Bathroom DIY On A Budget

By Allison Whitehead

If your bathroom is in dire need of a makeover, but you’re short of cash to do it, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to breathe new life into your bathroom without breaking the bank…

• If you want to replace your tiles, buy a trade pack of plain white ones. They’ll be a lot cheaper than anything else you could buy, and you can either use tile transfers or tile paint to brighten them up, or leave them plain and introduce colour into other areas of the room.

•  Need to repaint your walls? Instead of splashing out on coloured paint, buy a trade pot of plain white matt paint, and stir in some tester pots of colour to get the shade you want. Not only is it a lot cheaper, you’ll also get a unique colour.

•   If you have old bathroom cabinets, try repainting them instead of replacing them. If they are made of melamine, you can buy a special spray that allows you to paint over them. If they’re wood, simply sand them down and repaint. Again, you can use plain white and mix in a tester pot to complement the walls.

•   If you need to buy extra shelves or cabinets, buy untreated wooden ones and finish them yourself. These can be painted, stained or varnished in any number of shades and colours.

•   Don’t forget that simple changes can still make a big difference. You can buy new drawer knobs for an old unit, and maybe even get a new light pull to match them.

•   And don’t forget the magic word when redecorating any room on a budget – accessorize! A plainly decorated room accessorized with some candles, a picture and some flowers can look simple and elegant – and far more calming and welcoming than a room with expensive flowered wallpaper and a patterned carpet!

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