If your bathroom is looking a little tired, it may not take a complete renovation to bring it back to life.  Some planning and a few simple alterations can go a long way and make your bathroom feel like a brand new space that will wow your visiting friends and family.  We all know that bathrooms serve a pretty important function in our homes; they’re one of a few rooms that the whole family will use daily, and it might be the only room that guests use as well.  It’s one of the rooms that’s most important for potential buyers to like (the bathroom, along with the kitchen, can often be the make it or break it for a sale).  Your bathroom should be functional, but it also can be a place where you can kick your shoes off and relax at the end of a busy week.

The first thing that you should look at when it comes to bathroom revamping is the walls.  Is that paint colour giving your bathroom a case of the blahs?  Maybe it was chosen by the previous owner or tenant, or maybe you painted on a whim and have realized that your paint colour just isn’t working anymore.  Whatever the case may be, painting your bathroom can be the single biggest change you can make in the feel of the room.   Before you grab another can of colour, check out your wall condition.  It doesn’t take a whole lot of elbow grease to fill in small holes and sand them down.  Use a spackle that turns pink to white (wet to dry) so you know when to grab that sandpaper and get to work.  Spend your time getting the wall nice and smooth and then figure out what colour is going to work best.  Even if you’re a person who loves colour, a pale neutral on the walls can actually breathe a lot of life into a space.  Save the punches of colour for your accessories.  Giving your trim and baseboards a fresh coat of white can make a bigger impact that you probably imagine as well.  The key to a good paint job is to take your time and don’t opt for the cheapest paint out there; a good quality paint may actually save you money in the long run as the coverage will be far better than with a cheap, thin paint.

So your walls look a lot better, what now?  Take a look at the vanity mirror.  Often even in brand new houses, the mirror is a large pane of glass with no trim.  If that’s the case and you’re short on budget, use a nice baseboard cut to size to create a frame for your mirror.  Give it a fresh coat of paint in the same colour as your trim and baseboards.  If your mirror is smaller and you’re able to remove it, either update the one you have with paint or search the stores for a mirror that better fits your taste.  The mirror and vanity are often focal points and a great choice can update your entire room.

If your towels, hand towels and facecloths are visible (if they’re on an open shelf or rolled in a basket, for example), you’ll be surprised at how much nicer a matching set in a beautiful, complementary colour can look.  Towels are primarily functional, of course, but they can most definitely serve double duty as decor as well.  Here’s where you can add those punches of colour I mentioned earlier.  If you love red, go for shades of cherry or wine in your bathroom linens.  Teal remains the colour of choice this year and towels come in some gorgeous varieties.  Whatever your choice, always keep them rolled or folded neatly.   Check out matching bathmats in luxurious pile to give your bathroom a boost.

Look up!  Your light fixture might be keeping your bathroom looking dull and it’s not hard to shed more light on the situation.  If you love the fixture, make sure to clean it so it’s free from dust and debris, and check your bulbs.  There are a number of different shades and functions in light bulbs and you’ll want to ensure that yours is doing the job it’s supposed to.  Go for bright white especially in bathrooms that don’t have the benefit of natural light through a window.  Your lighting should make your bathroom feel welcoming and certain lights can make it appear dingy.

Your decor should also complement your bathroom colours and style, so ensure that it’s doing the job you want it to.  Craft projects can be fun and look store bought, so if you have the knack, get to work putting a few things together for a room you’ll love!

Thank you to Nina Wells who wrote this article. Nina is a guest author from Steam Shower Store and is a respected and expert voice in a plethora of health related subjects with over 10 years of writing under her belt.