Giving your bathroom an updated look doesn't need to be expensive. Use these tips for a cheap redo.
Remodeling a bathroom can be one of the most expensive interior decorating projects in your home, but you can give your bathroom a fresh, new look without spending a lot. Before you begin, clean your bathroom from top to bottom. You’ll definitely be happier with the way it looks when you know it’s clean.
Next it’s time to freshen up your old grout and caulk. Renewing these elements gives a little new life to your existing floor and fixtures. It’s cheaper than purchasing a new tub or sink and much easier than pulling up old tile and laying new tile.
If you have linoleum consider replacing or recovering it. Peel and stick squares are inexpensive and very easy to lay. In just a weekend you can have an entire bathroom floor without spending a lot of money or effort.
Paint is obviously a great way to rejuvenate any room, but a little bit of faux finishing or decorative painting will add even more visual impact and doesn’t cost much more than a solid coat of paint. If you have painted shelves or a vanity, freshen that paint as well, maybe even change the color. If your vanity is bare wood a coat of paint is a great way to change its appearance. Remember to use a good primer when working with wood and select paints designed to be used in bathrooms or other moist areas.
Use your towels as decorating items. Don’t spend a lot on new towels, skip the luxury and go for style. Select contrasting colors that visually pop when hung against your newly painted walls. If you’re looking to brighten a bathroom, select white towels and accessories and a darker wall color. Dirt is less likely to show on the darker walls and the white appliances, towels and accessories will appear crisp and fresh.
As long as you’re updating your towels, you should spend a little more and update the other accessories. Buy a new shower curtain, bath mat, and soap dish, etc. Don’t spend a lot on these items as they can be found at almost every discount department store and even some dollar stores; instead look for items that are dramatically different in color, style and form from your previous decorations.
Keep your bathroom decorations simple; fussy knickknacks and dried floral arrangements really don’t have a place in bathrooms and only serve as dust collectors. Use bath items as decorations instead. Colored lotion bottles and bubble baths are functional and can be attractive when organized properly. Decorative soaps are nice but rarely used; instead you should find attractive bottles and refill them with liquid soap. In small rooms turning functional items into works of art or attractive pieces is much more important than filling the space with useless trinkets.
And finally, replace your light bulbs with energy efficient ones that not only brighten those dark corners, but save you money in the process.
By following these few tips you can redecorate your bathroom for a few hundred dollars rather than thousands and still wind up with a dramatically different room.
