15 Easy (and Wonderfully Creative) Bathroom Updates
Spicing up the bathroom doesn't need to involve a sledgehammer... or a bank loan. Take a look at these low-cost, high-impact ideas
Laura Gaskill
11 September 2014
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
All hard surfaces and fixtures, the bathroom is often the blandest room in the house, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Because it’s usually small, the bathroom is actually quite easy to spice up – a splash of colour or a few creative accessories will go a long way. Check out these 15 ideas to transform your bathroom into a unique, colour-filled haven that reflects your personality.
1. Use an antique in place of a medicine cabinet
An antique gem like the petite mirror with shelf shown here would be the centrepiece of your bathroom.
Keep an eye out at antiques shops, op shops, flea markets and fairs for a piece you love. It can help to keep the measurements of your bathroom wall on your phone or in your wallet, so if you do come across a great find, you can check instantly if it will fit.
How to incorporate found materials into your decor
An antique gem like the petite mirror with shelf shown here would be the centrepiece of your bathroom.
Keep an eye out at antiques shops, op shops, flea markets and fairs for a piece you love. It can help to keep the measurements of your bathroom wall on your phone or in your wallet, so if you do come across a great find, you can check instantly if it will fit.
How to incorporate found materials into your decor
2. Hang vintage paintings
Sure, you probably won’t want to hang valuable art in a room that gets steamed up every day, but that doesn’t mean your walls must stay bare. The bathroom is the perfect place to hang quirky, inexpensive flea market and garage sale finds.
3. Paint your claw-foot tub
Have an old claw-foot? Freshen it up with chilli-pepper-red paint on the base. Or, for a subtler update, paint only the feet a bold hue.
4. Use a vintage stand to hold towels
Vintage wicker stands meant for plants and magazines are perfectly suited to holding towels in the bathroom, and they have so much more character than a new find.
Sure, you probably won’t want to hang valuable art in a room that gets steamed up every day, but that doesn’t mean your walls must stay bare. The bathroom is the perfect place to hang quirky, inexpensive flea market and garage sale finds.
3. Paint your claw-foot tub
Have an old claw-foot? Freshen it up with chilli-pepper-red paint on the base. Or, for a subtler update, paint only the feet a bold hue.
4. Use a vintage stand to hold towels
Vintage wicker stands meant for plants and magazines are perfectly suited to holding towels in the bathroom, and they have so much more character than a new find.
5. Hang an exotic lantern
Why stick with that boring ceiling light when you can have something really beautiful lighting your space? A lovely lantern like the one shown here will make getting ready in the morning and unwinding at night so much more pleasant.
6. Transform a table into a sink stand
Tired of cookie cutter bathroom fixtures? Have your own sink stand made out of an antique table for a unique look. The table (a chest can work well too) must be strong enough to hold up the sink bowl, so have a pro look at the piece you are thinking of buying to be sure it will work.
Why stick with that boring ceiling light when you can have something really beautiful lighting your space? A lovely lantern like the one shown here will make getting ready in the morning and unwinding at night so much more pleasant.
6. Transform a table into a sink stand
Tired of cookie cutter bathroom fixtures? Have your own sink stand made out of an antique table for a unique look. The table (a chest can work well too) must be strong enough to hold up the sink bowl, so have a pro look at the piece you are thinking of buying to be sure it will work.
7. Put a picture shelf around the tub
Create a rotating display of photos, postcards and small framed art to enjoy while you soak. You can either use picture shelves to suit the purpose or add a chair rail to sit at the top of timber lining.
More creative ways to display photos
Create a rotating display of photos, postcards and small framed art to enjoy while you soak. You can either use picture shelves to suit the purpose or add a chair rail to sit at the top of timber lining.
More creative ways to display photos
8. Cover every wall with chalkboard paint
Make like a cool coffee house and paint the entire interior of your bathroom with chalkboard paint. Since it’s your house, the “graffiti” can be anything you want it to be – sketches, poetry, inspiring quotations, song lyrics … whatever you can dream up!
