Beautifying the Bathroom in 5 Simple Steps

From Lynn on December 8th, 2009 in Bathroom Remodel

Bathrooms, like Brussels sprouts, need all the help they can get. The goal: distract from any unpleasantness and add appealing accoutrements. While cheese will work for the vegetable, we’ll have to get a bit more creative with the potty. Check out these five ideas.

#1 – Add Color

When you look at this bathroom, the first thing you see is color. The unique spring-fresh hue brings to mind the great outdoors. It’s peaceful, clean and relaxing – all good distracters. A plus: Paint is a cheap yet rewarding fix.

#2 - Install a Perk

One of the first things you do when you check in at a hotel is scope out your bathroom. You call out to your “roommate” its special amenities. “Ooh, it’s got a Swiss shower.” “Come check out this whirlpool bath!” “There’s a TV in the mirror!” No one’s paying attention to the toilet, and that’s just the way it should be. Add something special to your bathroom that will seem like a treat, such as a towel-warming rack, a wonderful comfort starting at $150.

#3 – Update the Hardware

Ever brush your teeth in someone else’s bathroom and cringe at the sink? I’ve had to force my gaze away from the gross, pitted stainless steel stoppers that shed metal flakes and chipped pieces of porcelain that collect dirt. My mom always said that if your bed is made and your bathroom is clean, no one will notice if the rest of the house is slightly out of order. Simply changing your faucet to something contemporary and clean-looking will make your bathroom look nice and updated.

#4 – Lighten Up

Just like switching out the faucet, swapping the lighting that your place came with for something more your style goes a long way.

#5 – Get In the Shower

Probably most important (and most-dreaded) is redoing the shower. Why, why, why must the grout get funky so quickly, no matter how much it’s cleaned? If you’ve got even a little bit of mold, it’s time to tackle that job before doing anything else. But while you’re at it, it makes perfect sense to get rid of those boring, large white tiles in favor of something more pleasing on the eye. The texture and varying tones of these tiles look cleaner longer, just like a patterned floor would.

While the average bathroom will never be anyone but Al Bundy’s favorite place to hang out, even a humble one can be made more appealing with minimal effort and cost.

Photo Credits: HGTV, ComfortChannel, NouveauBathrooms & Home Portfolio