I used to think that happiness was a soaking tub and double vanity. However, recently as I've made amends with my modest bathroom, I've become increasingly aware of the impact that small luxuries make in a bathroom. And I've also taken notice of the impact that budget-savers have on style.
In my decorating work, I find that even creative types tend to be a little hesitant to think outside the box when it comes to decorating the bath. Because bathrooms have to be so functional, people get nervous about straying from the norm. However, just like you don't need paintings of fruit in the kitchen, you don't need to stick to the bath aisle of Target to decorate your bathroom. In fact, most items in bathroom aisles tend to be overpriced and a bit flimsy. A lot comes down to personal style— I tend to prefer relaxed imperfection over pristine matchy-ness— but there are a lot of areas where you can save without sacrificing functionality, and a few that are worth the splurge...
Where To Save and Get Creative:
• Vanity Mirror. If it's not a medicine cabinet, there is nothing different about the blah mirror sold in the hardware store's bath aisle and the unique mirror scored at the estate sale. Wood will endure in the bath, and so will gilt. Thrift stores are bursting with mirrors— and frames waiting to be made into mirrors— so put that money into something you really like.• Bath Mat. Any rug that can be cleaned can be a bath mat.
• Shower Curtain. Granted, shower curtains seem to get cuter by the millisecond, but if you don't find one you like, think about using a queen size sheet or a fabric remnant with a pattern that you're crazy about. Hang it with curtain clips, and you're all set.
• Waste Basket. The place where you throw your trash doesn't have to match your soap dispenser. A vintage champagne bucket, a cool flower pot, anything awesome with some depth will do the trick.
• Containers. Anything worth storing is worth storing in style. And style doesn't mean $50 worth of matching faux metal boxes. The thrift store (and probably your house) is full off containers waiting to look cool while housing your q-tips. Tea tins, vintage cigar boxes, mason jars, pewter goblets: your thrift store has them and your bathroom wants them.
Where to Splurge and Get Comfortable:
• Faucets and Shower Heads. Skimping here will probably end up costing you money. Cheap faucets tend to leak and loosen with time, and cheap finishes flake off. Plus, there is something very satisfying about a sturdy faucet that doesn't twist or shake when you turn it on and a shower head with perfect water pressure. You don't need to go designer, some middle of the road manufacturers, like Kohler, are fabulous. In general, order these, they're worth the wait. The offerings in big box stores tend to be flimsy.• Bath Linens. Again, quality ones will last for years and years, while cheap towels will turn threadbare after one, so splurging may end up saving you in the long run.
That's my short list. I purposefully didn't include toilets and sinks because there are plenty of low cost options that are just as good as their designer counterparts, and some that are as cheap as their price tag. Please feel free to chime in with a favorite or a worst.
(Image: Leah Moss)
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Great advice. I love finding and updating thrift mirrors. Almost all the mirrors in my house, including the bathrooms are vintage/upcycled. I would add too that you don't need to stick to traditional "vanity" lighting, sconces and small pendant lights work well also. I have "outdoor" lanterns in my one bathroom.
Totally agree about where to save and where to get creative. My suggestion about trash cans is to stash them under the sink. No matter how pretty your trash can is, nobody wants to look at nasty bathroom detritus.
@Jennym, what if you have a pedestal sink?
Splurge: lighting and ventilation. (Not necessarily pay a lot, but pay a lot of attention and spring for an electrician to put lighting and vented ventilation where you need it.)
@Zenezie - I found a small, bright red, metal ice bucket, with lid, at World Market, a few years ago, to use for my bathroom trash. I love not having conventional wastebasket. I hate plastic.
My bathroom "detritus" consists mainly of tissues which makes it plain old garbage. If your garbage grosses you out, there are a lot of cute covered cans. I bought one for my laundry room to throw the dryer lint away in. The cover keeps the lint from floating away. Personally, I don't have room under my sink for even my tiny can and I'd rather have an open garbage on the floor than under my vanity with my hair dryer and contact lenses.
Yes! I've always despised the matching toothbrush holder/soap dispenser/mini-trash can sets. So glad I'm not the only one.
Buying a silent fan is a worthwhile splurge - unless that background noise is important for modesty (thin walls).
Great post! Love the idea of adding interesting pieces as containers (ie. cigar boxes) and old champagne buckets as garbage bins... excellent!
I totally agree! Also, love this bathroom! It's relaxed but stylish!
My shower curtain is actually a sheer curtain w/tiger stripes. The shower rod will fit the curtain.
I'm one for not showing my trash so I do keep a lid on it. I re-use glass containers when I've purchased 'fancy' lotions and refill them with more lotions or gel soap. I keep cotton swabs in a small mayonaise jar...I try and re-cycle or upcycle anything I can. But never thought of using a tea tin for cotton-tipped swabs. I'm doing that NOW!!
