It is the first place we visit in the morning and the last stop we make before bedtime; we spend a lot of time in the bathroom. Of course, you want this room to smell fresh, but what about its appearance? Is your own bathroom looking less than fresh these days? Freshen it up with these five stylish DIY ideas.

Light and airy paint colors

Before you paint your bathroom your personal favorite color, consider some of the colors that work best in bathroom spaces. The experts from Better Homes and Gardens cite soft taupe, ash gray, buttery whites, blue-gray and dusty jade green as some of the most popular paint colors. When you think you have the perfect paint color, be sure to bring home a paint card and test it under the artificial and natural light in your bathroom. You may find that the color you chose looks great at the hardware store, but not in your bathroom space. If the color is a fit, sample the color further by painting a poster board and taping it to the wall to determine if you like it and if it suits the bathroom flooring.

Ample natural light

For many homeowners, having natural light in the bathroom is ideal. But when it comes to letting natural light in, you may find yourself running into privacy issues with revealing windows. Instead of dressing up your natural light sources with heavy curtains and dark drapes, decorate your windows with sheer Roman-style shades or louver shutters that allow natural light in, but can be closed when privacy is needed. Both styles do not sacrifice essential natural light.

Fresh linens

The simple addition of fresh linens to your bathrooms can make a world of a difference. Incorporate new towels of varying sizes and bath mats and rugs into the space for a fresh new look. Changing the color of your linens from season to season can also keep your bathroom looking fresh, just do your best to incorporate colors from the same family or hues that look great with your existing bathroom color scheme.

Upgraded shower curtains

Add some personality to your bathroom with a chic shower curtain. Not only essential for privacy, shower curtains can liven up your powder room or bathroom area. Like new linens, when choosing a shower curtain keep the room’s overall aesthetic in mind for one cohesive look. Additionally, you may want to choose a new shower curtain that is machine washable so that you can toss it into the wash every now and then.

Coordinated color schemes

When freshening up your bathroom keep your color scheme in mind. The flooring in your bathroom and the paint color are the two key factors that must be considered. Traditional color schemes that feature lots of creams and whites can be accented with chic brass or brushed fixtures. Blue bathrooms look great with orange accents, such as flowers or hand towels. And dark chocolate vanities look handsome against taupe-colored backdrops. Feeling perplexed? Try out a color scheme coordinator online to find the perfect color scheme for your bathroom.

These tiny DIY style adjustments — from making sure there is ample natural light, implementing coordinated color schemes, choosing the right paint color and decorating with accessories like fresh new linens and a chic shower curtains — can transform the appearance of the bathrooms in your home.