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Page 1

The Penny Crabtree Company,

1-866-765-1301,

Penny Crabtree; Instructor, Holistic Redesign Director, Award-winning Author

www.healthyhomedecorating.com

www.pennycrabtree.com

Bathroom

The Flow of Money

The bathroom is symbolic of flowing water and flowing finances (money). Discover the wealth

that hides in those walls.

Purpose

They are your sanctuary, spa, and meditation cove; and should be treated with luxury.

Suggestions

Keep toilet and bathroom doors closed. Avoid having the toilet in clear view from the door.

Always keep the bath smelling sweet and clean. Most bathroom are very active areas.

Faucets turning on, water running down drains, closets opening and closing. With all this

activity try and follow some basic steps to keep the chi moving in a calm relaxing pattern.

Symbols

Accessories that shine like brass or crystal keep the chi moving at a lively pace. Use plants in

clay pots to represent steady, financial growth.

1. Close

the commode lid before flushing and keep the

commode lid down when not in use. This is to keep

vital chi and money from flowing down the drain.

2. Cover drains when not in use this includes sinks,

tubs, showers further securing finances. One creative

client placed a rubber duck over the shower drain.

3. Since the flow of prosperity, wealth and abundance is effected by the flow of water in

the bath fix all leaks and drips immediately.

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Page 2

The Penny Crabtree Company,

1-866-765-1301,

Penny Crabtree; Instructor, Holistic Redesign Director, Award-winning Author

www.healthyhomedecorating.com

www.pennycrabtree.com

Color

Purple and red support financial wealth. Rose suggests blossoming and sage green denote

the development of wisdom.

But no matter how outdated your bathroom, there is always a way to

make it look fresh and fun. With the right color paint on the walls, the

right accessories and most important of all the proper attitude,

you can take your bathroom from outdated to outstanding.

Think function first.

A bathroom, like the kitchen, is one of the hardest-working spaces in the home. If it’s not

functional, everybody suffers. Keep all of its functions in mind it’s a workstation for

preparing for the day ahead and a refuge for resting and recovering from the hectic

day when choosing the sink, tub, shower, toilet and other pieces. Consider what other

functions you can incorporate into the bath with a little clever planning; perhaps you’d like

a seat in the shower, a steam room or storage for linens.

Map the space.

Plumbing considerations will impact where you place showers and tubs. Yet, you also

need to think lik e an "industrial engineer" when making a bathroom floorplan. Walk the

space with your contractor and imagine the tasks required to get ready for the day.

Consider the length of your arm’s reach. How far away do you want the soap dishes to

be? Do you want to store objects in a vanit y and, if so, would you mind bending over to

retrieve them? The objects used most often, as a rule of thumb, should be closest at

hand.

Choose colors and motif.

How do you want to feel when you’re in the bathroom? Is it a formal space (consider a

black -and-white scheme) or a casual area (try neutrals)? The motifs associated with

baths often are water oriented. Seashells, boats, piers, blue colorations and sandy beach

colors are frequently used. But it’s OK to think outside of the box. Choose a motif that

relates to the area in which you live (city or country?), a style of architecture (classic

18th-century English or New England cottage?), or a style that you’re personally

attached to (bohemian or Asian?).

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Page 3

The Penny Crabtree Company,

1-866-765-1301,

Penny Crabtree; Instructor, Holistic Redesign Director, Award-winning Author

www.healthyhomedecorating.com

www.pennycrabtree.com

Know your surfaces.

When selecting products for the bath, such as tile or marble, be sure that you know the

inherent qualities and the drawbacks of each material. Will the marble/tile stand up to

heavy wear? (Watch out for veins in marble, which often indicate weak points.) Do you

want a polished marble floor or a natural marble? (Shiny floors may not be very slip-

resistant; natural materials may have a pitted surface that is more slip-resistant but also

more likely to collect residue.)

Add drama with fixtures.

Plumbing fixtures are the jewels of the bathroom because they’re metallic and can add a

dramatic effect to any space, just as jewelry can to an outfit. There are a plethora of

finishes and styles offered by today’s manufacturers, from brass to stainless and all

metals in between. Keep in mind your motif and maintenance as you choose your

bathroom fixtures. Elaborate gold fixtures probably won’t jive with a beach-inspired

bathroom and may also require more cleaning than you’re up for

Be careful with lighting.

Choosing the correct lighting is critical in the bathroom where mirrors are present and

mood is important. Consider the appropriate task lighting for sink and shower areas.

Keep in mind that fluorescent lighting casts a bluish light as opposed to the yellowish

radiance of incandescent bulbs. And, horrors !: Combine blue wall paint and blue-hued

fluorescent lighting and you may look like Frankenstein’s bride in the mirror.

