Do you know which parts of your home rarely break? Bathroom fixtures. It is not uncommon to find toilets, sinks, and sinks that have served a home for 100 years. Yes, the pipes and valves may have needed some TLC over the years, but they can still serve for many more years.
So if you have an old bathroom that works, but looks outdated, how do you renovate it without tearing up the walls?
Indulge in fresh linens and a vanity set
If your fixtures are white or beige, introducing more colorful colors into home decor can add a modern touch to the room. For less than $200, you can buy new towel, rug, and curtain sets. Replace your old toothbrush holder, hand mirror and wastebasket with a matching set from the department store.
Replace your old, worn out faucet and broken sink
A vanity or pedestal sink is an important focal point in a bathroom. Faucets over 20 years old could have chrome corrosion or discolored handles. The sink may contain chips in the porcelain.
It only takes a few wrenches and screwdrivers to replace the faucet with a new one. Even the vanity or base can be swapped out in the afternoon with the help of your spouse or friend. cost? As low as $50 for a faucet and $200 for a prefabricated vanity with sink and faucet at the DIY Store.
Change the loops of your knobs, pulls, and shower curtain
Sleek and straight lines are preferred for modern home design. Your classic storage cabinet comes with a beautifully crafted door pull that’s full of twists and turns, but it’s out of place. Most cabinet door handles use a single screw to hold them in place. Find new gadgets at the Kitchen Design Center for just a few dollars each. While you’re at it, create a unified look by changing out door hinges, curtain rods, and rings. Total cost for the project: $20 to $70 and an hour of your time.
Scrub and repair antique tiles diligently
Sometimes a little elbow grease wipes away the cobwebs in a loved one’s home. Ceramic tiles commonly used for floors, bathroom enclosures, and walls in older bathrooms are designed to last a lifetime. Over time, they can develop a dingy layer of grease, nicotine, and grime that makes the entire room look old and dingy. Fortunately, you can get those tiles back.
One option is to hire a steam cleaning service for a few hundred dollars. Otherwise, after wiping down the tiles, fill a bucket with water, vinegar, and baking soda. Use scrub pads to remove remaining dirt from the tiles. A toothbrush will get into the grout lines. You might be surprised at how white it looks after an hour of hard work.
There are likely to be a few cracked or broken tiles as well. Tile repair kit costs about $25. Includes eyelet filler and coloring kit to match the dye. When the patch dries, the sealer creates a durable finish that’s ready for everyday use.
Finally, use a silicone tube and run it around the edge of the tile where it meets the baseboard. This banishes any eye-catching black areas that make the walls look uneven.
A weekend of equal work and less than $100 turned this dark and dingy bathroom into a glossy canvas ready for fresh linens and artwork.
Paint and easy-to-install vinyl flooring
Your tiles are clean! Now, do you see the shadows of long-lost picture frames on the walls? Bathrooms are usually very small. One gallon of premium paint costs less than $50. It will take you a few hours to roll over the dull and dirty wall color. A fresh coat of paint reflects sunlight better and gives the space a polished look.
Now, what about that perfectly intact but unfortunate-looking floor? If you have a flat surface, peel and stick vinyl floor tiles in an hour or two and it will hide that vintage floral pattern that was put in sometime in the ’90s. Today’s tiles come in a range of contemporary designs that mimic the look of wood, stone or popular colours.
When the bathroom is beyond simple fixes and repairs, bring in the highlights
While a visit to a home improvement store can remedy many visible shortcomings in your bathroom, it won’t always be the best solution. If your bathroom is beyond the scope of our assistance, feel free to contact Columbus Bath Design in Lewis Center, OH. One-day bathroom renovations refresh your entire space at a surprisingly affordable cost. Best of all, you don’t even have to go to great lengths to get the amazing spa of your dreams. Click or call to schedule your free initial consultation and explore the possibilities!