Easily make over bathroom on any budget

  • By Michelle Locke Associated Press
  • Wednesday, August 28, 2013 12:29pm
  • Life

You want a better bathroom, but don’t want to put a drain on your finances? Worry not. This is one room in the house where little things mean a lot.

On the other hand, if you want to go luxe, there are also a variety of new products that can turn the bathroom into a showcase.

Often small and poorly lit, bathrooms can end up neglected. But they’re probably the easiest room to make over, said Ingrid Abramovitch, editor and writer at Elle Decor magazine and author of “Restoring a House in the City.”

A very basic change is to buy a new shower curtain and good quality towels.

Is this a kids’ bathroom? Think bright colors and fun patterns. Or, to create a spalike retreat, look for fluffy towels in serene neutrals, and maybe add accessories like new soap dishes and towel rails in elegant materials.

If you want to up the luxe factor, think about installing a towel warmer.

Another easy change is to swap out your showerhead for a new, multifunction model. Some are designed to boost spray power too. A shower filter might also make an improvement in water pressure.

Basic models can be found from less than $30 from brands such as Aquasana and Sprite.

A hot trend is bringing music into the bathroom. The Moxie showerhead from Kohler has a built-in wireless speaker that uses Bluetooth technology to sync with your music device. (Suggested retail: $199.)

One of the cheapest ways to transform a bathroom — or any room — is color. “You can always very quickly change the aesthetics of a room with a can of paint,” said David Alhadeff, founder of The Future Perfect, of San Francisco and New York.

Is the room white? How might it look in bright yellow with towels and bath mat to match?

Look for the new humidity-resistant paints that come in flat finishes for a refined look.

Another way to make a big change is to re-evaluate the lighting. A lot of bathrooms still have a single overhead light fixture, which casts unflattering shadows.

“Lighting is everything in the bathroom, and there are a lot of tricks to how we want to illuminate ourselves within that space to make ourselves look best,” Alhadeff said.

If you already have lighting around your mirror, a change of bulbs can work wonders, and lighting along the side of the mirrors is preferable, Alhadeff said.

Creating layered lighting may mean hiring someone to add electrical outlets for sconces and mirror lighting, but it can make a bathroom much more inviting.

A cheaper way to create a soft ambience: Light a few candles.

But what if you’ve just won the lottery and are ready to make a really big splash?

Large, free-standing tubs are chic right now, Abramovitch said. Some people are making room for them by taking guest bedrooms and turning them into a bathroom-dressing room, with a free-standing tub surrounded by built-in closets and other accessories.

Hot tubs, too, have evolved, with new systems that create smaller bubbles, as opposed to the roaring jets of yesteryear.

And what high-end bathroom would be complete without a high-tech toilet? Take Kohler’s Numi model, which includes a motion-activated cover and seat, built-in bidet function, charcoal-filter deodorizer and air vents at the floor to warm your toes.

Naturally, there are illuminated panels with different colors that can be set for the day of the week. A remote control with a touch screen allows you to set your preferences on settings and, of course, you can play your favorite music via Bluetooth connection.

Sure, it’s not cheap, with a suggested retail of $5,978. But who can put a price on never, ever having to have the seat up/seat down discussion?

Resources

Ingrid Abramovitch, www.elledecor.com

David Alhadeff, www.thefutureperfect.com

Kohler, www.kohler.com/numi

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.