If you’re entertaining guests and you want to create a really refined atmosphere, the addition of some small origami art is a very effective ruse to spruce up your evening. Delicate, understated and beautiful, the finest origami art brings an air of sophistication and exclusivity to your evenings’ entertainment. Your guests are bound to enjoy moments of surprise and delight as they come across these small folded wonders strewn around your bathroom and toilet.
It’s possible to utilise many of the different materials in your bathroom to create some origami magic. Toilet paper origami is very much in fashion at the moment and can create a visual impact, even when done very simply. Paper towelling and coloured paper can also be used to create more traditional shapes. And if you’re a real origami pro, hand towels and bath sheets can also be crafted into origami-style forms.
Toilet paper is not something we associate with art or beauty, which makes it all the more pleasurable when we come across origami shapes created from our humble rolls. Some of the best designs are very simple to achieve, and all are bound to wow your guests. Show them a bit of decoration on the end of the toilet roll and they know that no detail has been overlooked in your quest to create the perfect evening for them.
Getting creative on your toilet paper shows them that they’ve really entered a more exclusive establishment. It’s a decorative feature very much in vogue and any upmarket hotel will, at the very least, fold a triangle into the top leaf of a fresh roll of toilet paper; leaving it hanging for the new arrivals. Many will go further with elaborate fans, pleats or bows cleverly folded into the roll.
To create a simple triangle end, just take the last two squares of the roll and make a fold across the whole strip, diagonally, so that the end is sticking out of the side of the roll. Then fold again, in the middle, creating the little triangle. The piece that was sticking out of the side is now up top and ready to be tucked into the original fold, thus securing the shape.
To create a fan look is also relatively simple. Take the last sheet of toilet roll and fold it all up, concertina-like right to the edge of the second sheet – (Careful not to break the perforations). Then score it down the middle and fold both sides upwards until they meet in the middle and form a fan.
Single sheet origami is also a thing. And a rather beautiful and delicate one, if done dexterously. Why not encourage your guests who are detained long enough to give it a go. Leave some simple instructions for making basic shapes around the toilet area, as well as perhaps some of your own examples.
The Paper Boat
One such simple shape is the paper boat. An oldie, but a goodie. It’s easy to make mini-boat shapes out of toilet paper and they fit well in the bathroom context. Take just one sheet of paper and fold it in half, then in half again. Next bring the corners of the square together until you have a triangle. Fold the rectangle part of the shape that remains at the bottom upwards. Fold the rectangle part under the triangle upwards on both sides, then pull your triangle through the middle and tah da ! you have your mini paper boat.
Simple Origami Fish
Even easier, is the simple origami fish. Again, you can use just one sheet of loo roll to get a good result. Just fold the square into a little triangle – the simplest form. Then fold down the two outside leaves of the triangle to create a double pronged tail. – Super easy and cute!
Of course, you don’t have to make your decorative origami out of toilet paper just because it’s in the toilet. Many exclusive hotels also use ‘normal’ origami to impress their guests and leave cleverly shaped animals and flowers around their rooms and toilets. You can do this too – and further wow your visitors.There are endless animals and shapes that you can choose from and detailed instructions, as well as video tutorials, are easy to come by. Why not start with most iconic of all origami forms, the Japanese crane. This elegant creature is relatively easy to create, yet remains an impressive sight in any room of the house. Other very simple forms that are very appropriate for the bathroom, include the windmill, the clamshell or – simplest of all – the sailing boat. All these can be created very simply, then strewn around your bathroom to give a seaside feel in coloured paper.
Finally, if you’re getting to be proficient in the art of Origami, you could take your decorative efforts to the next level, by crafting some shapes out of the towels in your bathroom. While strictly speaking using towelling is not origami (Origami literally translates as folded paper and requires materials that can hold a crease), it is possible to create similar shapes. You just need to find specific instructions for this type material that doesn’t actually fold or keep its folded form. Tucks and twists, rather than folds, create the shapes, but otherwise, the principles are similar. For those who can bring it off, shapes and creatures created from bathroom towels can create a big impact. You can create larger shapes, they are really well suited to the bathroom environment, and they look amazing!
If you're still undecided which style is for you, or not ready to refurbish, then clever placement of smaller decorative items around your restroom can also make a big difference - without requiring a lot of time, money or effort.From one-off feature pieces, such as a mirror or new shower curtain, to tiny day-by-day efforts, such as bringing in fresh flowers, you only have to start thinking about your bathroom to start improving it.
Creating a simple towel bunny
This towel bunny is quick and easy origami win. Once you get the hang of it, you can make these cute bunny forms in seconds, and they’re guaranteed to create joy and laughter from your guests.
1. Lay the towel flat and fold it in two.
2. Fold up the two ends so the stick out (like ears).
3. Roll up the base of the towel.
4. Complete the roll all the way until just the ears are sticking out.
5. Tie up the ends at the back and hey presto!