HOW TO DECORATE A BATHROOM CHEAPLY - Decorating a bathroom does not have to be expensive. In fact there are many ways you can decorate your bathroom cheaply, to help save you money. If you are thinking of selling your house you will need to make sure the bathrooms in your home really do look clean and spacious. In this guide we’ll provide a few ideas, tips and general advice on the things you can do to really make your bathroom look great, feel new, but without having to go to the expense of having to replace the whole bathroom suite.
Step 1
Think about tiling your bathroom wall or go that extra step and tile the bathroom floor as well. Shop around, both online and by going to the stores. The competition in the tiling market is fierce, so if you find a tile you really like then push for a heavy discount.
Consider buying plain white tiles as these are generally the cheapest. Plain white tiles do not have to be dull, you can paint ceramic tiles to add your own style and flair. When it comes to tiling you’ll also need grout and adhesives.
It’s important that you buy the right type of adhesive and grout and that it is of a good quality. Again, haggle for a price. Try looking for tiles that are ‘End-of-Stock’, that is the retailer will not be stocking them again. You can pick up a real bargain but you must make sure that you obtain a sufficient quantity to finish the job plus a 10% surplus for any breakages.
Think also what you’ll do in the event that a tile gets cracked or broken in the future – you will need to ensure that you have a few spare tiles over to cover this event. Remember you don’t have to spend a fortune to tile a bathroom and it’s one of the best ways to make any bathroom look brand new. If you do decide to buy new tiles then consider doing the tiling yourself as you really can save a lot of money in this area.
Step 2
If your existing bathroom suite is looking more than a little dated then consider replacing it. It’s a myth that a new bathroom suite is a very expensive item. Shop around online and go to the local Home Improvement stores. Look out for sales bargains and also keep a look out for clearance stock. Clearance stock is one of the best ways to pick up a really good bargain as the retailer will want these items off the showroom floor to make way for new stock and model.
You can really haggle on the price – just remember if you can’t talk the retailer down to the price you want to pay then go to another store – there are lots of bathroom retailers and the competition is fierce so take advantage of these and stick to your budget.
If you don’t way to buy a whole new bathroom suite then consider some upgrades, such as a new bath panel, new taps and even a new toilet seat. These simple things can actually transform a bathroom suite to make it look like you’ve just installed a new one.
Bath panels, taps and toilet seat come in a huge range, so you’ll have plenty to choose from and each can be purchased relatively cheaply. Remember doing the fitting yourself, whenever you can, will also save you lots of money.
Step 3
If you have a shower curtain and this is looking a little grubby then remove it and clean is. There are lots of cleaning products on the market that can tackle mold, dirt, grease and grime and most of these are very cheap.
If you are really tired of the shower curtain then why not replace it. Like buying anything else you need to shop around. Have you considered fitting a Bath Shower Screen – these are much easier to clean, because they are made of glass and very easy to install.
You don’t have to spend a fortune either and they do look much better than shower curtains. You can buy these as fixed units or units where the glass panel slides or swings open – choose one that you like and that’s within your budget and save more money by fitting it yourself.
Step 4
When it comes to the flooring you have a few choices, such as tiling or laying a linoleum or vinyl floor covering. Linoleum and vinyl are much cheaper than tiling, although as with wall tiling in Step 1, you’ll be surprised what sort of bargains you can pick up if you try hard enough. Note: Linoleum, once it’s been laid for a while, can be really difficult to remove as it adheres to the flooring beneath it extremely well – consider this carefully before laying linoleum.
It is possible to buy and fit floor tiling that is cheaper than linoleum or vinyl. Contrary to belief tiling a floor is not that difficult, you just have to ensure that you plan the job properly.
Step 5
Sometimes all a bathroom really needs is a good cleaning and a fresh coat of paint. This has to be the cheapest way to redecorate your bathroom as it requires nothing more than a tin of paint and some elbow grease.
When it comes to buying paint, choose one that is suitable for bathrooms, this generally have added ingredients to prevent mildew or fungal growth that occurs in bathrooms due to the amount of condensation build up in them.
Do shop around when buying your paint, you’ll be amazed at some of the bargains that are available. Wait until the sales are on and then wait a little longer as most retailers will offer more money savings on top of the sales price. When it comes to cleaning your bathroom you really don’t need to go out and buy a lot of cleaners. There are lots of homemade remedies, such as water and vinegar, that are able to remove lime scale, dirt, grease, grime, mildew and fungus, so do an online search for homemade cleaning solutions to help you reduce the cost of sprucing up your bathroom.
Step 6
To decorate your bathroom cheaply you need to shop around for the best bargains. You can do this just online to save time, but it is a good idea to visit the shops and see what’s on offer. Try to do the work yourself instead of hiring someone to do it for you. Labor costs can be more expensive than the fixtures and fittings you buy. Try a lick of paint and a little cleaning first and see how that makes your bathroom look – you might just surprise yourself.
Acknowledgements: Video – B&Q
