Walking into a humid room like the bathroom with bare white walls can leave you with that nagging, empty feeling, and you’re not alone in noticing it. Decorating a bathroom is a decision many households discard, mostly out of concern that moisture will damage prints and frames over time. But why should bathrooms be deserving of less attention than the other rooms?
The truth is, the colours and images we surround ourselves with have a genuine effect on our mood, and that applies just as much in the bathroom as anywhere else. Keep in mind, though, before you focus on style, material protection should be the priority.
Choose the Right Material for Bathroom Wall Decor
If your artwork is made of metal, you’re already on the right track. Your first line of defence against humidity is choosing metal for your bathroom decor. The problem arises if you have paper prints or canvas. Bathroom artwork can be seriously damaged by daily steam, condensation, and high temperatures. Choosing materials that protect against moisture and resist mould is the key to making it last.
Here are the best humidity-resistant materials to preserve our artworks:
A secure, well-sealed frame is humidity’s enemy No. 1. The frame acts as a shield for your wall art against steam and dust. Make sure that when you buy one, it is humidity-resistant itself, like an aluminium one.
The second option is to use acrylic glazing. It is a technique of applying a thin layer of transparent paint that protects the dried painting. In fact, it serves as a glass, and it is suitable for canvas.
Mounting and matting are techniques specifically designed to protect paintings and can be done easily at home. Matting is the process of creating space between the glass and the painting, while mounting is the application of a water-resistant, acid-free layer or board to the back of the painting.
Once you know how to protect your art, you’ll be free to focus on the fun part: styling.
How to Style Humid Rooms like Bathrooms
Now that you know how to protect your prints, you can focus on style. Choose the most suitable images for your bathroom, but make sure they are consistent with the whole environment. Yet the bathroom is a room we usually get lost in, no matter how. From a psychological perspective, a bathroom offers us a moment to reflect, to focus on the simple pleasures of reading a book, or to engage with our mirror-self.
It can be seen as a place of reflection on life. Ideally, in art, this can be represented through botanicals, as plants and green recall the importance of life, or abstract art, or minimal nudes to admire the beauty of many human shapes.
However, unless it matches the colour of your existing walls and furniture, bathroom art is subjective. The only rule is to feel comfortable in your tranquillity and unique environment.
Positioning: How to Hang Wall Art in Your Bathroom
How to hang paintings and pictures in your bathroom depends on the available space and the distribution of furniture. The main rule is to take advantage of height and dry zones, such as above the toilet, opposite the shower and behind the door. However, designers suggest:
- Create a gallery-style spot with small pictures. Choose a specific colour pattern or topic, and the same frame, different sizes, to create a sort of illustrated story;
- Use a single maxi print above the toilet with the same width;
- Do not overcrowd small bathrooms;
- Do not mess up with colours. Here’s the thing. Images don’t have to be related to the environment. As for colours, stay in the palette.
In conclusion, feel free to decorate your bathroom as you feel. As long as it is still your comfortable home space, it will certainly work perfectly for your meditation moments. Bear in mind to protect your art. Other than that, you can enjoy the pleasure of experiencing art in humid places, too.
