A new year has begun, which means it’s the perfect time to give your home some updates. As one of the areas with the highest foot traffic, the bathroom will naturally show signs of wear and tear after a year of continuous use. Add to the fact that the room is frequently damp and humid, you can expect some water damage, mold, and mildew.
The start of the year is a good time to get your bathroom fixed so you and your family can have a healthier and more comfortable time at home. That said, you don’t need to spend thousands to spruce up your bathroom for the new year. Here some simple ways to get your lavatory ready for another year of use.
A New Paint Job
After a year, your walls can look dull and dingy. The constant moisture and humidity may have also blistered some areas on your walls. Freshen up your bathroom walls by giving them a new paint job.
If you’re tired of looking at the same old white walls, take the risk, and choose colors you’ve never done before, something vibrant like plum, copper, or rustic olive. Colorful walls can do wonders to make the usually cold, austere bathroom feel warm and inviting.
Repainting doesn’t cost as much money and effort as other upgrades do, but it can significantly improve the look of your bathroom.
Need some color inspiration? Check out these stunning bathroom-wall ideas.
Refurbished Cabinets
Bathroom walls aren’t the only ones that fall into disrepair over time. Your bathroom cupboards, especially wooden ones, also see a lot of damage over the years. Constant exposure to moisture and humidity causes your bathroom furniture to deteriorate faster, which means it needs regular polishing and sealing to keep it in good condition for years.
Instead of replacing old cabinets, you can repaint or repolish them to them a fresh look. Then, polish or replace the knobs and handles to make them look brand-new again.
Updated Lighting
Good lighting can do wonders for the appearance of your bathroom. But a single ambient light is not enough to achieve the ideal lighting conditions in the bathroom, or any room, for that matter. It takes the combination of ambient, accent, and task lighting to create the perfect lighting conditions.
Update your bathroom lighting by installing sconces, pendant lights, or track lighting to supplement the overhead lights. The best spot for additional task lighting or accent lighting fixtures is usually by the mirror, on either side or above. Using the three types of lighting dispells unflattering shadows cast by the overhead light and provides a full-bodied illumination of the room.
Clean and Resealed Grouts
Grout and caulk are often neglected, but they’re crucial in maintaining a fresh and clean look in your bathroom. After a year of use, dirt and grime have likely penetrated the porous material of the tile grouts so that they start to turn an unsightly black color.
Clean and scrub the grouts thoroughly first before sealing the gaps and cracks. You may want to do this several times in a year to keep the grouts clean and your tiles fixed in place.
Updated Fixtures
Old faucets and showerheads are some of the biggest water wasters in many households. Replace your old fixtures with water-efficient models to save water and money on your bills. Making the change is good not only for your pocket but also for the environment.
You can try new trendy yet classic designs for your bathroom fixtures, like brassy or golden faucets and showers, to give your bathroom a makeover for the new year.
An Up-to-Date Toilet
If you’re still using an old, rickety, and inefficient toilet, it’s high time to get a replacement. Consider upgrading to a water-saving macerating upflush toilet to get more savings, cut down on water wastage, and facilitate better drainage. Old toilets use about 4 to 7 gallons of water per flush while water-efficient toilets only use 1 to 1.3 gallons.
Upgrading to a new toilet can save you tens to hundreds of dollar savings per year in water bills, depending on how many gallons your old toilet uses now.
The Bottom Line
Updating your bathroom doesn’t need to be so expensive and troublesome. There are a bunch of quick, affordable ways to freshen up your bathroom and get it ready for another year of use and abuse. The key is to choose the changes with the most significant impact.