We’ve all spent so much time at home of late. Throw in juggling family, working from home, schooling our kids to name but a few, has all meant we have put our homes through their paces. But all this time spent at home has begun to take its toll and things are looking tired, lack lustre and quite frankly a bit grubby.
After the kitchen, our bathrooms probably see the heaviest amount of traffic in the home. According to one study, on average we spend over 3.5 hours a week in our bathrooms, so it makes sense to create a bright, airy and welcoming space.
So, to help you get your bathroom ship shape with a tidy up or a revamp, and without breaking the bank, here’s another of our quick fix guides to help turn your bathroom from grime to glam.
Paint
Whether you choose a quick lick of paint to refresh the existing colour, or you go bold and opt for a new shade, always ensure you choose a paint that is suitable for bathrooms to cope with the water, heat and humidity. Clean walls to make sure they are free from mould prior to painting and cover up your loo, sink, bath etc with dust sheets to prevent any unruly paint splashes.
Choosing the right colour can make all the difference, so consider the space and the amount of available light. Pale or neutral colours can make a room instantly feel brighter and reflect light better, whereas darker colours, although make a bold statement, could make a small space feel gloomy. It’s best to have a play with some testers and see what they look like in both natural and artificial light before you decide.
Re-seal / Re-grout
Removing old and discoloured sealant will give your bathroom an instant lift. Using a Stanley knife, it’s easy to remove by slicing the top and bottom, then simply pulling away the old strip of sealant. Clean off any old residue then reapply and leave to dry overnight. There are plenty of inexpensive sealant tools you can buy to help you create the perfect line, and if you are feeling brave, changing from white to a coloured sealant can help give that wow factor to any bathroom.
Check the grout on your tiles too, especially if its white, as this can go pink overtime and ruin the look of a bathroom. It can be cleaned off, but will come back quite quickly, so if you are up for the challenge, scrape out the old grout and replace with new to spruce up your shower and bath area.
Bump up storage
If you have lots of lotions and potions in your bathroom, it can look untidy, so think about alternative storage solutions. It might be good time to have a clear out and try to limit the number of single use plastic bottles you use going forward to be more environmentally friendly. Having the right storage such as a tallboy, wall cabinet or under sink unit, can help with organisation and prevent overflowing shelves that look unsightly and spoil the aesthetics of a room.
Curtain upgrade
The right shower curtain can certainly turn heads in any bathroom and make a real statement, so make sure yours is clean, fresh and mould free.
Replacing a dirty old curtain is relatively inexpensive and on its own often transform a bathroom and refresh tired spaces. Try experimenting with different curtain textures, colours and patterns.
If you don’t have a curtain and use a shower screen instead, try adding texture to the bathroom using fabric with the addition of a new window blind, towels or bathmat.
Accessorise
Using a few carefully selected candles, pictures and decorative accessories can turn a boring bathroom into a palatial palace.
Many of the Spring team are fans of upcycling and revamping old vintage furniture and accessories, so having a rummage in charity shops can unearth some beautiful, one-off pieces that can be used in your bathroom.
Make sure you have the room to display your chosen accessories, look at your available shelving and add a few inexpensive shelves if needed so you don’t crowd the window sill and create more clutter.
Pictures on walls are a great way to accessorise a bathroom and provide the opportunity to create a family gallery, house holiday snaps and funky memorabilia in carefully chosen frames. Choosing a collection of mis-matched eclectic frames can look amazing and there are plenty of ideas to give you inspiration on Houzz and Pinterest.
Greenery
Adding plants to a home can not only add colour, texture and variety, but it can also help improve mood and our overall wellbeing. Including a plant or two in a bathroom, be it on the floor or in a decorative pot housed on a shelf, can help soften corners, hide wall imperfections and bring a rustic charm to any bathroom.
Plants love damp and humid conditions, so will do very well in a bathroom setting. Just remember to consider how much natural light you get when choosing a plant as this will greatly affect its ability to thrive.
Laundry
Avoid piles of dirty clothes in the bathroom by investing in a laundry basket. A relatively inexpensive item to buy, it can give a spa feel to a bathroom and keep floors free from soggy wet towels. Match it with other accessories you have chosen in the bathroom, or if you don’t want it on show and you have the space, hide it in a cupboard.
Lighting
Improving lighting in a bathroom, especially if you don’t get much natural light, can make all the difference to the overall mood and feel of the room. Even just adding a mirror can reflect light around a smaller bathroom to create an illusion of space. Changing an existing light fitting, or even simply upgrading your bulb from soft white to bright white, can have a huge impact on the light levels of your bathroom. Also, be careful not to block out too much natural light with a heavy blind or curtain, so try to keep fabrics sheer if possible to allow maximum levels of light in.
Whether you make one or all these changes to your bathroom, a few tweaks here and there will have a positive impact, so you don’t have to tackle everything in one go and it won’t in turn break the bank.
If DIY is not on your radar and are instead thinking about moving or need further advice on your next home sale, get in touch today for a no-obligation chat with our friendly team on how Spring can help.
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