Here is a really cool bath tub, with an awesome curtain to accent.

]]> http://www.myuniqueshowercurtains.com/blog/cool-shower-curtains/feed/ 0 http://www.myuniqueshowercurtains.com/blog/horse-shower-curtains-revisited/ http://www.myuniqueshowercurtains.com/blog/horse-shower-curtains-revisited/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:24:15 +0000 admin http://www.myuniqueshowercurtains.com/blog/?p=680 With the first week of May came the Run for the Roses, and last weekend the final Triple Crown Race was held at the Belmont Stakes.  Altough the Triple Crown title was once again elusive to horse owners and jockeys, a horse shower curtain does not need to be elusive to your bathroom.  We began the topic of decorating your bathroom with equine elegance before the first leg of the triple crown, and in another previous post, Mark made a great suggestion for these curtains to be your next Father’s Day gift.  Also, remember that these can play double duty: your equine curtain can also pass as a Western shower curtain if that is the theme of your bathroom.

The Belmont Stakes inspired me to check out what other shower curtains with horse designs may be available to the interested decorator.  Below are some of my favorite finds.  Hope you find one that interests you.

-ang

This curtain reminds me of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring when Arwen crosses the river in desperation to save Frodo from the Ringwraiths.

This is my favorite Western Shower Curtain of all time. I especially like that it is a black-and-white shower curtain with a captivating image.

This is a great curtain for the equestrian fan!

My husband and I are friends with another couple who have done the beach bathroom right.  They started off with a simple bathroom that if not given some TLC could have looked dated – older shower/tub combo, sink and vanity, and even half-tiled walls.  They made the best of what they were given.  As is often the case, they started with a their curtain to establish the bathroom’s theme: a beach shower curtain.  Beach shower curtains can be simplistic with an ocean scene and palm trees, or lively and fun, with surf boards and bikinis.  And, as always, you can have your choice between a vinyl shower curtain or fabric shower curtain. . . whichever you prefer.

After establishing their beach theme, our friends used their bathroom accessories to their advantage.  A whicker basket has been made into their trash can and a small, color-coordinating kid’s play locker is a great hideaway for extra rolls of toilet paper.  Palm trees and the classic beach surfing car (the kind that resemble today’s PT Cruisers with the wood on the side) make up their toothbrush holder and soap dispenser.  They even have fun window curtains and bath mats to complete their theme.

All around, this is a fun bathroom.  In past posts we have suggested staying away from themed accessories like the palm tree toothbrush holders, but in this bathroom it works.  What makes it work in one bathroom but not another?  Personality!  This bathroom aptly fits our friends’ personalities.  Also, they are avid beach goers, visiting beaches (often Hawaii’s) several times a year.  Their beach bathroom is a way of remembering their trips, alone time together, and bringing the sand back with them.  Theirs is a bathroom done right!  So, become a beach bum and join the fun in the sun!

Monogrammed Shower Curtains

Monograms are great ways of adding feminine touch to a bathroom as well as honor the room’s most frequent visitor.  The text font used in monograms can be either serif or sans-serif, fancy or tamed, unique or plain.  Have fun with the font chosen.  Allow it to speak to your mother’s personality – reflecting who she is to all who visit this room.  Choose a color or background for the shower curtain that will not detract from the monogram and will, once again, speak about your mom’s true character.

Personalized Shower Curtains

When talking about personalized shower curtains, I am specifically referring to adding Mom or her family to the curtain, just as transforming family photos into blankets, pillows, or totes has become popular.  Think about putting life-size images of Mom’s favorite grand-children on her curtain.  This personalized shower curtain will make her smile every time she walks in to take a shower.

Make Mom smile by giving her a one-of-a-kind unique shower curtain. . . one that speaks to who she is by either monogramming or personalizing it.

