Home Decorating: Bathroom on a Budget

It’s a wonderful feeling to take a tired, boring, old bathroom and completely redecorating it, it’s something close to magic, to make it shiny and new once again without fearing that you’ll have to spend way too much money on it. As you can imagine I’ll say, there are small steps that can be translated into big changes and these small steps are inexpensive and highly effective.

The very first thing I recommend to do is to assess the damage, really look at the worst there is to fix. Painting may seem like the obvious starting point, but first, you should decide if you plan to remove cabinets because it’s very popular nowadays to give the bathroom the appearance of a wide-open space.

In case you do decide to remove cabinetry, this removal often leads to some patching that will need to be done to fix the drywall and the gaps that will be left in the flooring. This is why choosing the colors for the walls and the floors should be on the top of your list. If the space in your bathroom is small, light colors tend to open the space, and make the room seem larger. In this case, keep the walls bright and the towels and decorations darker, and remember to use paint that can stand the humidity.

Keep this last thing in mind when choosing your flooring; it needs to withstand heat and humidity like a champion because this room’s floors and walls receive quite a bit of abuse. This is why hardwood is a no go for bathroom; instead, ceramic tile is a great choice. Likewise, there are laminates designed to respond well to these environments. Remember to choose flooring that will bring your walls to the forefront, and also the overall character you hope to give to the room.

The toilet is a simple purchase, but if it doesn’t need absolute changing, then I a suggest you leave it just as it is. You know what they say, and they’re right, if it’s not broken… The same applies to the shower or bathtub. In case you truly can’t live with your shower or bathtub as it is, you have the option of resurfacing your tub which is much less expensive than buying a new one and it will look good as new.

Now to the little details like changing the knobs, fixtures and hardware. You can also add some lamps to bring subtle lighting to the room; decorative touches of your very own are always welcome. Some people like you use decorative soaps, flowers, the sky is the limit. The shower curtain and the towels have the ability to tie the room together, so make sure to play with and blend the colors and designs that go along with your vision. Remember: one step at a time, one piece at a time, one room at a time.