Four Ways to Renovate Your Bathroom on a Budget

The average person spends just shy of half an hour in the bathroom every day. Over the course of a year, that’s just over 176 hours. For those who enjoy a longer shower or a bath every now and then, this number could easily exceed 200 hours.

For a lot of people, the precious time they spend in the bathroom every day is their chance to relax, and given that you can’t get away from using the bathroom, it goes without saying that it needs to be a place of sanctuary and calmness.

Unfortunately, bathrooms are one of the most expensive rooms in the house to renovate – despite the face they’re often the smallest. This is because of expensive plumbing fees and labor costs, and the fact that it needs to be built to last given that most people won’t renovate their bathrooms more than twice a decade.

If you have a working toilet, sink and bath/shower but your bathroom is looking somewhat dated, you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune bringing it up to scratch. Provided the basics are working and you’re not suffering from any concerning issues like types of damp, there are a number of inexpensive ways you can modernize your bathroom and give it a completely new look – on a budget.

1. Paint Tiles

The process of re-tiling can be both messy and pricey, but it isn’t the only option for those who want to give their otherwise perfectly functional tiles a brand new look. Painting tiles is a completely viable and effective solution, and it’s easy to do, too.

First, clean the tiles using sugar soap to get rid of all grime and residue. Take care to clean the grout, too. You can use a toothbrush and mold killer to do this. Once the tiles are dry, you can begin to sand them down using sandpaper and then rinse the tiles to get rid of the dust. It’s a good idea to repeat this process once more to make sure the tiles are 100% clean and properly sanded.

Next, use a primer to coat the tiles and prepare them for paint, taking care to masking tape the areas of your bathroom you don’t want to get paint on. You can then go ahead and begin painting, making sure you first cut in and then use a roller. It’s a good idea to do two coats to ensure an even layer.

That’s it! A brand new look on a budget.

2. Lay Linoleum

Another cheap and easy way to completely revamp the look of your bathroom is to lay down linoleum floor. It’s perfect for bathrooms because it’s cheap yet effective. It’s completely waterproof and patterns can mimic the look of other types of floor such as wood and tiles. Linoleum is easy to lay provided you have a flat surface to begin with (which bathrooms already do).

As long as you take care to carefully measure the floor and use a proper adhesive to secure the linoleum, installation can take less than 30 minutes and produce flawless results.

3. Add Plants

There’s no room that can’t be improved by adding plants. Even though bathrooms are typically small rooms with a lack of surface area, you can still add greenery easily. Add a narrow shelf above the sink or above the window. Alternatively, utilize hanging plants and your window ledge. Doing so will instantly brighten up the area and make it look fresher and more stylish.

4. Statement Wallpaper

Many bathrooms have large areas of bare walls that don’t have tiles. It’s almost second nature to paint the area, but why not jazz it up with a statement wallpaper? Many people are reluctant to use bold wallpaper in their home, especially in small rooms like the bathroom, but statement wallpaper can transform a space in minutes. From floral patterns to geometric prints, funky wallpaper is the way to go if you completely want to overhaul your bathroom without spending a fortune.

Will you be trying any of these four ways to revamp your bathroom?