monoprints.com
monoprints art gallery featured artists art books contact us

Like every other room in the house, toilets and bathrooms must be suited to the user's personality in order to be comfortable. They need to be efficient and attractive at the same time.

Very few people will take the trouble to decorate their bathroom or toilet with original artwork. That's because it is not rational to spend huge amounts of money on this area of the home where not much time is spent. But bathrooms, like kitchens, are among the most important rooms in the house; they are used frequently, and people like to linger in a nice whirlpool tub to enjoy the benefits of a therapeutic bath. So why not hang some artwork and add some accent to a room too often forgotten?
  • How do you select just the right piece of artwork to accent your new bath?
  • What's the best palette combination to emphasize your artwork?


When selecting artwork for your walls, always keep in mind the color scheme already existing in that room. You don't want your pictures to clash with the tiles or wallpaper, nor you want your artwork to spoil the overall color scheme of your bathroom!

If your bathroom is monochromatic (only one color used with variations in value (tints and shades) and intensity), a bright or colourful piece would definitely clash and spoil the visual continuity established by the repeated color. You should therefore choose pieces which contain the same repeated colour, making sure that the other colours in the picture are not complementary (opposites on the color wheel) but analogous, or closely related on the color wheel.
Analogous colours in a bathroom (two or three colors closely related or near each other on the color wheel) simplify your choices; you should use artwork containing the same kind of colours, making sure that the dominant color in the bathroom is not the dominant color in the artwork.
When two colors that are complementary or opposites on the color wheel are employed, one color is usually subdued and used in the larger area, while the other one is more intense and is used as an accent. Decorate this kind of bathroom with artwork whose dominant color is the same as the less dominant one in the bathroom. Be careful! If you are using complementary colors, avoid using both of them in equal intensity!
This color scheme uses colors in a triad scheme spaced equally apart on the color wheel. The triads are; red, blue and yellow; red violet, blue green and yellow orange; violet, green and orange; blue violet, yellow green and red orange. Decorating such a bathroom may result in complex research, for it is more difficult to find a piece of work which contains exactly the same colors in the triad.






First think about practical aspects of the room such as its function, the people who will use the room, the size and its location.
How is the room used? Warm colors work well for active rooms, cool colors for relaxation areas.
Who will use the room? Consider their color preferences when selecting your color scheme.
What is the exposure to sunlight? Northern and eastern exposures benefit from warm color schemes; western and southern exposures from cool schemes.
Do you want to increase or decrease the apparent size? Warm colors advance, making the room seem smaller; cool colors recede, making the room appear larger.

Once you have thought about the practical aspect, choose a print you love. This will be your "signature print" that will set the color scheme for the room. Signature prints usually contain several colors and large scale pattern that is suitable for window treatments, bedcoverings, wallcoverings, and upholstery.
Let one color from your signature print dominate. Use this color in as much as 2/3 of the available area. Pull 2-3 other colors from your signature print to act as support or accent colors and use them in smaller areas and in accessories.
If you carry your color scheme throughout the entire house you will create a strong visual continuity. Varying the dominant color and patterns in each room will allow you to keep your home interesting, yet unified.

  1. Decide on a color scheme and select a theme for your bathroom.
  2. Choose items that evoke relaxation, cleanliness and general health; even vintage vitamin advertisements or spa posters would do.
  3. Frame the pieces well, using archival quality mats and make sure to seal the backs. Light, water and steam in bathrooms can pose unique threats to art, but if you frame the pieces well, they'll be fine.
  4. Make it a point to check your art once in a while. Moisture as well as light might damage your artwork, so the backing should be checked to make sure it didn't come loose.
Well-chosen accessories can put sizzle in your bathroom's décor. Rotate or rearrange the accessories every month or so to keep the look fresh.

© Copyright 1999-2003 Monoprints.com