I struggle with the trashcan! Because we have pets, we need something covered. The step-open cans we bought (very small simplehuman brand, stainless look) broke not very long into their lifespan and so we're hesitant to buy another for our new home!
I like it all, but I especially like the teal bathroom walls' contrast with the black and white tile, the simple silhouette murals (really, really enjoy the electric poles/wires), and the wood plank wall.
I have a very tiny bath. The only way to make it work was to go 'up'. I hated the toilet roll holder and towel bar that seemed oddly placed. So I put up a space saving wall cabinet with a towel bar at the bottom for hand towels (shower is in the adjoining room). I couldn't do the over the toilet space saver on legs, so I put some nice art in that wall space. It's such an odd bathroom. I can't change mirrors, but I might change light fixture. I agree with the list above! :)
Tile and solid stone surfaced are another place to splurge - something durable and attractive.
Even with medicine cabinets, an interesting framed mirror can be attached to the front. And if you want to use a sheet or something similar as a shower curtain, your friendly neighborhood hardware store will have inexpensive small grommets and attachment kit for far less than a craft store, so you make a no-sew shower curtain with grommets that will fit standard curtain rings (skip the clip-ons).
I LOVE the two-tone linen-look shower curtain, BTW. Source?
Going through this now. My bathrooms hadn't gotten any upgrades since they were built in 1986. The previous owner didn't touch them and now that I'm preparing to move, I have to update the suckers. Here are a few other places to save:
1.) if you can't afford new vanities, replace the cabinet doors. Mine had really cheap melamine doors with aluminum strips on the vertical sides. Butt ugly and they didn't go with the cultured marble tops. So I replaced the doors with paintable mdf shaker style doors and transitional style hardware. Minimal price (about $180 for all 8 doors in all bathrooms), HUGE impact. They look like much more expensive vanities.
2.) Change the lighting. Get rid of those Hollywood makeup mirror bulb strip things. You know what I'm talking about. I ripped those suckers right out and put up some box store brushed nickel lighting similar to the one in the picture above. Once again, relatively little expense, huge impact.
3.) Replace the gigantic plate mirrors with inexpensive decorative mirrors. I replaced mine with Martha Stewart mirrors for about $50 a piece. Are they precious? No. Are they better than what I had? Oh hell yes.
4.) I am now replacing the cheap builder's grade faucets with the tacky "crystal" knob with Kohler faucets. They're not expensive but they are a significant upgrade.
5.) If I had an extra $500, I would replace my shower door with a glass frameless. That would be my one splurge and it would make the master bathroom look brand new. But I think I've done enough for the new owners. They can make this change themselves if they so desire.
One thing I haven't been able to find is the right size rug. I need a washable, synthetic persian style rug in a blue shade that is a 3'x5'. That has been very hard to find so I found a Ralph Lauren bathmat that I can live with in a sagey green color. It will have to do.
I love finding things in OTHER areas of the hardware store for the bathroom. I have a galvanized paint bucket that is just the thing for holding my hairbrushes and hair dryer. Just remember that rust is horrible to clean!
A good source for elaborate mirror frames is your local art store and framer. They occasionally sell damaged, carved plaster or wood frames intended for paintings. The damage is usually small, and if you are into distressed finishes the dings and chips can be worked into the final finish. Get the mirror mouted at your glass store and you've saves hundreds.
My splurge would be a heated floor.
Saving on a shower curtain doesn't work for us because the mold kills it and it gets tossed. That never happened when I had a window in the bathroom and a good fan. So in our plan to move I insist on a bathroom with windows, so we can buy one nice shower curtain and not throw it away. We have an anti fungal curtain and even paint at the moment yet even that doesn't work.
Also we bought a cheap vanity at Target and within a few years the paint peeled and the wood sagged. Not worth it.
We splurged on a concealed trapway toilet. The usual side-loop is enclosed, so that the sides of the toilet are straight without any nooks or ledges. Cleaning it is awesome… or, as awesome as cleaning a toilet can be.
Floors!
We are in the process of adding a full bath to our house, and I have thrifted and bargain shopped for the whole bathroom except for one thing: the floor. A gorgeous marble floor with in floor heating costs well under $1000 for a 6' x 10' bathroom and just feels incredibly decadent and luxurious. No one notices the $2/ sq ft tile in the shower while they are busy drooling over the floor!
Another show-stopper that (usually) doesn't cost any more is contrasting grout for white tile. Using charcoal grout (or even red!) makes inexpensive white subway tile look really sophisticated and expensive.
I guess I'm in the minority here; I dislike the vanity mirror and actually thought this was the "before" photo! I also try to avoid beige (as in the shower curtain pictured). It's good to get the higher-end shower and faucet fixtures, though!
