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4 Easy Ways to Renew Your Bathroom Without Remodeling
Take your bathroom from drab to fab without getting out the sledgehammer or racking up lots of charges
Bathrooms often come up last in remodeling considerations. Since these rooms tend to be tucked away out of public view, it's easy to let your budget go to the more visible parts of your house first. But a lack of remodeling funds doesn't mean you can't update your outdated bathroom and make it worth spending time in.
We talked with six bathroom designers to get the scoop. Here's how you can refresh your bathroom without breaking the bank.
We talked with six bathroom designers to get the scoop. Here's how you can refresh your bathroom without breaking the bank.
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| 1. Play With Paint Painting walls, shelves or a vanity can be an inexpensive way to update your bathroom without having to make any other big changes. But before you start slathering a bright new color on your walls, take a few things into consideration. Designer tips: "If you have obvious moisture problems that are so bad that paint is peeling or tile is falling off the wall, it's time to bring an expert in for a new remodel," says designer Linda Evans. "Moisture problems can lead to possible plumbing and ventilation issues that need replacement." If your walls are in good shape, then you'll want to keep them that way. Use a water-based primer, recommends designer Kevin Wild. This will help keep moisture off your drywall and prevent mildew. You'll also want to look into a mildew-resistant paint — many designers suggest using semigloss paint because it repels moisture and is easy to clean. "I love the look of matte walls, though," says interior designer Barbra Bright. "Now it's possible to have them in the bathroom too. Companies like Benjamin Moore make matte paint designed for high-moisture areas — no more shine." |
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For those who think their bathroom ceiling is too high, designer Jan Neiges recommends painting the ceiling the same color as the walls — as long as they're not white. This makes the bathroom feel warmer, because the color visually lowers and disguises the ceiling's height.
Designer tips: For a quick design element with a custom look, contractor Leo Lantz suggests adding PVC wainscoting around the room and then using a different paint color above and below it. "This breaks up monochromatic walls and adds charm while being impervious to moisture," Lantz says. A new paint job can help make an outdated vanity feel much more modern, too. No matter where you decide to paint in your bathroom, prepping the surface correctly is vital. Read more about proper paint prep
Designer tips: For a quick design element with a custom look, contractor Leo Lantz suggests adding PVC wainscoting around the room and then using a different paint color above and below it. "This breaks up monochromatic walls and adds charm while being impervious to moisture," Lantz says. A new paint job can help make an outdated vanity feel much more modern, too. No matter where you decide to paint in your bathroom, prepping the surface correctly is vital. Read more about proper paint prep
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2. Lighten Up
Even a great bathroom can feel drab and depressing when the lighting isn't right. Start with the least expensive lighting fix. Trim thick shrubbery covering your windows from outside or replace thick curtains with some that let in light while retaining privacy.
Designer tips: Add a few mirrors or bright, large pictures to reflect existing light around the room. A room-length mirror can make an instant and impressive change. Designer Laura Pollard recommends covering the entire wall length all the way up to the ceiling. "For a traditional or transitional look, leave a gap to glue trim around," she says. "For a contemporary or modern look, go with no trim."
For those willing to make a few minor structural changes, do what you can to take advantage of natural light. Evans suggests replacing a solid door with one with etched glass, while Bright says adding a solar tube can be an easy and affordable skylight alternative.
Even a great bathroom can feel drab and depressing when the lighting isn't right. Start with the least expensive lighting fix. Trim thick shrubbery covering your windows from outside or replace thick curtains with some that let in light while retaining privacy.
Designer tips: Add a few mirrors or bright, large pictures to reflect existing light around the room. A room-length mirror can make an instant and impressive change. Designer Laura Pollard recommends covering the entire wall length all the way up to the ceiling. "For a traditional or transitional look, leave a gap to glue trim around," she says. "For a contemporary or modern look, go with no trim."
For those willing to make a few minor structural changes, do what you can to take advantage of natural light. Evans suggests replacing a solid door with one with etched glass, while Bright says adding a solar tube can be an easy and affordable skylight alternative.
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| 3. Upgrade Your Accessories Changing hardware and bathroom accessories may be the easiest and most inexpensive way to spruce up your bathroom. Choose drawer pulls in bright colors or unique materials to make a bold statement on a plain vanity. Designer tip: "The details are what matter," says Wild. "Sometimes you don't have a lot of wall space for art and accessories, so the gem in your room is the drawer pulls. This is where you splurge a little." |
by Tara Seawright
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Use temporary accents — like your toothbrush holder, rug, art, soap dish and shower curtain — to add color and texture, since they can be switched out fairly easily.
