Is your bathroom bumming you out? Since we tend to think of bathrooms as functional spaces, it’s easy for them to get neglected, but there’s no good reason for that. Here are five simple and straightforward ways to spruce up your bathroom space on a budget this spring or summer:
- Give Everything a Good Scrubbing
You’ll be amazed at how much grime builds up in the bathroom, even if you try to keep on top of regular cleanings. And since many bathroom staples (tubs, toilets, sinks, etc.) are white, that general dinginess can really change your impression of the overall room. Take the time to remove anything that could get stained and give the room — even the walls — a good scrubbing. If you find quite a bit of mold or mildew, you might want to install a fan to prevent buildup in the future.
- Put a Fresh Coat of Paint on the Walls
Once you’ve got everything clean, you can make your gleaming white bathroom fixtures stand out even more by putting a contrasting paint color on the walls. Bright colors such as teal and yellow are popular right now, but a simple dove grey is always fashionable, too. Just make sure you’re using a mold-resistant paint that can handle humidity.
- Add New Fixtures and Hardware
Think of fixtures and hardware as jewelry. These things go out of style relatively quickly, but the good news is that they can be inexpensively replaced to give your bathroom a whole new feel. Replace bare-bulb vanity lights with simple sconces for a contemporary feel, and banish the 90s and early 2000s look by replacing brass-tone towel bars or hooks with brushed nickel. Even just putting on some new drawer pulls can make a standard vanity look as if you’ve had custom made cabinets installed.
- Change Out Shower Doors/Curtains
For a fix that will take under 10 minutes, you can just switch out your old shower curtain for a new one. But for a bigger impact, consider installing glass doors, instead. This clean, contemporary look will bring your bathroom into 2015, and it’s more affordable than you probably think.
- Paint or Re-Stain Your Cabinets
Sure, putting in new custom bathroom vanities throughout your house would be great. But if that’s not in the budget, look at the quality of your current cabinets. If you had custom wood bathroom cabinets put in 10 or more years ago, you may need nothing more than some sandpaper and a can of paint or stain to bring them up to date; custom wood cabinets cost quite a bit when you have them put in, but one of the greatest advantages of them is that they won’t degrade even in a humid environment like the bathroom. Painted cabinets are very popular right now, so you might want to consider a bold color to cover the strong wood grains that were popular in custom wood bathroom cabinets a decade or two back.
Are you looking at a bathroom remodel along the lines of custom wood bathroom cabinets, or something more modest like switching out the towels? Share your plans in the comments.
