By Nancy Mattia, CTW Features
You’d love to redo your bathroom but a major renovation isn’t in your plans. Whether you’re short on funds or the timing is off, there are ways to update the space without wrecking your budget or your schedule. The six suggestions that follow are easy and affordable and offer up loads of modern appeal:
- A fresh coat of paint
If you only repaint a room when the walls start to look faded and dingy, you’re ignoring a Decorating 101 truism: Paint is the easiest, quickest and most budget-friendly tool to transform a room and change its vibe. Trending colors include Benjamin Moore’s Dove Wing, a white shade with silvery undertones, and Redend Point, a blush-beige mid-tone neutral from Sherwin-Williams. If you want something other than neutral, look for light blues and greens, which are also very of-the-moment colors.
2 Wallpaper as an alternative to paint
It’s been in and it’s been out—these days, wallpaper is most definitely on the hot list. The lean square footage of most bathrooms (or powder rooms) makes it the ideal place to get out of your comfort zone and shake things up with wallpaper featuring a lively pattern of wavy stripes or a bold color combo of mustard and gold. Be sure to choose wallpaper made of vinyl, which won’t get moldy like conventional wallpaper will in a high-moisture setting like a bathroom.
3 A shiny mirror
If your bathroom tends to be dark or you want it to look bigger, hang a large mirror on one wall; It will reflect any natural light, “expanding” the room and shining new light into the space.
4 Fluffy, colorful towels
Towels do more than dry you off after you get out of the tub or shower: When hung in the bathroom, they add pops of color and texture and a sense of luxury and comfort. The thicker the towels, the better!
5 The same finish on all accessories
For a pulled-together look, pick one finish (polished nickel and matte black are popular) and stick with it when choosing accessories like the faucet, vanity handles, towel bars, and hooks.
6 A new medicine cabinet
Since this is one of the few big accessories in a bathroom, make yours count. Pick an exciting shape like round or arched, and match its finish to those already in the room. Consider putting it on a different wall other than the one traditionally above the sink. One note: despite its name, a medicine cabinet shouldn’t be used to store medications since heat, light, and moisture could affect the meds’ effectiveness.