucalyptus adds a heavenly scent and a touch of spa-like luxury to your bathroom. Picture: Erinna Giblin
“It also has antibacterial qualities and helps open the sinuses. Plus, it makes the whole bathroom smell amazing,” says Adam.
Get arty
Art isn’t just for the living areas of your home, says Adam. Give your bathroom some personality by including art in that space, too!
“It’s a little unconventional to hang art in the bathroom, but it can brighten the space and really create drama,” he says.
Get some art in your bathroom. Picture: Tamara Graham
Up your soap game
Gone are the days when it was acceptable to have one manky, basic-brand soap bar loitering around your bathroom sink.
Do yourself – and your guests – a favour and treat your bathroom sink to some quirky and luxurious hand soap that’s as unique as you are.
How to make DIY gemstone soaps
What you’ll need
- Clear ‘quick melt’ glycerine soap base
- Microwave-safe jug
- Silicone moulds or ice cube tray
- Specialty soap dye, available from your local craft shop (or food colouring)
- Wooden skewer
- Biodegradable glitter
- Essential oils of your choice
- Washed recycled plastic bottle
- Scissors
- Non-serrated knife
Quirky gemstone soaps are as unique as you are. Picture: Tamara Graham
Method
1. Cut the soap base into small chunks and place into a microwave-safe jug. Heat for approximately 30 seconds, or until melted.
2. Pour melted soap base into silicone moulds or ice cube tray.
3. Add some colouring to each square – five or six colours work best and different shades of the same colour will add depth. Stir gently with skewer – but not too much as it’s nice to get the gradient in colour that naturally occurs in gemstones.
Pour the melted soap into moulds or an ice cube tray. Picture: Tamara Graham
4. Let the soap set. To speed things up, you can place it into the fridge
5. Once set, pop the colourful soap squares out of the moulds and cut them into smaller chunks.
6.Place the chunks into a larger, recycled plastic bottle, in layers of similar colours, adding glitter for a bit of extra sparkle, if you wish. Don’t be afraid to get creative here! Press chunks down into the bottle.
7. Melt some more soap base, then add your choice of essential oil to this.
8. Pour this mixture over the chunks in the plastic bottle, to mix together.
9. Let it set in the fridge.
10. Once set, cut the plastic away with scissors. Using your knife, carefully carve the soap into gemstone shapes – a vegetable peeler is also helpful here. And, viola! You’re done. Your bathroom will be the envy of all your friends.
These soaps are little treasures. Picture: Adam Powell
Originally published as How to impress guests when they visit your bathroom by Erinna Giblin. Author at realestate.com.au.
