Budget Bathroom
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October 30, 2020
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November 13, 2020
Update Your Bathroom on a Budget
Most often, the bathroom is one of the most overlooked rooms in the house. It is generally the room that gets painted last, and perhaps never even decorated at all. Yet, we spend a lot of time in these rooms, shouldn’t we update them a little bit? Updating your bathroom doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive! In fact, there are some DIY’s you can do in a weekend to drastically change the look of the room. So, whether its the powder room, ensuite or main bath (or all three!), we’ve got some tips for you to update your bathroom on a budget!
Looking for more budget DIY’s? Check out our great article with 15 easy DIY projects to do at home!
Paint the Vanity
Painting your bathroom vanity is a much easier job than painting your kitchen cabinets. The scope of work is much smaller and a lot of the time, you only have 2 or 4 doors that will need to be painted. You can also paint the countertop if you are feeling adventurous! Just be sure to follow proper instructions when you are taking on these DIY projects. There are also certain paints that work better for jobs like this. It is best to visit your local hardware store to speak with a professional about which paints to choose. When it comes to colour, be sure to choose something that you really like and isn’t going to go out of style in a year or two. Remember that when you are updating your bathrooms, you are potentially upping your resale value so it’s a good idea to stick with a palette that others would like as well! Once the cabinets have been painted it is a great idea to add new hardware. It’s amazing how different a new set of knobs will make it look! Check out this great step-by-step article on painting your vanity!
Spray Paint the Fixtures
From faucets, to doorknobs, to light fixtures, it is easy to update your bathroom on a budget by spray painting your fixtures! You don’t even need to remove them to paint them, just pick up some painter’s tape and tape the heck out of them so you don’t get any paint on the counter. Black is really in style right now, so you might want to go with that for your fixtures! Bye bye brass and hello modern! Make sure you choose the right type of spray paint for a job like this. Be sure to seal the paint with some sort of lacquer spray to make sure it doesn’t chip. For a step-by-step guide on painting your shower fixtures, check out this article!
...Or Replace the Fixtures
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of painting your fixtures, you can always replace them altogether! New fixtures don’t need to be expensive, you can buy them second hand at garage sales or even at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore (no tax!), or keep an eye out for Black Friday sales! Replacing the fixtures in your bathroom will give the entire room a facelift. They will also probably last longer than just spray painting them. Some easy things to replace include: faucets, doorknobs, light fixtures, mirrors & shelves (keep reading for a DIY!) and towel racks!
Refinish the Sink & Tub
Is your sink and tub an outdated beige, pink or blue colour? Or is the paint chipping and just looking old? Did you know that you can buy a refinishing kit that will have your tub and sink looking good as new (and white!)? Of course, it’s not as easy as just spraying it on, but it is a lot cheaper than going out and purchasing a whole new tub or sink! You will need to clean the entire surface thoroughly and then you can apply your refinishing kit. If your tub and sink are outdated, this is going to give them such a quick and beautiful update! Check out this great guide on refinishing your tub and sink on a budget!
Add a Shiplap Wall
Has anyone noticed how popular Shiplap has become this year? It’s rustic, nautical look has taken Pinterest by storm and it looks great in a bathroom! Installing your own Shiplap can be a pretty easy project with AMAZING results! If you want to add some pizazz to your bathroom walls, this is a great way to do so! Pair a bold colour with the white Shiplap and your bathroom might just be your new favourite room in the house! For a great article on how to add your own faux Shiplap on a budget in your bathroom, check out this link!
Install Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is a very inexpensive substitute to tile flooring for your bathroom. The vinyl flooring that is around these days actually looks pretty great too! And you can find nice peel and stick vinyl for under $2/square foot! Vinyl flooring is very durable and does well with a lot of foot traffic. It comes in so many different colours and patterns that will have your bathroom looking stellar! The installation of vinyl is also quick and easy, budget friendly, and you can do it yourself in a weekend! Be careful with vinyl flooring in a very bright bathroom though, as sometimes the colours can fade when exposed to large amounts of sunlight.
Add Floating Shelves
Adding floating shelves above the toilet can be a perfect place for your toilet paper, a plant or another type of decor! Not only will these shelves look great, but they are practical too! What a great way to update your bathroom on a budget! Want to try something different? Why not try a live edge shelf? Or, you can try using black piping to add a bit of a modern, industrial feel! You don’t have to go crazy with making these shelves though! It can be as easy as nailing a few boards to the wall and then staining them a nice colour! Check out this great step-by-step guide to build your own floating shelves!
Make a DIY Mirror Frame
Another great way to add some pizzaz to your bathroom is to upgrade your mirror! This is another easy DIY you can do over a weekend! If you are going to build the floating shelves as well, why not buy some extra wood and create a new mirror as well! If you want the two to match, you can even stain them the same colour! You can even repurpose the old mirror glass so you don’t need to go out and buy a new one – glass can be pricey! You will want to make sure you are very careful when handling glass for obvious reasons. For a great DIY guide for creating your own wood mirror frame, check out this article!
Or a DIY Towel Ladder
Another cool and modern touch you can add to your bathroom is a towel ladder! These functional ladders serve as a place to hang your towels and have them look great! There are many different styles of towel and blanket ladders. You can create one with wider “steps” so that you can add plants and decor, or you can have narrow steps to simply hang the towels. The colour you choose for your ladder can be totally customizable as well! We have seen beautiful grey or blue stained ladders that add a nice pop of colour to your bathroom! Whichever you decide, I bet you will love your new towel ladder! Check out this easy DIY for making your own!
We hope you enjoyed these tips to update your bathroom on a budget. It doesn’t need to be difficult or costly to update these spaces and the end result will be totally worth it! If your bathroom is where you spend at least 30 minutes per day, it should be functional and why not make it look nice! Studies also show that updating your bathrooms can add value to your house. So, get out the hammer and start a new DIY project this weekend and your bathrooms will be looking amazing in no time!
If you are looking for more great DIY’s for your bathroom on a budget, check out our Pinterest board for more ideas!
