A newly renovated bathroom is a joy to behold, but, unfortunately, not all of us have the money sitting around for these extensive makeovers. All is not lost, however, because there are some changes you can make that will give you a beautiful, updated bathroom, even on a limited budget!
1. Be smart with your tiles
To give your bathroom an expensive feel, you can use designer tiles on the floor and more affordable tiles on the walls. You can also use handcrafted tiles as accents, mixing them with cheaper tiles to save yourself a lot of money, whilst still creating a modern aesthetic in your bathroom.
2. Flooring
Once you have lifted the old tiles in your bathroom, you might be lucky enough to find old floorboards underneath. If so, restoring them will give a more rustic feel to your bathroom. If it’s just a concrete foundation, then polishing the concrete will give you a modern urban feel. Whether restoring hardwood or polishing concrete, either method can often be cheaper than laying expensive floor tiles.
3. Painting
Instead of tiling to the ceiling, you can tile halfway and paint to the ceiling, saving on costs. You can also repaint your existing tiles for a different look, as well as repainting wainscoting in older homes. With paint, however, remember to buy one that’s mould resistant for the walls and ceiling and only use paint that’s specifically designed to paint over porcelain or ceramic tiles.
4. Refresh don’t replace
For bathroom renovations on an extremely tight budget, your best strategy is to resurface porcelain, cast iron or fibreglass fixtures, such as the bathtub, shower or vanity, instead of buying new. You will have to do this yourself, however, because it’s often cheaper to buy new than pay a professional to resurface older fixtures. The exception is if you have vintage fixtures that you just don’t want to replace, so resurfacing then becomes more viable. Don’t forget that you can also redo the grout between the tiles and replace the caulking between the shower and the tiled floor for a cleaner, more modern look.
5. Second-hand furnishings
If you do need to replace your bathroom fixtures, then instead of buying new, look for more creative options. For example, search for second hand or end of line items online, even resurfacing them yourself if needed. You can also use vintage dressers as a vanity table and retrofit a modern sink into this unit. Another option is to purchase one fabulous centre piece for your bathroom, such as a stand-alone bath tub, and then select more affordable fixtures and tiles to complement your mega-awesome tub!
6. Lighting
Even on a tight budget, you can do better than the old boring slimline lights that are fitted into bathrooms by default. Search online shops and second-hand stores for some beautiful pendants or wall lights that will give your bathroom more character and match the style you have chosen for your new bathroom.
If you need help renovating your bathroom, call us on 1300 842 736 to arrange a consultation.
