Your bathroom is one of the smallest rooms in your house—but it can be one of the most expensive to renovate. Even if a total makeover isn’t currently in the cards, there are plenty of smaller—and less expensive—changes to make your bathroom feel a little more current. As a bonus, these upgrades and fixes are super easy to implement, so you can make a huge impact in just a weekend.
Swap Out Towels
Fresh, fluffy towels give any bathroom a luxurious, spa-like feeling. Stash your old, worn down towels tucked away in the linen closet and keep a set of new, matching ones hung on the towel rack. You can’t go wrong with a set of classic white towels, which match just about any color scheme. If you’d prefer a pop of color, add smaller hand towels and washcloths in an accent color. A plush new bath mat, either in white or in your accent color, will amp up the coziness factor.
Curtain Call
If you’ve ever shopped for shower curtains, you already know that there can be a huge range in prices. Pick up an inexpensive plastic liner, but splurge when it comes to the curtain itself. The extra investment is fairly minimal (compared to installing a new bath tub, at least), but a high quality fabric shower curtain will lend a sophisticated vibe. Measure your tub carefully before picking out a curtain—one that is too narrow or too short will make the room feel unfinished. While you’re at it, consider replacing your shower rod if the current one has rusted.
Nitty Gritty Grout
If the bath area looks dingy no matter how many times you clean it, inspect the grout in the backsplash tiles—it may be the culprit. Grab a toothbrush and make a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, adding a few drops of dish soap. Spread it on the grout and let it sit for about an hour, then scrub it off with the toothbrush. It’s not the most glamorous activity and it’ll require a few hours of your time, but it will make your tiles feel like almost new.
Grab a Paintbrush
Giving the walls a fresh lick of paint is an effective way of sprucing up any room, but don’t stop there—consider painting the vanity as well. Look for kits made specifically for painting cabinets, which include just about everything you need, from cleaner to varnish. Since bathroom vanities and cabinets are relatively small, you can often get the job done for under $50.
Update the Accents
Make your bathroom cohesive by investing in new accents in similar finishes—toilet paper holder, hand towel holder, towel rack, etc. Replacing the fixtures in the tub can get expensive (you may need the help of a plumber), but swapping in new sink fixtures is a DIY project that most people can do with the help of YouTube. You don’t necessarily need to get everything in a set, but keep everything in the same family, like chrome or brushed nickel. For the perfect final touch, swap out any cabinet pulls with something a little more modern.
Calling Mr. Clean
When is the last time you washed the bathroom door? Rinsed the walls? Scrubbed inside the cabinets? Bathrooms are a hotspot for moisture, hair, dust, and little toilet paper bits—and a heavy duty cleaning can go a long way in making the room feel refreshed.
