Bathrooms technically are the
smallest room in the house and yet they can drain your bank account fast if you
do a gut renovation. I was stunned at
just how much it can cost to get someone in to renovate this tiny room.
On top of all of that is the
construction mess, and if this is your only bathroom then this creates another
set of problems. Hopefully this article helps you with your small space.
In a hurry? (bathroom organizers and ideas) to get you started.
Small Bathroom Ideas for Cheap
After surviving a few
bathroom makeovers, I decided that was not going to happen in this house. I simply did not want the cost or the mess
but this bathroom was so boring and dated I needed to do something!
Get out Your Clipboard and
Get Inspired with Some of These Ideas:
Start by writing a few issues down. Get a clipboard or whatever you have handy and stand in your bathroom and write down the things that bother you.
Create a checklist and work your way down with these questions:
Wall Colour? – do you prefer
bright or dark colours
Sink Clutter? – do you
struggle with sink clutter in the mornings or anytime when getting ready.
Storage? – Can you store
toilet supplies and linens in the bathroom?
Lighting? – Can you see to do
your makeup or whatever?
Flooring? – Is the floor in good shape? Colour?
Mirror? – Has yours seen
better days? Is it a medicine chest for
storage? Or Just a plain mirror?
Tub/Shower? – Is the grout
discoloured? Is the area overflowing
with your products?
Renter? – Do you want to
personalize this space without any injury to walls as you are a tenant?
Small Bathroom Fixes
Start with the list of
questions above, and you are likely to come up with a good list of the things
that bother you the most. Not only do
you want a nice bathroom for cheap, you want things to run smoothly while in
there.
Gather Your List and Now
Write Down Your Budget.
Before you hit the back
button with this part, you will be amazed at what you can do for even just a
few dollars at the dollar store to make life a bit easier in this room.
If you have to break this
down into manageable bites, like I did, then making a list is a great place to
start. It gets you in the frame of mind
to do something with this room, instead of simply thinking these thoughts every
time you use this room and then forgetting about them when you leave.
Question 1 – Wall Color
Paint is the cheapest and
quickest way to change the look of a small bathroom. Even the tiniest of spaces can look totally
different with a good coat of paint.
Head to the hardware store and get some colour chips to see which would
look best. Keep the ceiling white to
open up the space. You can get
environmentally friendly paints specifically designed for this room. Get a gallon tin, as you will want to put on
a couple of coats.
You can paint this room for
under 100 dollars even cheaper depending on the size and how much wall space
you have to paint.
This alone might be all you need to do to change it. Don’t forget topatch any little holes dents first.
Bathrooms can be a bit awkward to paint as you need to get around
fixtures, so be patient. But paint dries
fast. If you are tenant, talk to your
landlord first. They are usually OK with
any improvements.
Question 2 – Sink Clutter
If you have a vanity, it may
be simple task of using a vanity storage system such as this carousel that
houses way more than it looks. This gets
smaller items off the surface and corals them in an orderly fashion. You know your bathroom personality, so find
one that is easy to use. If not you can
get dollars store tiny baskets that will work too.
Over the sink shelves, allow
you to utilize this space. In a tiny
bathroom you need to make every square inch work. These are another awesome way to get things
off the surface. You could use one of
these and the carousel idea to deal with your clutter.
Old mason jars can also be
used to create storage and look awesome on the wall if you have the space. Check out instructions for mason jar storageideas and crafts.
Question 3 – Storage
If you have a pedestal sink,
you are suffering from lack of storage options.
As pretty as a pedestal sink is, it is awkward if this is a main
bathroom. Here is a totally quick fix
for storage in this small space.
Pedestal Sink Storage
Cabinet! – Yes, these are super awesome and they do not require construction or
destruction. They simply work with your
sink and slide right in. Instant
storage. You can get these online… check
them out! Quick and easy way to create
instant space for towels, toiletries and more and these are landlord friendly,
can be taken with you and look good.
At only 5.5 inches wide, you can really utilize that space between the toilet and the wall!
I was amazed that there was
such a thing until I was researching my own small bathroom décor ideas. Perfect place to store toilet paper etc., if
you purchase a pedestal storage cabinet and a beside the toilet storage you will
have solved a lot of problems in your small bathroom. Once again renter friendly.
Question 4 – Lighting.
You could try to renovate the present fixture
with new shades or brighter bulbs, but you can also get some really awesome looking
vanity fixtures online. I personally
love the industrial look, and I found this site that covers industrial lighting
with the Edison style bulbs for a real authentic look. Check it out.
Here are some examples.
Small Bathroom Ideas DIY
I find that sometimes just the paint, and the light fixtures can totally change the look on the cheap. I personally have not be able to find the huge assortment of light fixtures that I like in my local lighting store. If you want something different, take a look online with Amazon.
Question 5 – Flooring
We can’t all afford to rip it
out and start over, but you can maybe cover it up? Invest in some really cool eye catching
bathroom floor mats that will take your eye away from the old flooring
beneath.
Question 6 - Mirrors!
Plain
or fancy, these definitely spruce up a wall.
A larger mirror will give the illusion of more space. Plus with the right lighting you can see
properly without casting shadows, which can make a small bathroom seem dingy
and uninviting.
You can get creative and find
an old large picture frame from the thrift store and decorate it and then add a
mirror. Or you can take the present
mirror and spruce up the frame. I took a
dated mirror with a gold frame around it and taped off the glass and then
painted the gold with black acrylic paint.
It really updated it and saved me a bundle. These are definitely small
bathroom fixes that work like a charm. If you don't want to renovate your own mirror, check out this page of mirrors for ideas and prices.
Question 7 – Tub/Shower?
If it has seen better days, but you can’t
afford to rip it all out, think outside the box. I my house the old tiles looked really dated
and old because the grout had discoloured over the years. I purchased a kit that brightens the
grout. Worked like a charm.
Start by give the tiles a
super good clean with CLR or some kind of grime remover and then follow the
instructions for the instant grout brightener.
Now the tiles look good.
Small bathroom designs with
tub or shower must incorporate a place for everything such as soap, shampoo
etc. If you have a few people using this
room, it can get crowded with products.
These instant shelves create lots of storage room in the shower or tub for all the family products. Also makes cleaning much easier.
Start with the floor to
ceiling instant corner shelves for tubs or showers, or the shower curtain
storage idea. I thought this was really
cool with all the pockets. This gets everything
off the floor making it easier to clean as well as feel organized.
Small Bathroom Ideas Rental
There are so many portable
options to add to this small space that you don’t even touch the walls. If you want to paint then ask the landlord,
but chances are the walls are pretty neutral at present, so with a few portable
fixtures and fresh colorful linens you can personalize this space and still
take it all with you when you move.
Portable storage options such
as the pedestal sink cabinet on wheels, beside the toilet storage, and some spring
loaded shower/tub accessories and you will not have done any harm to the rental
space but at least it will feel more like your own.
Small Bathroom Décor Ideas – the DIY way on the Cheap
I hope this article has inspired you to think outside the box especially if you are watching your budget like me.
I figured I had to work with what was there. I originally thought well no point in doing any DIY until we save up to rip it apart, but I realized you have to live with it right now, why not invest in a few little pieces that can make this space inviting and more useful.
Utilizing wasted space with these really cool ideas is the key. Look online to get ideas. Amazon is a great place to start. Turn a small bathroom into a cool space and enjoy!
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