Have you ever wanted to splash some color or glitz around your house but are a little afraid to go for it? A bathroom is actually a great place to experiment with new design ideas and styles. Since they are small and one doesn't spent too much time in there, you needn't worry about it feeling too small, or being too bright, or that you will grow tired of the space over time. Small bathrooms can be made into little jewel boxes at a fraction of the cost of a larger room. Wallpaper is back in style these days, and the cost of papering a bathroom is often very affordable, even if you wan to go for a higher end paper. Light fixtures can be smaller than those you'd use in other rooms, which makes them more budget friendly, and the same is true for mirrors.

How to Create a Spa-Like Small Bathroom Retreat

How about creating a spa-like retreat? A spa is all about being calm and restorative. Start by selecting a soothing color palette in neutral browns or calming blues and greens. A monochromatic color palette will always bring out a sense of calm. Install dimmer switches on the lights so that the lighting level can be lowered for a quiet, candlelit bath. Go green with some great bamboo bathroom accessories - from soap dishes to towels. In general, clean lines with little fuss and embellishment all add to the spa-like feel.

How to Glam Up a Small Bathroom

Feeling a little Marie Antoinette-ish and looking for an opulent style? Even the tiniest bathroom can be made to feel like it belongs in a castle. Marie and her King Louis were all about gilded surfaces, elegant materials and over the top glamour. Create the look of paneled walls with simple applied moldings, or use gilded picture frames to get the look. A black and white checkerboard floor or wood floor tiles will set the stage for your own petit Versailles.

How to Create a Sleek Look in a Small Bathroom

If James Bond is more your style, then a sleek, modern and shiny look is the way to go. An all white or all black bathroom with polished chrome fixtures and clean lined mirrors will create the look of the International Man (or Woman) of Mystery. Try a sleekly styled vanity with clean lines and no surface clutter, modern fixtures and bright lighting to get the modern, hard lined look that would appeal to everyone's favorite super agent.

Whether you go with a theme or simply want a nicely styled space, a small bathroom can have just as big an impact as a large bathroom. Take into consideration the look and feel that you're going for and select fixtures and finishes that fit in with the style. A great looking bathroom is ultimately a benefit to the value of your home and there is no reason not to go for it! And, because it's small, you can always repaint!