-ang

Due to writer’s block, let’s take a short break from everything Derby, and revisit a previous topic – reusing our used shower curtains.  In a previous post, we discussed how to bring new life to our old vinyl shower curtains, and today a few tips on how to reuse your used fabric shower curtain.  This is an appropriate topic as Earth Day just passed and we were encouraged to remember being friendly to our Earth and environment.  Therefore, below you will find several ways to reuse your fabric curtain, most of which only require minimal skills in creative or artistic ability, like sewing.

• With sturdier curtains, use the fabric material to reupholster a well-loved chair.
• Create new, bold accent pillows for the couch or bed.  Sew on some buttons or cute trim, and no one will even know it was once a shower curtain.
• Create new window curtains.  If there are windows in your bathroom, you could even keep your old curtain remnants in there with the new shower curtain.
• A sturdier curtain can make a great picnic blanket on sunny afternoons.
• Create a table cloth or runner.
• If you are more talented in the sewing arena, try to make a great skirt or dress with a bold and modern printed curtain.
• Cut up the curtain into quilting squares and get your sewing on.
• The way I have most commonly reused my old fabric shower curtains is by relocating it in my house as a wall tapestry.  Hookless shower curtains are especially nice for this, as their large grommets add an extra appeal and make hanging easy.  My best experience with this was a bold white shower curtain with orange polka-dolts.  My husband and I actually bought it purposefully for a wall-hanging, and it did a great job hiding part of the wall that had been damaged and we didn’t have time to repair promptly.
• Another wall art option is to cut out several pieces of the fabric and fame it in fancy frames.  Hang several frames together as a series.  Below is a picture where one person used fabric and cross-stitching hoops to accomplish the same idea.  You could also simply stretch the fabric around a canvas or something else that can keep your fabric taut and forget the faming altogether.

Below are several pics of either great fabrics to use for wall art or more examples of what reusing your fabric shower curtain could look like.

If it is likely you will reuse your fabric shower curtain in one of the above ways mentioned, try to purchase your curtain with that in mind.  Ask yourself these helpful questions: Will I continue to like this pattern or print across time?  Can this pattern or print fit somewhere else in my home décor (as in another room)?  Is this fabric sturdy enough for me to create something new from it?  (Sheer fabric curtains, do not do well with cutting and sewing projects.)  I hope these ideas and tips have been helpful and inspiring.  If these don’t sound appealing to you, get your own creative juices going and happy curtain crafting!

-ang

Wine is rejuvenating to the senses and soothing to the body.  Pouring a glass with friends can be a terrific way to end a rough day of work or celebrate a special occasion.

Art ought to be part of our everyday experience, weaving its way into our lives like an ornate tapestry.  In this busy world, we are so consumed with work and duties that the finer aspects of this world, such as beauty and creativity can be easily over-looked. But who has time to seek after the creative energies that inspire us, when the daily grind is at the door step?

Shower Curtain?  So here’s what I’ve come up with…at the end of a stressful work day, I stop by my local wine shop and buy a bottle or red.  Once home, I relax in my soothing spa like bathroom; pop the wine, and look at my art gallery/shower curtain?  Yes, I’m serious!  My bathroom is filled with designer style art, but the best of all is hanging from my curved shower curtain rod!

So sit back, relax, and enjoy your next bath!

As we head toward the 135th ”Run for the Roses“ (May 2, 2009) let’s think about how we can spruce up our bathrooms with a rose shower curtain.  When I think of a rose shower curtain in my bathroom, the first thoughts that come to mind are stuffy and draby.  But this doesn’t have to be the case.  Sure, if you’re not strategic, your bathroom can look like it came straight out of Professor Umbridge’s office in Harry Potter.  But with a little planning, you can use your rose shower curtain and make your bathroom come to life with a vintage or modern style.  Below are some helpful points that will allow you to create the style you want for your bathroom.

