Have you ever heard the statistic that we spend something like seven years in the bathroom throughout the course of our lifetime? That combined with the fact that some of the most important daily routines occur in our bathrooms equate to our bathrooms having a deep impact on our mood. Think about it. Most, if not all of us start and end the day in our bathroom (before we retire to bed obvi). So, the first and last thing Every. Single. Day. includes our...BATHROOM! So, if your bathroom space isn't giving off the vibe you'd like, it's time to hit refresh! Even if you don't have the HGTV budget to reno your bathroom in a way that keeps up with the Kardashians, you can update things and still have money leftover at the end of the week to at least splurge on one cocktail. How? Let me walk you through it.
Plumbing- Leave the plumbing where it's at. This is not the time to change around the sink locations or expand your shower into an unused linen closet space. This type of reno gets expensive and that's not what you came here for. What you can do, however, is swap your faucets or fixtures. And then for greater savings, try to sell your old pieces online or look for local incentives to offset your expenses, such as municipal rebates for replacing fixtures with eco-friendly, low-water usage options.
Walls - A fresh coat of paint in a light, airy color will not only brighten your bathroom but it will cover any sign of wear or discoloration. Believe me, paint does wonders. And in a bathroom space, 1 gallon of paint to the tune of $30-$50 goes a loooong way. If you have it in your budget or style for a little "extra" then look into paneling the bottom half or 3/4 of your wall (there are so many options now available at local hardware stores that aren't 1970's paneling) and paint the top half or 1/4 portion of your wall with a brighter pop of color or fun and trendy wallpaper pattern or decals. Reducing the area you would otherwise apply an expensive material helps cut down your costs while still providing the design aesthetic you'd like to achieve. The same applies for shower walls. Use mostly a basic subway tile throughout. For interest or to achieve a particular style, change the direction or pattern of the tile installation to vertical or offset. For even greater interest, add an inlay of a different color tile or splurge on a more expensive one.
Floors - If you don't like your existing floors and they are tile, think about painting them! Sounds crazy, but it's a thing and way cheaper than replacing your floors. You can even get super fancy and stencil them. If you must replace, I would suggest going with a basic neutral ceramic or porcelain tile as most likely you will cover your floors with rugs and who wants to hide gorgeous, expensive floors? Another flooring replacement alternative is lino. Not your grandma's lino. With today's technology, you can find stunning designs that often rival the look of tile. Plus, it's a great product for wet spaces such as bathrooms and BONUS...no grout lines to maintain. Ugh. Grout. And it's warmer on the feet than tile!
Vanities - I've said it before; I'll say it again. Paint does wonders for updating your home. It is always my first go to if the vanity itself is in good condition. Yes it is a little bit more tedious but you do not have to try to rush through a project like refinishing vanity cabinets. Take your time, let the paint cure. Super important if you don't want to deal with paint chipping, touch-ups, etc. I like using Benjamin Moore's Aura paint for this. It has an enamel built-in so I don't need to do a topcoat or glaze to finish it. You can select from 100s of colors and it won't cost $1500 just to "reface" your existing cabinets. Of course, refacing is still cheaper than replacing. So, if your budget allows and you really detest your cabinet profiles or your vanity is in rough shape, then this is another great budget-friendly option. Then either select new hardware or spray paint the ones you have and then step back and be amazed at the transformation. I for one, never tire from these types of renovations.
Lighting - Chances are you won't need to replace your lights unless they are super outdated. Even then, some trends are recircling. That being said, vanity lighting is probably the easiest to replace and often the cheapest as the fixtures aren't overly complicated. For even greater savings, this is where sale sections at your local Home Depot or Lowe's come into play. They often have a decent selection of clearance lighting, you just might need to search around a bit as I've seen them on multiple end-caps and clearance racks in unlikely places.
Misc. - Shop sales and clearance racks/bins. Every hardware place has them and most specialty stores do too to clear out inventory or display items. If you don't see a sale section...ASK! I've found gorgeous faucets on clearance for CHEAP. Sometimes hard to find, but so worth it when you can save $100 or more. Buy display or demo items if possible. These are deeply discounted and in very gently used to brand new condition. Or, check out your local Habitat for Humanity Restore and upcycle or buy & sell pages. Local builders, contractors and designers frequently off-load building materials as well so it doesn't hurt to call around and see if they have an extra vanity kicking around. Make an offer and help get it off their hands. Otherwise, these items end up as donations to local charities.
Décor - First of all, take stock of what you actually need. Then shop around for items, keeping your budget in mind. Can you use any coupons, incentives or loyalty points? For example, purchasing a shower curtain you love from Bed, Bath & Beyond? Wait until you can get your hands on a current 20% off coupon or sign up for emails to score deals as they apply. Your money is always better off in your own pocket than the retailers'. Airmiles has some home items within their rewards section...use your points toward replacing some of your décor. Other great places for bathroom décor on the cheap are Ikea, Jysk, Homesense and even Dollarama.
Like any renovation, big or small, it is easy to become overwhelmed. But if you tackle one part of the reno at a time and plan each step in advance, it becomes much easier. After all, how do you eat an elephant? By taking one bite at a time! Not that I encourage eating elephants 😉
As always, if you ever have any design questions I am happy to discuss.
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