Bathrooms tend to get added to the bottom of the list when it comes to our “to do” list. It’s easy to shut the door and forget about it. Unfortunately, keeping it as a low priority may be causing you to roll your eyes every time you walk into your bathroom. Even these smaller spaces can affect the way we feel about our home. If your bathroom is no longer reflecting your personality, make a list of things you’d like to change and start planning some helpful tips for updating your bathroom.

DIY or Hire a Professional?

Choosing whether to hire out or attack your bathroom updates yourself will have everything to do with your experience, time, and money. Updates can be expensive and time consuming. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you may cause more damage by tackling projects on your own. In that case, you’ll need to seek a professional for help.

Quick and Easy Updates

Quick and easy-to-do updates may fall under the DIY category for you. However, if you aren’t comfortable in doing anything yourself, please hire the necessary help. There is no shame in getting things done right! Here are some updates you could possibly accomplish over a weekend.

Paint Everything

For some, the thought of painting causes sweat on the brow and a tightness in the chest. It isn’t for everyone. But for those who don’t mind a day or two of wearing old painting clothes, painting is one of the quickest and most helpful tips for updating your bathroom. It is also low in cost. Grab some samples from your local home improvement store and tape them to your bathroom walls. Check out the colors at different times of the day as the light varies. Head back to the store with your color choice for paint and grab the supplies you’ll need like brushes, rollers, and a drop cloth.

You can paint just about anything to give it a new look. That tired old vanity will look brand new with a couple coats of white paint or a daring color. Just be sure to clean it, sand it, and prime it first. Don’t forget your window trim if you have any. Worn out wood trim can look sharp in a bright white or even a glossy black. After the color is on your walls, your wheels will probably start turning and you’ll be back to the store for more paint.

Light Fixtures

Light fixtures are only DIY if you are experienced in handling electrical projects. If not, an electrician can do this for you.

The fun part is choosing new light fixtures. Remember to coordinate with the vanity and overhead lights. Light fixtures vary greatly in cost and will be noticed daily, so choose wisely.

Sometimes a little cleaning is all it takes to make light fixtures look like new. It’s easy to forget about them as they have faithfully lit our bathroom for years. They collect a lot of dust but may still look okay once clean.

Shower Curtain, New Rugs, and Towels

A shower curtain, new rug, and towels may be all your outdated bathroom needs for a fresh new look.

If your bathroom uses a shower curtain, it takes up a lot of visual space. You can’t help but notice a curtain covering the length of a bathtub when you walk in. In that case, if it’s your thing, make a statement with your shower curtain. Go for something fun and bold to catch everyone’s eye when they walk in. Bright colors, patterns, and even shower curtains with writing on them are all available online and in stores.

If subtle is more your style, go with softer, neutral colors and possibly a solid-colored curtain. These options work well in small spaces so you aren’t visually shrinking the room with too much color or pattern.

Faucets, Shower Heads, and Hardware

Wow—what a difference these can make! A new sink faucet in a modern metal finish can make quite an impact in the bathroom. Faucets and shower heads easily fall under the DIY category even though it may sound intimidating. As with anything, only do what you are comfortable with.

A quick search on YouTube will find you plenty of handy people willing to show you exactly how to change out faucets and shower heads. Unlike electricity, changing these fixtures isn’t dangerous. However, please remember to shut the water off before doing so.

A screwdriver or drill is all you need to add new bathroom hardware and accessories to your vanity. You can have brass drawer pulls in the morning and silver ones by the afternoon!

Serious Makeovers

Not to downplay the simpler fixes, but some changes in the bathroom are going to be more dramatic and difficult than others. Unless you are in the remodeling business or have been studying and are prepared, a professional will need to be consulted for these updates.

New Counters and Vanity

Your bathroom vanity and counters are used often by family and guests and can’t help but be the focal point. It can be an overwhelming decision to change them out because it isn’t something you’ll want to have to change again anytime soon.

Consulting with a designer at your local home improvement store is a great place to start. Most stores offer free measuring services so you don’t have to worry about whether or not you measured correctly. A new vanity and countertop will make your bathroom feel clean and refreshed. 

Try a New Backsplash

Removing an old backsplash and adding a new one or trying one for the first time can really give your bathroom a more modern and updated look. Tiling is pretty tricky, so if you don’t know what you are doing, a professional tiler will be a helpful choice. Like paint, samples for backsplashes are often offered to help you be confident in your decision.

Flooring

If your home still has beige carpet in the bathroom, please start with the flooring. Flooring in the bathroom is important not only for looks, but for cleanliness and better health. You don’t want flooring that can’t handle moisture. Mold can grow if the flooring doesn’t dry out properly, and if the floor can’t handle moisture at all, you’ll be replacing it again very shortly.  

Seek advice for what is best for your home. Most likely vinyl and ceramic will be great options.

Woodworker Express offers the solutions you need and helpful advice for all your bathroom updates, whether you are a professional or a do-it-yourself homeowner.