In my space-starved and product-overloaded bathroom, I stole an idea from the designer Ron Marvin. Echoing something I saw on his website awhile ago, I spaced three identical mirrored medicine cabinets across one wall that wasn't much wider than the combined cabinets. It gave a nice effect with a horizontal stripe of beveled mirrors and I had more make-up and product space than I would have had from the biggest medicine cabinet I could find.
I totally agree on heated floors, worth it at any price. As far as the trash can with lids, Vipp makes them that will last a lifetime, but certainly a splurge
Just remember that rust is horrible to clean!
Exactly! To all of those who loved the tea-tin-for-swabs idea (and I'm with ya)-- take a moment to coat the bottom of the tin with clear (or not! A bit of extra color might be really great, now I think of it) nail polish before moving it into your bath. Because otherwise
that rust ring ain't coming out.
And I'm going to share with you all my favorite waste basket yet, because I love ya.
It's an old potato bin. Penn Dutch style, flap cover, with... "taters" burned into the side. I know, right? Takes up a bit of real estate, but so worth it.
I can't even believe I'm this excited about my bathroom's trashcan! THAT'S how freat it is!
*"freat"="freakin' great" btw.
Agreed on the floor. In my small bathroom...tumbled onyx with a coordinated grout wasn't a huge splurge and it makes what would be a boring collection of white porcelain fixtures look 46% more awesome. I also nixed towel bars and went for hooks...which was a surprising money saver...
My bathroom had a huge expanse of mirror trimmed with narrow metal, with the ugly bulb strip light fixture above it. I replaced the light with something similar to the one in the article and glued a basic trim all around the mirror with some fancy mouldings in the corners of the trim. Spiffed it right up. I keep a white wicker basket on the counter to hold my hairbrush and other odds and ends, covered with a piece of fabric that matches another piece on top of an old thrift shop dresser I use for linen storage. It's a small bathroom but very functional. I also removed the ugly plastic seat and back from the bath transfer chair I need to get in and out of the tub (used as shower only, bad knees) and replaced them with cedar planks. It's slowly getting transformed from a basic 80's bathroom to more of a country cottagey feel. Need to replace the faucets soon (yup, those ugly faceted plastic knobs) and some day install a plank style lino that looks like wood. Even if some of the stuff is more expensive you can do it a bit at a time.
A toilet seat with metal, not plastic hinges. People tend to lean one way; and the plastic hinges actually bend, making the seat off-center.
Shower curtain rings that slide easily.
A timer for the fan.
In this Pacific Northwest humidity, a towel warmer - not to keep them warm, to dry them. Then you can have those luscious thick towels!
I love subfloor heat, but it seems that in the bath there are usually rugs everywhere anyway. So to me that's an "unnecessary" splurge. Fine if you've got the dough.
About the sliding shower curtain rings - Are there rods out there that don't telescope, i.e. don't have the bump the rings have to go over? That would be well worth a splurge. Also, those rods that bend outward, making the tub feel roomier - those are nice if a bit pricey.
Can someone please explain the 'need' for double sinks? I don't get it. Every home improvement/ house hunting show is the same - "we need double sinks!". Me and my better half are very busy people, but there's nothing I need a sink for that can't wait 5 minutes.
The best splurge we spent money on in the bathroom was new toilets worth every penny.
I LOVE having double sinks and can't imagine life without them. A better solution is his & her bathrooms but that's a bit of a reach.
A happy (or happier) marriage is a bathroom with double sinks. You'll never look back.
I keep in mind the following for things i buy for the bathroom: white, light, clear, transparent, reflects light, serene, peaceful. Easy to find on a budget:accessories in glass or chrome, white towels, white soaps, a transparent or semi transparent shower curtain and chrome hooks, a chrome curtain rod, a small plant or two.
Annie-O: You can find a curtain rod and wall brackets at good hardware stores where you can also find a tool to cut the rod. Good luck and remember, measure twice and cut once.
Funny that this topic should come up. It was on my mind recently when I was looking for something to hold my shampoo and soap. I have a claw foot tub that has a rainforest shower head, so one of those hanging shower caddies seemed like a logical choice. But man, I just couldn't get comfortable with the idea of spending $20-50 for something that looks to me like a glorified clothes hanger.
So the shampoo and soap stayed on the floor until this past weekend when I was at a junk shop and spotted an old long narrow wooden drawer (the man who ran the shop said it came from an old sewing machine stand) for three bucks! I took it home, cleaned it up, coated it with exterior varathane, and hung it horizontally on the wall at the foot of the tub. It looks so cool! I'm so glad I didn't settle on a shower caddy, and waited till the right item came along.
@Lawgirl: I don't really get the double sink thing, either. I have a husband and two kids, and we always got by fine with just one sink. Our new house has double sinks in the upstairs bathroom, and I don't find it makes any difference in our routines. Though it's kind of fun to spit in alternate sinks when I'm brushing my teeth. :)
Hi Leah, not sure if you're checking comments, but if so, how is your Ikea vanity holding up (we just got a similar, smaller one). Thanks!
