Cost Effective Bathroom Makeover Tips
If your bathroom needs a change and your wallet can’t afford to make it, don’t fret. There are plenty of simple and inexpensive ways to give a bathroom makeover in your home without breaking the bank, or your back. From a resurfaced counter-top, to paint, wallpaper, a new floor, and artwork, we’ve got you covered.
Changing the WallsIf you want a quick and relatively painless way to redo your bathroom walls, you can easily go with a couple coats of a new color of paint, or, you can grab a roll of paintable wallpaper. A roll containing 56 square feet will run you about $12 at your local Lowe’s hardware store. You can paint it however you like, have it up in about a morning’s time, and have a new, fresh, updated look for next to nothing. If you don’t want to paint the paper itself, grabbing regular paint and pre-pasted wall paper can give you a new look and feel in no time. We suggest deep, bold colors, for the best look to draw the attention away from the decor of the 1970’s homes.
Changing the FloorIf you’ve got a vinyl floor that you just can’t stand, don’t rip it up, paint it! You’ll need a special primer coat to get the vinyl ready for the paint, and a few coats of polyurethane to seal and protect the floor, but you can create an entirely new look to compliment your new walls for a fraction of the price of installing a new floor. If you want something even more wallet friendly, use brown paper bags, torn into various sizes and shapes. Glue them to your floor and top with polyurethane to create a stone or leather look that can be stained with a variety of colors to compliment any theme.
Updating the Curtain and Bath MatInstead of paying someone to make a custom shower curtain for you, make it yourself by choosing your own fabric and following the pattern. If you’re not up to it, consider purchasing a solid color or pattern from a retail store that will match the new decor. Choose a complimentary bath mat, towels, etc. to round out the look.
Changing the CountertopsIf you live in a home where the countertops are not neutral or aren’t in great shape but you can’t afford to completely replace them, consider having them resurfaced instead. This isn’t too terribly wallet friendly for a tight budget at around $45 per square foot, but will work in a pinch when the countertops are a major issue that must be dealt with.
ArtworkInstead of spending a fortune on pre-framed paintings and other artwork and framed decor for the bathroom, purchase a few picture frames in a style you love and remove pictures from magazines or books. Frame the pictures you find to keep them from getting damaged by the water in the bathroom and hang them. No one will ever know you saved all that money unless you tell them!