How to to upgrade your bathroom on a budget

According to HomeAdvisor, the average bathroom remodeling project costs around a hefty $11,000. Renovations update the look and feel of a room without changing its intended purpose or layout. Renovations usually include painting, installing new flooring, and switching out items like faucets or other fixtures but not changing their location. Renovations are generally far less costly than complete remodeling projects.

You can give an outdated bathroom an impressive makeover without significant demolition work or spending thousands of dollars. Nothing refreshes a space or can give it a new look quicker, easier, and less expensively than paint.

Upgrade your faucets and showerheads. Switch out an old showerhead for a large rain-style model. Many affordable models are available at home supply centers and thread easily onto existing plumbing. Replacing old faucets can also make a bathroom look cleaner and more up-to-date. It’s best to replace all of the fixtures at one time – bath faucet, showerhead and handles, and countertop sink faucet – to ensure they all have the same finish.

Install new lighting fixtures. Changing the lighting in a bathroom can significantly impact both aesthetics and function, especially ceiling lamps. For bathrooms without windows, light fixtures are critical. Downlighting fixture above the sink is probably insufficient, requiring upward-facing recess lighting above the vanity mirror. Replace old light fixtures with LED lighting, which is brighter and more energy-efficient.

Change out the old mirror. Mirrors create the illusion of more space by reflecting light in a room. Installing an oversized mirror will make even the tiniest bathroom look more spacious. If you already have a sizable unfinished mirror over the sink, add a frame to create a polished look. Two gilded mirrors over a double vanity add a modern touch.

Remove the shower curtain and bathtub as they are often the most dominant feature in a small bathroom. Replacing an old, moldy shower curtain and its oval-shaped bathtub stained at the base with grime and scratches with a new glass shower screen and door will revitalize your bathroom without spending a lot of money.

Add additional storage. Unfortunately, storage is often an afterthought in many bathrooms. Recessing a cabinet between studs creates storage without protruding into the room. If a recessed cabinet isn’t an option, IKEA® has practical storage options that don’t take up a lot of space. Adding ladder shelves or open shelving increases storage without making bathrooms feel cramped.

Refresh your walls and flooring with new bathroom tiles by changing your bathroom color scheme to suit the classy, mosaic or dark taste you always desired. Yearning to go into a shower after coming home from a hard day's work? With a set of bumped tiles 600mm wide by 200mm height, plastering them to the walls is a great way to make the space feel new again. What about the flooring? You need non-slip, bumped tiles 300mm by 300mm preferably a shade or colour tone different from the walls. Consider painting the walls and ceiling the same color. One consistent color draws the eyes up, creating the illusion of more space and higher ceilings. Use a semi-gloss or glossy finish that resists moisture for easy maintenance.