Bathrooms can be a real bear – they are easily the most heavily trafficked room in any home yet for most folks renovations are simply not in the budget; they need to work with what they have. Some things can be replaced fairly easily – medicine cabinets and vanities for example, but generally you need to live with the sink, toilet and tub and the existing floor plan. There are still plenty of creative ways to make even the most mundane of bath or powder rooms look interesting, especially when you use textiles.
When you are ready to tackle the bathroom it is best to begin with a thorough cleaning; use this opportunity to take inventory of what you have and eliminate toiletries you no longer use along with worn towels, bath mats and so on. Since most bathrooms are small it is important to utilize storage space carefully; there is no point in storing things you no longer use or want. Clean everything including the windows, walls and light fixtures; be sure to replace any burned out light bulbs with new most energy efficient light bulbs at the highest wattage recommend for each light fixture.
When fixtures are clean and well cared for they sparkle – use glass and hard surface cleaners on a regular basis to keep windows, mirrors and metal bath fixtures shiny and clean. If cleaning does not do the trick you can even invest in a tub and shower trim kit to easily replace the bath spout, showerhead and decorative flange and add new life to a dated tub or shower enclosure; most trim kits can be installed by the average homeowner without the help of a plumber.
Once the bathroom is clean and free of any excess goods it’s time to take on some more challenging issues such as replacing and updating the vanity hardware with new knobs or drawer pulls, replacing the toilet seat and installing new towel bars, towel racks and towel rings. When all of the hardware has been updated you can then focus on the easy and fun part – new textiles.
A modern shower curtain in a bright color or pretty print can transform the look of any bathroom; new window treatments are another easy option. Add coordinating shower curtain hooks or drapery hardware to complete the look. When you step back to reflect upon your work you may even want to consider updating or adding more bathroom mirrors – they can help to make a small room feel much larger than it actually is.