Mix soft and hard.

Use dashes of fabric and other softer goods, to reduce the inherent harshness of many

bathroom materials. Anything from towels and shower curtains to window treatments and

pieces upholstered in terry cloth, can bring a soft touch to a hard space.

Go for the green.

Don’t forget to incorporate plants and greenery in the bathroom. The asymmetrical

nature of growing things (in design lingo this is called "fractal" design) will help offset the

square edges of the tiles/marble.

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Page 4

The Penny Crabtree Company,

1-866-765-1301,

Penny Crabtree; Instructor, Holistic Redesign Director, Award-winning Author

www.healthyhomedecorating.com

www.pennycrabtree.com

Ways to fix a really ugly bathroom:

Pink Fixtures With Black-and-White Tiles

Pink, black and white could be a very HOT color scheme. I would. To give it a trendy look think of

a very shiny, wet-look wall covering or paint all the walls black; perhaps a silver ceiling. Consider

using a big shower curtain that started at the ceiling in a strong black, white and pink pattern.

"Then, with lots of pink and silver accessories this bath could be great!"

Mint Green Fixtures With Yellow Tile

Paint everything purple. "Paint all the walls purple, get a green and purple striped shower curtain

that goes all the way up to the ceiling, and put in purple area rugs and towels."

For another take on this 1960s classic take a monochromatic approach: "Paint the entire room

yellow including the ceiling. "Hang a crystal chandelier in the center. Every accessory in the room

should be yellow

everything

! An abundance of one color always looks right.

Brown Tile With Beige Fixtures

Though your beige-speckled tiles may shout "’70s," an earth -toned bathroom offers plenty of

modern possibilities. Paint the walls a khaki strie pattern and buy khak i towels with choco late

monograms. Get a brown shower curtain with khak i stripes, and hang a chocolate waffle-weave

bathrobe. For a touch of fun add blown-up photos of Hershey chocolate bar wrappers in different

sizes.

Want to add some color? Use the beige as a blank canvas and go with whatever bright, bold hue

your heart desires. Depending on your taste you could add red, turquoise, magenta any of

those would work well here. Just make sure the lighting is good to keep the bath from look ing

drab.

White Subway Wall Tiles With White Hexagonal Tile Floors

With a clean, white backdrop, the sk y's the limit, there is almost nothing you can't do in a vintage

white-tiled bath.

For a clean, modern look paint all surfaces with white epoxy paint to make everything one color.

"That wayyou can make the room's story be about textures. Do the accessories all in white

relying on different textures and finishes to provide visual interest.

If you'd like to add some color think a dove-gray ceiling. Or Try a light icy blue color. But with

such simple existing elements. Any color would look good. There is absolutely nothing wrong with

a classic

'New York-style' bath: just plain black and white with subway

tiles simple and clean."

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Page 5

The Penny Crabtree Company,

1-866-765-1301,

Penny Crabtree; Instructor, Holistic Redesign Director, Award-winning Author

www.healthyhomedecorating.com

www.pennycrabtree.com

OUTDATED TO OUTSTANDING

Whether you're facing one of the "classic" bathroom color schemes I just mentioned or

cantaloupe-colored floor tiles and a powder-blue bathtub, here are some quick trick s for making

everything old look new again.

If you have white floor tiles, have them sandblasted and freshly grouted with black grout on the

floor, to keep the space from looking dirty. Have brightly bound books on one wall as a library

since we all like to sit and read in this room.

Whether you're reading or putting on your makeup, good lighting is key; it's also an opportunity to

add some style. Be sure to choose lighting that makes a statement, rather than just illuminating

the space.

Whatever tile colors and fixtures you're stuck with, you can always contrast those outdated colors

with cool black -and-white wallpaper or some black and white artwork . Or, you can accept the

colors, enjoy them and just have some fun.

"Baths lend themselves to going way over the top." "We don't spend a lot of time in

bathrooms, so a strong jolt of color here can be invigorating go for it! The key is

enjoying what you have and not trying too hard to change it into something it's not.

And, don't take your bathroom decor (or yourself) too seriously. "This is decorating. It's

not negotiations for world peace. Remember: It is supposed to be

fun

Tricks of the Trade

When checking out fabric to make pillows or a shower curtain check out the

wrong side of the fabric. Sometimes the back is more attractive

–

its often softer

and more muted.

Covering waste bins with fabric remnants is a great way to create a one of a kind

custom item to your home.

Use organic materials

Choose stone, wood and metal to bring the natural world into the bathroom. The

dance between elements brings balance to your bath.

Quote of the week

“The purpose of Zen is the perfection of character” Ystani Rosh