The bathroom is usually the smallest room in the house, but that’s all the more reason to give it some love. The good news is, you don’t have to spend big money to make a big difference. Here are six tips from the bathroom experts at Steam Shower Store.
Trim your collection of products
When a space is free from clutter, it looks better, functions better, and just generally feels better. In the average bathroom, a lot of clutter comes from products. This is a prime target for being trimmed back.
If you’re sharing a bathroom, try to share products as much as you can. When you do need your own products, consider keeping your main supplies somewhere else in your home. If you can’t be bothered carrying stuff into the bathroom all the time, decant your main supplies into smaller containers. Then just refill them whenever it’s convenient for you.
Also, try to use dry products as much as you can. They’re much more space-efficient. As a bonus, they don’t leak or spill and create mess either. Plus they generally need a lot less packaging so they’re better for the planet too.
Give your tiles a deep clean
Cleaning the surface of tiles is usually pretty easy. A quick wipe with a sponge will generally do the job nicely. Cleaning the grout between tiles, by contrast, is generally time-consuming, tedious, and tiring. On the plus side, you could be amazed at the difference it makes to how your bathroom looks. It’ll also help to reduce the chances of mold getting a grip.
In the long-term, you might want to look at swapping out your regular shower for a shower cabin. These are self-contained so they don’t need to be put against tiled walls. If you already have tiles, you can leave it for decoration. You’ll literally never need to clean it again.
Upgrade your shower fittings
These days just about all bathrooms have a shower in them and it probably gets a lot more use than the bath. In fact, it’s becoming more and more common for bathrooms just to have showers in them (and not baths). This means that upgrading your shower fittings is an affordable double win.
Firstly, it makes your bathroom function better. Secondly, it makes your bathroom look better. Usually, the most affordable and impactful upgrade is the shower curtain. It’s a good idea to look for a shower curtain with some form of anti-mold protection. This helps with hygiene and also keeps it looking better for longer.
If you have a little more budget, you can also upgrade your shower head. This generally requires absolutely nothing in the way of DIY skills. Alternatively, if upgrading it isn’t an option, try just giving the shower head you have a thorough clean. This might not make it look much better but it can really improve the water flow.
Get the right lighting
In bathrooms, lighting is about safety first, functionality second, and aesthetics third. This means that all bathrooms need some form of overhead lighting. Generally, you want this to be from a proper bathroom range. The one exception is if you have a cloakroom/powder room. These don’t get as steamy as main bathrooms so regular lights are fine.
You’re probably also going to need some form of task lighting. This will typically be over by the sink. In the old days, this often meant either relying on a window or splurging on expensive mirrors (or mirrored cabinets) with integrated lighting. Mirrors with lighting are still a great option and are now priced very affordably. You can also get a variety of battery-operated lights at affordable prices.
Once you’ve taken care of functional lighting, you can look at the aesthetic elements of lighting. There are two low-cost changes you can make. The first is to invest in a lamp with a color-changing light bulb. This is an easy and affordable way to update the look of your bathroom literally any time you want.
The other is to invest in at least one mirror. Again, look for one specifically designed for use in bathrooms (unless you’re dealing with a cloakroom/powder room). In general, it’s better to go for one big mirror rather than a collection of smaller ones. Bathrooms tend to be too small to make the “gallery wall” effect work.
Bring in some nature
If your bathroom gets any sort of light at all, then you can find a plant that can survive in it. What’s more, you can put the plant into a hanging planter so you’re only using ceiling space rather than valuable wall space.
You can get plants very affordably. In fact, you can often get them for free. They really do help to brighten up spaces, especially bathrooms. What’s more, they also help to clean the air. This can be particularly useful in bathrooms where you have to deal with all kinds of odors.
If you really can’t manage a living plant, then try bringing in cut and/or dried plants or even just pictures of plants. These can really help to make a very small room seem less enclosed and more welcoming.
Show your floor some love
As soon as your budget allows, put mats and/or rugs around your toilet, sink, and shower/bath. These don’t just look good. They put softness under your toes. If your flooring is looking the worse for wear, peel-and-stick floor tiles are an economical way to bring it back to life. They’re also renter-friendly.
If, however, you own your own home, then you might want to look at painting your floor tiles. This doesn’t take a lot of DIY skills, tools, or materials. In other words, anyone can do it, even on a tight budget. What’s more, there are plenty of YouTube videos showing you exactly how to do it.
Painting tiles does take a lot of time and effort. In particular, you need to prime them really thoroughly. With that said, it really can transform your bathroom at a fraction of the cost of new flooring. Also, using your existing flooring for as long as possible is also good for sustainability.