Designer tip: Neiges often suggests putting the shower curtain rod higher up than the client had planned. This sometimes means buying a longer shower curtain or having one custom made. Neiges uses it to automatically bring the eye up and make a bathroom look more spacious.
Designer tip: Neiges often suggests putting the shower curtain rod higher up than the client had planned. This sometimes means buying a longer shower curtain or having one custom made. Neiges uses it to automatically bring the eye up and make a bathroom look more spacious.
4. Simplify Storage
Half-empty bottles of shampoo, abandoned beauty supplies and perfume samples pile up fast, taking up valuable space in bathrooms. Storage solutions aren't always attractive, so save yourself time, money and space by editing your bathroom supplies. Take a realistic look at what you really need each day, and store or get rid of the rest.
Designer tip: If you still need more storage, look to your walls for the answer. Bright and Pollard suggest installing something above the toilet tank, as it's a space that's often unused. High cabinets often work well for items used less often. Want even more storage? Switch out your pedestal sink for a vanity or place a few well-chosen baskets (with lids) in an empty corner.
Tell us: What simple tricks have you used to update your bathroom? Share before and after pictures with us in the Comments section below!
Half-empty bottles of shampoo, abandoned beauty supplies and perfume samples pile up fast, taking up valuable space in bathrooms. Storage solutions aren't always attractive, so save yourself time, money and space by editing your bathroom supplies. Take a realistic look at what you really need each day, and store or get rid of the rest.
Designer tip: If you still need more storage, look to your walls for the answer. Bright and Pollard suggest installing something above the toilet tank, as it's a space that's often unused. High cabinets often work well for items used less often. Want even more storage? Switch out your pedestal sink for a vanity or place a few well-chosen baskets (with lids) in an empty corner.
Tell us: What simple tricks have you used to update your bathroom? Share before and after pictures with us in the Comments section below!
Ideabook updated on Feb. 14, 2013.
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We used marine grade hardware and installed two end caps and a length of 316L 1" stainless pipe.
For added strength a 5/8" broom handle was bashed into the center before installing the 6 screws to hold it in place.
You could do chin ups off this thing. JW
The funny thing is: we have received more compliments on these two cheap cabinets than on most other pieces of furniture. I think (or hope) it's because they make such clever use of very little space and are really inobtrusive.
The reality is that most bathrooms that show their age cannot be overhauled cheaply. Yes, you can freshen up paint, add new towels, switch a light fixture... but if your grout is old and dingy, your tiles are obviously old style and colour (anyone avocado green and 6" x 3" tiles?), your shower is decrepit, tiny and dark... you gotta go the whole way or it will look like what it is, a wolf in sheep's clothing.
That does not mean you should not do what can be done - whether for budget reasons, or because you are renting, or it's not yet time for that bathroom. And yes, a deep clean with a steamer will make a difference, but there is only so much you can do, and the pics above are in my opinion misleading.
Bought a small plant stand and my husband mounted a toilet paper holder under the top, since I didn't want to "see" toilet paper mounted to the side of the sink cabinet & butting against an elbow while on the throne. Since the bath is so narrow, it's within easy reach and disguised within a plant stand. Also bought a nice, formal 3 x 5 room rug - NOT a traditional bath rug. A good, thick bath mat is used for stepping out of the tub, and then rehung over the bath side, out of sight thanks to the draperies.
Bought 2 large metal curlique framed mirrors and placed them side-by-side.
We have 3 grandkids and their parents use this bath and it still looks as good as when we "remodeled" 3 years ago. Sorry I don't have better pics, as my husband has my camera right now.
also, just wanted to thank commenters for their images and specific product ideas. Loving it.
I love color so I decided to combine my 2 favorite colors in the B/R (Turquoise and Lavender) accented by a Shabby-chic wall and wall space devoted to colorful knick-knacks that accent the existing colors. The cabinets, doors, & ceilings have been painted white to not make it too busy looking.
Now, I just wish there was an inexpensive way to redo my sinks and bathtub area which are chipping off w/o having to do an expensive remodel. I love my view when I visit my B/R now!
Trudijane
There IS a def lack of realistic budget and DIY---which admittedly is NOT the only focus of this site--on here that is sometimes discouraging to the regular owner or renter.
