Update Your Bathroom for Under a Hundred Dollars
The fastest and easiest way to update and change your bathroom for under a hundred dollars is by changing the color to something more “in,” then by updating the hardware like sinks, faucets, towel racks and so on.
Walls, towels, shower curtains and floors are the four things that define the colors of a bathroom, so let’s start with the walls first.
You can usually find a gallon of paint at an “Oops” area in your favorite paint or hardware store. These are paint mixes that didn’t turn out the way they were supposed to, or that were returned by customers. They’re custom mixed and you’ll probably only find one gallon of any color you see. You’ll probably never find that exact shade again, so take that into consideration. Most bathrooms won’t take a full gallon of paint, so you should have enough left for touchups or even another coat later, if needed.
If you have (or can find at a low enough price) light colored towels, curtains and rugs in good condition, you can dye them easily in your washing machine. Follow the directions of the dye manufacturer carefully and you’ll update your bathroom soft goods for almost nothing!
If you knit or crochet, it’s a cinch to make bathmats and rugs out of old clothes for a “shabby chic” or country look. Just tear or cut them into one inch strips, sew the strips together, and work them up with a large needle or hook. Make them as wide as you want them, stop and bind off when they’re as long as you need them.
Don’t forget about garage sales and other thrift outlets. Look for towels, rugs, shower curtains, decorative items and so on as well as items like medicine cabinets and towel bars.
Habitat for Humanity maintains stores that deal with used home repair goods and you might find just what you’re looking for there, right down to floor tiles or linoleum, but if you can’t find new flooring, think about painting your bathroom floor. Depending on surface and type, a painted floor can last just as long as anything else. Be sure to seal it with a few thin coats of urethane when you’re finished and you’ll have a brand new floor for just a little work and very little money.
New bathroom hardware can be expensive, so look around for a salvage or second hand hardware store. Keep an eye out for demolition sites as well as building sites. There’s a good chance you’ll see doorknobs, bathroom sinks, medicine cabinets and so on, thrown into the dumpsters or onto trucks to be hauled away. Be there first and ask if you can have it. Even if you have to pay a small fee for it, it won’t be much. Be prepared to haul it away immediately because they usually need to get rid of it as soon as possible. It’s a small price to pay for being able to update for free or almost free.
Bathtubs and sinks can be patched or even recolored to an updated, modern color. Be very careful if you decide to recolor porcelain yourself. It has to be sanded before a coating will hold, and, since porcelain is glass, you’ll be breathing in glass dust – not a good thing. Use a very good mask to do this. You can find materials and instructions at most large hardware stores.
Look carefully at any and all options. You’ll be surprised at what turns up if you look at updating your bathroom with an open mind and a creative spirit.
A hundred dollars will stretch and stretch and stretch if you take your time and take advantage of all the options available.
