While you might not think twice about doing things to make yourself look younger, what about your bathroom? It often becomes the most used, yet neglected room in the house. Even if you don't have the time or money, you can freshen up your bathroom's appearance--in just one weekend. Contemporary bathroom remodeling no longer has to be a major, time-consuming project.
Before You Get Started
Needless to say, when you're thinking about remodeling, you need to have a plan in place. Start with a thorough cleaning and get rid of everything that looks tired or worn. Replacing the shower curtain, for example, will cost only a few dollars and take just minutes--but it changes the entire look of your bathroom. Add a few new matching towels and voila(!)--your dingy bathroom will be bright and fresh again.
Next, consider what parts are showing their age the most. Your bathroom faucets may be disintegrating, or your mirrors may have become cracked or too dirty to give a pleasing reflection. Make a list of the problematic areas and determine what your budget can bear--then decide what you want to fix this weekend and what can wait 'til later. Visit your local bathroom-supply store and fill up your cart with the things you want to replace as well as any tools you'll need to do the job.
More Ideas for Freshening Up Your Bathroom in a Weekend
- Try replacing your bathroom faucets. Many of the newer faucet systems are simple enough for a homeowner to replace. Head to your local hardware store or an online retailer for a kit that includes not only the hardware but installation instructions too. Make sure you understand them thoroughly you so you won't be left with a flooded bathroom when you're done--or another weekend repair project to undue the damage!
- Look into new bathroom mirrors. Hanging a new mirror that has a different frame, size, or shape can have an instant impact on your bathroom's overall appearance. It will provide not only a new focal point for the room, but also draw eyes away from any features you're unable to replace just yet.
- Painting the cabinets. Another idea for a quick renovation project is to consider painting or stripping your bathroom cabinets. If you have real wood cabinets, stripping and re-staining can take a single day, maybe two. Or you can paint over the existing color to give them a new personality. Neutral colors are best as they allow you to update other features to accommodate emerging trends.
- Painting the walls or trim. Nothing beats a fresh coat of paint to make a room inviting. Choose light colors to make a small bathroom feel more spacious, dark, vibrant colors to give a feeling of drama or intimacy. Experiment with a different color for the walls and any molding as a way of introducing a decorative accent, or try textured or patterned finishes. And just to be sure you've picked exactly the right color, don't rely on paint chips: instead buy a small quantity of whatever hue(s) you're considering, and paint a different 12"-18" piece of cardboard with each color. That will give you a much better sense of how the paint will actually look on the wall.
Just as you might want to nip and tuck certain parts of yourself, your bathroom might be feeling the anxiety of aging too. But by adding just a few small touches, you can easily turn your bathroom from "blah" to "bravo" during a single contemporary bathroom-remodeling weekend.
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