Be inspired by some of the best examples of chalkboard art on Houzz
Make like a cool coffee house and paint the entire interior of your bathroom with chalkboard paint. Since it’s your house, the “graffiti” can be anything you want it to be – sketches, poetry, inspiring quotations, song lyrics … whatever you can dream up!
Be inspired by some of the best examples of chalkboard art on Houzz
9. Hang shaded sconces
To give your powder room a more formal elegance, replace standard bathroom light fixtures with pretty sconces that have paper- or fabric-covered shades.
10. Paper the walls
A lovely wallpaper can make the bathroom feel really special. And as a bonus, a repeating pattern creates a sense of depth, making a space feel larger.
To give your powder room a more formal elegance, replace standard bathroom light fixtures with pretty sconces that have paper- or fabric-covered shades.
10. Paper the walls
A lovely wallpaper can make the bathroom feel really special. And as a bonus, a repeating pattern creates a sense of depth, making a space feel larger.
11. Cover the walls in maps
For a quick and inexpensive change of pace, why not paper your bathroom walls in old maps? Simply layer them on the walls, using plenty of double-sided tape to hold them up. In the moist environment of the bathroom, this look won’t last forever, but if you love it, you may be able to seal it to make it permanent.
For a quick and inexpensive change of pace, why not paper your bathroom walls in old maps? Simply layer them on the walls, using plenty of double-sided tape to hold them up. In the moist environment of the bathroom, this look won’t last forever, but if you love it, you may be able to seal it to make it permanent.
12. Use a pretty textile as a sink skirt
Have exposed pipes beneath your sink? Hide them in the prettiest possible way by adding a sink skirt made from an eye-catching fabric.
Have exposed pipes beneath your sink? Hide them in the prettiest possible way by adding a sink skirt made from an eye-catching fabric.
13. Set toiletries in a shadow box
Need a bit of extra storage? Instead of putting up the typical glass shelves or medicine cabinet, try a wooden shadow box. Paint it however you like and hang it on the wall to hold soaps and lotions.
14. Use a colourful plastic tote as a bin
Trade your boring old rubbish bin for a colourful plastic market tote. Isn’t that better?
Need a bit of extra storage? Instead of putting up the typical glass shelves or medicine cabinet, try a wooden shadow box. Paint it however you like and hang it on the wall to hold soaps and lotions.
14. Use a colourful plastic tote as a bin
Trade your boring old rubbish bin for a colourful plastic market tote. Isn’t that better?
15. Put up shiny wallpaper in a tiny powder room
As far as big-impact changes go, you can’t get much bigger than this super-shiny hot pink wallpaper! Something this bold is best in small doses, making it the ideal choice for a pocket-size powder room. Won’t your guests be surprised when they open the door?
TELL US
What creative touches have you added to your bathroom?
MORE IDEABOOKS
12 Texture-Terrific Bathrooms That Engage the Senses
Seize the Day: Bathrooms That Dare to Be Different
10 Tips to Save Your Sanity in the Bathroom
6 Ways to Shower Your Bathroom With Eclectic Style
As far as big-impact changes go, you can’t get much bigger than this super-shiny hot pink wallpaper! Something this bold is best in small doses, making it the ideal choice for a pocket-size powder room. Won’t your guests be surprised when they open the door?
TELL US
What creative touches have you added to your bathroom?
MORE IDEABOOKS
12 Texture-Terrific Bathrooms That Engage the Senses
Seize the Day: Bathrooms That Dare to Be Different
10 Tips to Save Your Sanity in the Bathroom
6 Ways to Shower Your Bathroom With Eclectic Style
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love the shiny powder room. often think they can be so dull. a nice place to go wild, in an otherwise uniform streamlined home.
that plastic bin looks trashy, and spoils the sweet look of that bathroom. could be great in a birch colour.
those maps wold be stunning in sepia, or black and white.
i used metal panelling in my bathroom and its stunning, and easy to wipe clean.