Bathroom

Gloss bounces light, matte absorbs it. Choose the walls by how much light the room gets, and keep the floor matte every time.

Everything that touches water is one finish. A second metal is fine on the dry things. That one rule keeps mixed metals looking planned.

Measure the clear wall, take off the gaps, and check the space in front. Three numbers tell you the vanity size before you shop.

With no daylight, the mirror is where light matters most. The bulbs, the colors and the one safety rule for a windowless bathroom.

A dark green bathroom looks richest when the stone matches the paint. Verde marble on the vanity, dark green on the walls, and the room reads as one material.

Fall bathroom decor, contained. Everything on the bath tray. A brown candle, a sprig of dried eucalyptus, a small glass of something. Nothing on the floor.

The easy Halloween bathroom: black candles on the counter, a small antique mirror propped against the big one, the overhead light off. It's creepy enough.

A near black bathroom with walnut and brass feels warm and cocooning, not gloomy. Here is how to do it, how to keep it light enough, and how it looks in the evening.

A fluted wood vanity, a walk-in shower, warm stone-look tile and three layers of light. Here is how each idea works in a small bathroom, and where the money should go.