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julia_drake5

bathroom innovative ideas needed

5 years ago

We are DIY’ers and we have no idea what to do with our bathroom to make it look better for resale. Open to any and all advice or recommendations. We have heater pipes to the steam radiator in the way along with plumbing. Any ideas PLEASE HELP

Comments (10)

  • 5 years ago

    I can’t really see the whole room so more pics would be Awesome pls. From what I do see first of all that door is sooo pretty love the knobs. Definitely remove the tiles. Add some shiplap. New vanity. Maybe detailed floor tiles but other than that keep it white and simple in such a small space. The tub looks like a claw foot but I can’t see. Would be awesome if it is. Also remove the shelves behind the toilet lol

  • 5 years ago

    How old is the house? Budget $100, $500, other? Are you looking for cosmetic fixup ideas like paint and extra cleaning or are you considering replacing the sink, changing the odd plumbing, and other more expensive fixes?

  • 5 years ago

    Replace the unit over the toilet with floating shelves and put pretty stuff on them.

    Look into getting a radiator cover.

    Remove the makeshift toilet paper holder and get a free standing one.

    Add a mirror/medicine cabinet that has a little bit of pizazz.

    Add a window treatment.

    Switch out the shower curtain to something with color.

    Add pretty fluffy towels when you have an open house.

  • 5 years ago

    1900 plumbing and this bathroom prob redone in early 2000’s were open to anything $500-$1,00

  • 5 years ago

    The tub is a clawfoot

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    IMO remove the stuff above the toilet and clean everything twice . i think this is never going to be a selling point for the house and probably just save the money for your new place.

  • 5 years ago

    Clean and touch up what looks dirty. I would remove the shelving and not put anything there.

    I would put a window shade on the window and get a nicer shower curtain for the tub. Hard to tell if room needs to be painted.

    If the bath mat can’t be centered, I would remove it for showings. Maybe get one that is rubber backed. Kohls has inexpensive ones with patterns.

  • 5 years ago

    Thanks for info. Clean, caulk, and paint. Remove brown shelves. Replace the toilet seat. Here's where to put in some color: Buy new towels, new shower curtain, and a new matching bathmat. For the floor tile, after scrubbing you can paint the grout to match the white tile. It will look fresh and new. The floor tile's grout should look as white as the wall tile's grout. See photos on https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/you-guys-tile-grout-paint-amazing/


    If the faucet needs a good cleaning, use vinegar to remove mineral deposits. It's quick to remove the plastic faucet handle to give it a once over with a toothbrush.

  • 5 years ago

    I think the point to make with this bathroom is that it's a clean, functional bathroom in an old house that works well for the space it's in. It would take gut remodelling to make a showpiece: all the pipes disappear, make more space for the toilet to bring it up to modern code, install new sink, heated towel bars, humidity-activated exhaust fan, solid brass faucets, and all the frills. Leave it for the next owners to decide if they want to do the gut remodel. Clean, fresh and bright is enough.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    You can update this bathroom easily yourself. Not everyone needs a bathroom as large as a bedroom. I sure don't want to clean a bathroom that large.

    A larger mirror to make the room look larger or maybe a thinner frame. Maybe a recessed medicine cabinet. Put a decorative box around the radiator that will allow the heat to escape. I have seen them in magazines. It should have large holes, but just barely hide the radiator. Do they make new radiators that are taller, but not as long as yours? Could it go under the right side of the pedestal sink so the entire sink could be covered? Sort of like lattice or decorative grill?

    Instead of shallow shelves over the toilet, what about putting a recessed cabinet from the ceiling to the top of the toilet, but add a few inches depth? It would stick out over the toilet like it does now. Leave room to lift the toilet tank lid. That cabinet could be 8" - 10" deep for towels, blow dryers, etc..

    Strip the paint off the window, recaulk, and repaint. Window covering...I have no idea what kind...maybe something flush with the walls like bi-fold shutters or a shade? A curtain would take up space.

    Are all of the walls tiled to the ceiling or half way?

    Here is an easy DIY project for above the toilet, but it depends if anything is inside that 3.5" - 4" interior space. You could put one cabinet if the studs are out of the way, or use the studs as interior dividers, and make the cabinet go from the left to the right using the full space. Use 1/4" plywood or beadboard in the interior and make adjustable shelves. Paint the outside the same color as the walls. Room to hold towels (rolled up or folded), toilet paper, blow dryer, etc. Doors or no doors, but white doors would make the shelf blend in, and the bathroom would look neater. Use the depth of the wall space plus the depth of the tank. You will have one side of the cabinet against the tub. Take it to the tank top or to the floor. I assume the other end of the tub has the plumbing so you could add a vertical grab bar to the new toilet cabinet and towel hooks above the grab bar. Then picture shows only a wall depth shelf, but I am sure you can figure out how to make it use the space above toilet tank.



    Radiator decorative covers....googled. 15 pictures.

    https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/g31982864/radiator-cover-ideas/?slide=15

    https://www.houzz.com/photos/bathroom-radiator-phbr0lbl-bl~l_6159

    Maybe figure out how to enclose the radiator first and turn it into a skinny cabinet with a shelf on top. Then get a corner sink or a smaller sink that can be integrated into your skinny radiator cabinet. Those will be your biggest expenses. (and lights and faucets.) Once that is done, finish enclosing and painting the plumbing under the old sink and remove the plywood vertical wall that the toilet paper holder is attached to. The radiator/sink cabinet could be L shaped, but very skinny or narrow.

    The link below has some great ideas. You would just need to incorporate the radiator. Googled skinny bathroom sinks. Some drop in, some wall, some vessel, and some undermount.

    https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/small-bathroom-vanities-and-sinks-for-tiny-spaces-248559



    Narrow sinks I found.




    Change to a chrome towel rack eventually. The towels, bath mats, window treatment, shower curtain, etc can be added in the months to come, after the main remodel is finished As for resale value, keep the tub. People who want older houses will expect to see a small bathroom, so if you can add hidden storage, they will love that. A lot of people do not want a cookie-cutter, suburban looking house that looks like everyone else's or like it was in a magazine. Function of the room is most important to me. Keep us posted on what you do.

    Don't forget about your lighting, and mount the toilet paper on the wall. A toilet paper stand will take up space, it is something else to dust and trip over, and you need open floor space that is uncluttered.