   

Vintage:

v     Technically, the term vintage means anything made prior to the 1920s.  It’s unlikely you’ll find a true quality vintage shower curtain, but you can purchase a shower curtain that matches the classic vintage style.

v     When thinking vintage, think lace, flat pastel colors (pinks, light blues, yellows, golds, and tans), delicate, and vines.  By vines, I mean patterns that continue across the curtain that are interconnected, almost by a vine.

v     If you’re still uncertain as to how to manage the vintage look, talk to your grandparents and see if they can remember their authentic vintage shower curtain.  Maybe they even have pictures they can show you. 

v     Add the extra touch of vintage shower curtain hooks.  You may be able to find orginals of these, but if not there are several vintage “knock-offs”.

v     Finally, avoid over-doing the vintage style.  The vintage style is most appealing when it is paired with some modern touches and is not overdone with layering of vintage on vintage.  For instance, do not pair a vintage rose shower curtain with a vintage wall paper.  Do not pair a vintage shower with a fluffy pink tub and sink rug and a toilet seat cover.  This can quickly make your bathroom appear to be old, musky, and drab.  Instead, paint your walls a color that makes the intricacies of your shower curtain POP!  The first picture below is one way to NOT do vintage, as the shower curtain and walls have coordinating patterns.  Instead, keep the curtain and paint the walls a light gold tone.  This will make your rose curtain stand out and you won’t get lost in the room.

 

 

 

 

 

Modern:

v     When thinking modern think contemporary.

v     When I think of the modern style I think of the 3 S’s: simple, sleek, sophisticated.  Choose simple patterns or prints and a simple color scheme.  A monochromatic (one color) or dichromatic (two colors), particularly black and white are safe bets.  When you see something that is sleek and sophisticated, you just know it.  Usually it can be something that is luscious but not pomp.  Croscill shower curtains often meet all of the 3 S’s.

v     You can never go wrong with a white shower curtain, black shower curtain, or a mix of the two.  Keep the white and black shower curtain simple and pair it with bold bathroom accessories, like a bright yellow vase and fresh cut red roses.  Black and white curtains especially look ravishing when paired with a clawfoot tub.

v     Often people make the mistake of doing a large print on their shower curtain, thinking this automatically makes it modern.  But this is not so.  These, actually tend to fall under the novelty shower curtain category.

 

  

There are also some curtains that can be both modern or vintage, like the one below.  The accessories in the room and paint scheme will be what determines whether you have a modern bathroom or a vintage one.

 

 

Hopefully these tips have been helpful in starting you on your way to capitalizing on your rose shower curtain, whether you choose the vintage or modern route.  Remember the tips above, look online for several pictures depicting each style, and enjoy the process of transforming your bathroom.

 

-ang

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday concluded the 2009 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club where Angel Cabrera took home the coveted Green Jacket.  In honor of Angel and golf’s finest tournament, a look, today, at golf shower curtains.

Although Father’s Day is a few months away, giving your father a golf-themed bathroom can allow him to be the envy of all of his friends.  Golf shower curtains bring to mind a calming pasttime as one envisions quiet, lush, green fields.  A luxiourous golf shower curtain can turn a plain bathroom into a masculine haven.  There are several golf-themed bathroom accessories, like these golf ball shower curtain hooks, that can be used to bring the theme full-circle.  Or, if you prefer a more contemporary feel, try a sleek, hookless shower curtain and a complementary green paint scheme for the walls.  Spruce up the rest of the bathroom with a magazine rack filled with appropriate magazines like Golf Digest, Golf, and Golf Week.  This gives Dad the opportunity to catch up on tips for his backswing during his downtime.  You can also purchase one of those fun golf ball water globes .

This Father’s Day make Dad feel like one of the pros in his very own course-inspired bathroom.  He may not have a green jacket, but he can feel like a king in his own turf.

Happy Golfing!

-ang

It’s all in the details:

Think about your linens.  Do you want to go with solid towels or printed?  And what about your shower curtain.  Today contemporary choices go from simple to extravagant.  Here are some of my favorite black and white shower curtains:

By adding a flower or a colored rug, this black and white bathroom goes to the next level of style.

You don’t need much to transform your bathroom into a contemporary masterpiece.  The key is to keep it simple, yet interesting with a mixtures of prints and textures.  There are no rules to this latest trend, have fun!