I have a 1977 "pre-fab" --not a trailer--factory built house which was def NOT built to any standards! Cheap all the way. We have two baths and have replaced both of our bathroom's vanitys and toilets-twice for each! We have re-done the floor in one room twice due to a tragic Labrador-vs-car motor oil incident. When I tried to remove the trashy faux "Colonial" wall paper--I hate wallpaper in any form---the WALL came off the studs. Only part of the wall but enough to have to --with NO money at the time--re-nail and re-spackle and COVER with the cheapest paneling we could locate. Now I am "ready" to re-do with beadboard I think!
I also replaced the horrid molded off white with faux gilt rococo trim above the sink mirror cabinet--words cannot EXPRESS how HORRIBLE that was. I was lucky enough to find an oak framed sit on the wall cabinet for $5 or my husband would have been shaving in a compact hand held mirror!
And to add storage--we have 7 people in this tiny house!--I added a 200 year old "Chimney Cabinet" with attractively peeking paint layers for things like bandaids and dog meds etc. I also found a tall toilet paper cabinet---this is a godsend! How does ANYONE live without one! Holds 5 rolls of paper and is made to have a square box of tissues inside on a little shelf so the tissue pokes out thru the top---we just use that shelf for another roll of paper and I glued a pretty hand painted tile on top. The door has gathered fabric and can be easily changed if wanted to a new color.
We also have a "cube" type drawer unit and a "cube" unit with a "Frosted glass door" for the "overflow"--astonishing how much stuff you need with two kids under 7! Recently I hung a 2" long white shelf with a hanger rod over our "regular" towel bar for more towel and hand laundry drying room. This looks much nicer and more "country" than it might sound!
The best "space extender" I would recommend--aside from the Toilet Paper Tower that is!!!--would be for those with a tub to get a good quality CURVED SHOWER ROD. They don't need to cost much--mine was a Lowes special for $28.00---but the way they are MADE does make a big difference--do not get one of these at Wallyworld it just won't DO!!!!! Takes up very little visual "room" but makes a world of difference in your comfort and the perceived size when using the shower/tub.
All of this is in a looong narrow room--think railroad flat for bathrooms!--with TWO doors and a large window on the far end. And it doesn't look too crowded. I have to be able to get in and out in a wheelchair so it has to be pretty open!
Tip--for small baths you can sometimes get "offcuts" of flooring from a floor sales place--not ness a "big box" tho. And--you can CUT the sheet flooring into "tiles" to get more use out of the square footage--this tech got us MUCH nicer floors than we had any right to expect from our very limited budget.
My husband did all the installation work and we replaced a storage free basic pedestal sink with a unit from Ikea. Total cost for the sink with taps was less than $300.
We ripped off the cheap glued mirror and installed a Home Depot special (or maybe it was Canadian Tire, same thing) for about $80... and had the room repainted, (DYI or spend $200 to get it professionally done).
We had a tiny built in cabinet on the wall that I did not like but decided that drywalling it was more trouble than it was wort, so I just replaced the knob with a cut glass one. Added vintage prints in Ikea frames, a plant, storage basket, pretty guest towels and replaced the dim 1 bulb fixture with a HD special for $40. That is what I call budget.
The fresh blue paint replaced dingy old yellow, and fortunately the tile was in good condition. I did not love the pale grey green ,but since it was a small surface, I could cover it with a white mat.
We removed the horrid towel plastic bar (we are using the hooks that came with the sink) and replaced the old TP holder with another nickel one on sale. It was all done in a weekend and a couple of weeknights. But... the structure was in good condition, we did not splurge on a new toilet, the floor stayed and essentially it was a cosmetic job plus I gained some much needed storage under the sink, and it looks modern.
We sold both houses during the real estate crash, close to our asking prices--the 60s house in 3 days. So here's my spin on what we did with really small, dated baths--on the cheap.
1974 baths with avocado fiberglass shower/tubs: We used Ben Moore Light Daffodil paint on walls (yellow with green undertone) that minimized the avocado. And seriously, it did.
Oil rubbed bronze on all fixtures--replace or paint. We painted the vanity a chocolate brown and replace dated top with granite+undermount sink. (Brown trend had not yet died!) Hung a framed mirror over sink. Place shallow, short, book case against wall opposite sink. Bookcase painted to match vanity with interior painted wall color. Then used coordinating accessories (opaque! shower curtain) to pull together design. Necessary expense was replacing roll vinyl floor with porcelain tile. The brown+bronze 'grounded' the yellow and green.
In the master bath, we were lucky that vanity had 'neutral' top so we just replaced faucets. Gave vanity fresh coat of creamy white. Hung framed mirrors. Again, updated lighting & other fixtures. Use bamboo blind to disguise (ugly!) metal window. Then accessorized with trendy finds--example, large apothecary jars with bath salts.