We just picked up fabric on sale, indoor/outdoor, for our curtains. End of summer stuff and it's perfect. I can have a high end look, at a fraction of the cost. It helps to be crafty. :)
@Emmi - Mold? That's not good. Can you use a fabric shower curtain with a curtain liner and just wash them? That's what we do.
My bathroom cabinat is a vintage mirror stuck on the front of a cheap medicine cabinet, my q tips live in beautiful vintage teacup and its saucer is a a soap dish, the milk jug hold the toothbrushes and the sugar bowl cotton balls! Vintage linen teatowels were repurposed into blinds. I like a bathroom that doesn't feel to clinical or bathroom like!
My former apartment building in NYC had a great space saver in the bathroom - a rack on the wall opposite the showerhead. I stored my towels there. You'd think they'd get wet but if the ceiling is high enough/shower is big enough (this one seemed standard) it's not a problem. Convenient too!
GILLIANNE -- it's a discontinued remnant from a textile showroom where I used to work. So, sorry, now source.
JEN --great! I was kind of wary because I really like sturdy things, and that one is in our kids bathroom so it gets a beating. We've had it in for about a year and a half, and it still looks brand new.
Here's my bathroom splurge. Heated toilet seat.... need I say more?
An old champagne bucket as a trash can?! Excuse me?! That's just downright against my religion. Nothing should go into a champagne bucket but bubbly - maybe wine but not trash. Ugh the horror.
Have any of you ever seen a bathroom trash can (or trash can-like canister for that matter) that has a latch on it? Kind of like an old mason jar I guess. We have 3 cats and any trash can we've put in our bathroom so far ends up all over our apartment in the morning. I would stash it under our sink, but there isn't enough room in our tiny bathroom. Any ideas?
I have found that hanging the shower rod a bit higher and then adding an "outside the tub" curtain that goes nearly to the floor adds sophistication and a sense of elegance to my tiny bathroom. 84" long window panels are ideal for this.
On the subject of covered-versus-not bathroom trash cans: even if you don't really use your bathroom waste basket for much, consider whether you'll have guests who might want a little more coverage for things they throw away in your bathroom (ex, sanitary supplies, used Q-tips, hair from the shower drain, that sort of thing.) I've had a number of uncomfortable situations when I was visiting a friend's house (usually a home owned by men) and couldn't find a neat way to dispose of my trash without having to carry it out to the kitchen garbage. Yuck!
I agree with SKIDOO. white, clear, serene will always look high end and work in a lot of different places. I splurged on top quality fluffy white towels, a gorgeous white curtain, matching thick white rug and special curtain rings from Anthopologie. Any dumpy cramped rental bathroom looked better with these items.
I live in a rental that I'm not able to do much with. In my bathroom the toilet is cracked, the vanity is ugly, the linoleum is trying to come up, the towel bar is trying to free itself from the drywall, and the lighting leaves much to be desired. However, with the addition of a bowed shower curtain rod and pretty shower curtain, new shower head, plush bath mat, and nice towels I don't even notice that my crummy bathroom isn't a 5 star hotel!
When I had my bathroom gutted I wish I had been smarter selecting who did this job. When the tub was out & the walls were bare bones the piping should have been changed. I was not aware of this so I have a constant drip when the shower in on. (URGH!)
Even if the bathroom is better I still have the annoying drip.
I love pedestal sinks so I got matching toilet & sink. That's as matchy as I get!!!
Yes...the post about cheap bathroom mirrors that are medicine cabinets is true. I wish I did not need the cabinet & a vintage mirror would be on the wall. These cabinets are a joke!
I'm always changing my shower curtain so I visit my local thrift store often. The other day Score! $3.00 for a white cotton shower curtain with softly coloured dragonflies (some embroidered). It's perfect....just wish there had been 2. I was thinking that 2 shower curtains would give the bathroom a softer feeling (add warmth) I did this once with 2 bedroom curtains but had to hang them so high it looked odd in my small bathroom. Eventually I will try it again with shower curtains.
On the trash can issue. For the longest time I would not have one in the bathroom. Go to the kitchen to throw it away. Finally, I did give in. I use a tin that was used for flowers. But, only paper is allowed in it & no wet items. I know...but it's only me....until mom visits. I'm still on the fence about it but it does hide the UGLY toilet brush that I hate. This was a great post & lots of good advice from others.
SHOWER CURTAIN. We bought a fabric shower curtain like the ones used in hotels - no plastic liner, just the curtain. Made out of the same kind of stuff parachutes are made of. The curtain gets wet, but the water does not get out. AAANNDDD, the curtain and the tub/shower dry great - no mold/mildew. Another big plus - easy to throw in the wash.