You want your bathroom to reflect your
family's current lifestyle, as well as look attractive and welcoming to
guests. Luckily, the bathroom is one of the easiest rooms in your home
to upgrade inexpensively. As a small room with no major furniture, even
little touches can make a big difference in giving you a brand-new
appearance. There's no need to start your day in a bathroom with
outdated decor, threadbare towels, worn fixtures, or tired cabinets.
For less than $100 each, you can make small but significant
improvements that will restore your bathroom's appearance, make you
proud to let guests use the facilities, and start your day with a smile.Paint
One of the most significant improvements you can make for under $100 is a fresh coat of paint. Bathrooms are small enough to make them an easy DIY paint job, and home improvement centers are full of gadgets and tools to make painting easier than ever. With a few hours of preparation and painting time, you can have a bathroom that looks brand-new.- Choose a bright color of semi-gloss paint to cheer up the bathroom, and give a fresh look that will wipe clean easily. White trim is always appropriate, and provides a crisp contrast to colored walls.
Towels
Donate those old, threadbare towels and bathroom rugs to a good cause. Animal shelters and homeless shelters frequently need towels, making your quick update beneficial for you and your community. Then, head to the nearest bed & bath store, or any discount department store, and choose new towels in colors that make you feel good, and set off your decorating theme. Whether you prefer brights or pastels, or even plain white, new towels give a fresh look, and feel good when you use them. While you are shopping, pick out a new bathroom rug or mat to complement your new towels.Shower Curtain
Your shower curtain is usually the focal point of the bathroom. There are almost endless choices available, so go with a curtain that best suits your decorating style. You might want to liven up your bathroom with a bright, cheerful print, or go feminine with a floral design or lace fabric. Give an eco or green feel with a botanical print, or stick with a solid color for a traditional appearance. A plastic inner liner will help keep your shower curtain from becoming mildewed or discolored.Accessories
No need to leave your toothbrush lying on the countertop. A new toothbrush holder, soap dispenser, tissue holder and bathroom trash container will coordinate your look, and give your bathroom a finished appearance. Whether you prefer plain, solid colors, quirky designs, sleek metal, wicker, or fancy stone with gold trim, you can purchase an entire bathroom accessory set for well under $100.Mirror
If you face your reflection every morning in a bathroom mirror that is discolored, scratched or chipped, it's time to replace it with something new. You can find mirrors in oval, square or rectangular shapes, with or without frames, or with extra touches such as edging or chrome trim at any home improvement center. Select a mirror a few inches smaller than the width of your bathroom vanity for a balanced look.Furnishings
If you choose a new medicine chest the same size as the old, you can replace your rusty, stained cabinet yourself. It is a simple procedure to unscrew and remove the old cabinet, then screw the new cabinet into place. Placing your toiletries on clean, undamaged shelves in a shiny new medicine chest will brighten your morning.Your bathroom might be overflowing with cosmetics, hair care products, rolls of toilet paper and magazines, but it doesn't have to be that way. For $100 or less, you can find a space saver organizer that will fit right over your toilet, and provide shelves for holding the many grooming and hygiene products that seem to clutter up most bathrooms.
Another option is a small floor cabinet. If you have the space, you can purchase a cabinet that will hold clutter, and immediately give your bathroom an organized appearance.
Fixtures
A new showerhead will start your morning off right without rust, discoloration, leaks or clogged outlets. Choose a showerhead with massager options, or a large, rainfall-style head. A hand-held showerhead provides convenience and is an excellent choice if a family member has limited mobility. Home improvement centers have a wide selection of showerheads for whichever option you prefer.While you are selecting your new showerhead, take a look at a new bathroom sink faucet. A clean, shiny new faucet can really make a difference in improving your bathroom's appearance, and if you are handy, you can change the faucet yourself. Towel bars and toilet paper holders can also benefit from an upgrade. Sleek chrome, wood, burnished metal finishes, all add a touch of style to your bathroom.
- Styles range from single-handle, modern fixtures, to old-fashioned cross-handled faucets to traditional plastic handled fixtures.