For the 60s baths (lots of 4x4 field tile with white grout), we did deep cleaning--including digging out & redoing badly stained grout in shower stalls. I also used grout cleaners+grout paint/stain as needed. We painted walls, vanities, updated lighting/fixtures as needed. In hall bath, we painted the vanity Posh Red--which grew attention away from old tile (our realtor & new owner loved it.) In the tiny Master, we replaced vanity top and added undermount sink; painted vanity gloss black. We removed vanity doors and painted interior white and added baskets for storage. The master floor was white tile & in sad shape. I stained the grout a color (gray is a color!) and used a sealer to return add some gloss. Then put down an indoor/outdoor 5' runner that was a sisal wannabe. The rug camouflaged the floor & upped decor. In all baths, we used lots of 'clean' and 'reflective' surfaces to maximize light. Again, invested in on-trend accessories. On big plate glass mirrors, rather than frame or remove--we painted very simple stencil design along top.
Nate Berkus has said it and I'll second--nothing beats clean!
Sorry to be long--hope this is helpful to somebody!
The bath was built into what had been a corner of the house. No window. Large open "framed in" in pine cabinet---several feet long--with no curtain etc.
One fine day I decided to clean the horrid ceiling tiles--yep; those awful square pressed fiberboard dealies! And imagine my SURPRISE when the entire ceiling FELL IN on me! The tiles turned out to be STAPLED--and not with a staple gun just your basic desk model--to the old beams. And every corn cob and walnut shell any mouse for the past 150 years had dragged in there was--still IN there. Until it was all over ME. I was trapped in there as the door was now BLOCKED and I had three little kids on the other side of the door!
Well we plasterboarded the ceiling and then had to replace the floor as it was destroyed by the cave in=-which is how I discovered the Cheap Floor Trick above. The tub surround was made of PLASTIC TILES---these fell off the wall regularly--much to the amusement of my kids who thought these were boats--so we just green boarded and painted that. We made a new Formica countertop and edged it in cherry and routed the edge--looked nice and way less than a custom size counter would have been, We added shutters to the open cabinet space and painted.
We spent ten years re-habbing that house and it must have paid off because we sold it AS THE REAL ESTATE SIGN WAS BEING SET INTO THE YARD---for our asking price which had a deal of "wiggle room" built in and in a down market.
We re-did the windows; stripped off the worlds oldest and most stubborn linoleum from PUMPKIN PINE WIDE BOARD floors; added insulation as MOST of the house had NONE. Moved the laundry "room" from directly inside the back door (was the entrance used most) and built a whole NEW dedicated laundry; replaced several of the roof's---the house had multiple roof levels and materials from slate to composite all of which needed to be re-done; painted the outside; rebuilt the beautiful stone terrace porch overlooking a gorgeous lake; re-did all of the plumbing; re-built the barn! All while having three kids and running a dairy herd.
I think we used up most of our re-hab get up and go on that house!!!!!!
There is also a wide range of decorative shower curtain hardware, so select something yummy that will coordinate with the rest of the hardware.
Just replacing the towel bars and cabinet knobs and pulls and painting the cabinetry can go a long ways.
Velcro a skirt on around a pedestal or wall-mounted sink if you need more storage, and for a cute look. Ditto if you have a base cabinet you hate and can't paint it. These can be done in either a ruffled or more tailored style, depending on what look you are after.
Add a shower curtain even to a shower with sliding doors.
If you can't change out an ugly mirror, try putting an attractive frame around it, either with wood or another material, or even just paint/stencil on a design that *looks* like a frame.
Wallpaper! Make sure the walls are in good shape before you start, and use a mildew-resisting base coat and glue. The best material in a heavily used bathroom is vinyl, but if you are careful (see ventilation issues above), and make sure to always run the fan when showering and to let it run for a good while after you get out, you can still also use other materials.
Unfortunately, this is one of the "limitations" of this site and writing an article like this. It *is* where people post their best images of work already done, not so much where bandaid fixes are displayed.
Please try to focus on the techniques offered, which will work anywhere, or can be used as a starting point to think up your own personal solutions. You just need to find the right color scheme and combination for your own space! That's always going to be very personal, and it's never going to be possible to illustrate all possible options. And for some people, even these newly-remodeled baths would need to be remodeled again to suit their own tastes, so just because it's already been done and displayed here, that doesn't mean it will all suit your own taste!
Someone mentioned art - in my tiny powder room I've hung my own paintings of our cats. They're all behind glass. There is more on the other walls - they add interest to a boring little room!