For starters, hang a shower curtain all the way from the ceiling (and keep it closed). On a budget, you can use a sheet and an extra-long liner.

Then add a rug and really nice towels that coordinate with the shower curtain.

Then add some kind of attractive tray on either side of the sink to hold your toiletries, etc. (and to cover up the marbly swirl.

Finally, scrounge through your stuff for collections that could be cool decorations: shells, action figures, posters, whatever.

I was in a similar bathroom and I am still in process of remodeling it. I changed out the cabinet fronts adn then painted everything white- at least this way I really thought I was looking at a blank pallette, the 80s look made it seem overwhelming. I got simple sink fixtures (30 bucks a piece at HD) Righgt now I haev a simple black and white look and it is still in process but it helped me see the potential more clearly adn honestly a white bath is rather inviting- when I wanted a spa look I simply added some light green accents, and fluffy towels- recently I started adding some black and white things and it is taking shape. You can see pics at my flikr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37517326@N04/sets/72157616865486999/

If i had to say a few quick easy things that would make a big change-

frame the mirror out (you can buy fancy floor and ceiling trim and have the hardware store cut it to be a frame size, apply to mirror with mirror mastic or even velcro if you buy the lightweight trim)

paint- maybe a pale blue/grey

maybe cover the fronts of the drawers with some interesting paper or decal adn paint the wood parts of the cabinets a coodinating color

add simple hardware to cabinets (even the fake drawers)

a simple plant and some fluffy towels

I too have 80's bathrooms - 3 of them, although my vanities are all oak (VERY popular in the 80's) with marble one-piece sink/countertops. Fortunately, the tile is an off-white and the tubs & toilets are white. I'm planning to replace the oak vanities and the one-piece sinks/counters with something more modern (bamboo or teak, maybe).

I think if you painted the walls a bright, bold color - maybe red or an electric blue - the beigey-sand tiles with the flowers would fade into the background and be less of a focal point. Get a bright shower curtain, and maybe paint the vanity cabinet a dark gray or black. Add some bright accessories to the vanity countertop and you won't notice the earth tones at all.

They really loved huge frameless mirrors in the 80's, didn't they? All three of my bathrooms have huge, heavy frameless mirrors like yours. And...even worse...my living room has floor-to-ceiling mirrors glued to the walls! I can't figure out how to get them off without tearing the whole wall down, drywall and all.

I agree with the other posters. Choose a color you like for the walls/woodwork and get new hardware. Then, co-ordinate a shower curtain/linens/rug...adding in some funky decor items...no one (including you) will even notice the flower tiles.

It's a really nice sized bathroom!

Very inexpensively speaking, I just found stick on tiles that look like regular tile or glass, and at about 10$ for 4, you could buy just enough sets to cover the occasional ugly flower only. I found them at Home Depot on the end of an isle near bathrooms and window treatments, and they had a couple different styles and sizes of more modern ones. They are a heavy duty adhesive but they can be removed with heat (i.e., a blow dryer). Read the instructions in the store, b/c you need to buy a specific tile cleaner (TPsomething?) before you stick them on.

That's just one tip- hope it works! I would say get the tiles first and then see how you can modernize the bathroom from there. Or MCMernize, whatever you plan on doing...

Go to BEHR.COM and use their paint tool to help conjure up a new color scheme...using that cafe-au-lait color as an accent.

I came up with a few blues that have a greyish undercast to them. I think that would look very nice if you wanted to repaint and get new towels and a new shower curtain (to keep closed and hide those fleurs).

I agree with the other posters that framing the mirror would be cool, but I was more struck by the awkward placement of the towel bar. What if you used something scavenged for a set of hooks? Or something I've always wanted to do is find just the back part of a ladderback chair and use it for hanging towels. Also, I've noticed more and more people using large hanging lights in the bathroom. How about one of those inexpensive round lanterns (I'd go with nylon since paper would fall apart in the bathroom's moist environment). I bought some from here recently http://www.asianimportstore.com/nylonlanterns.html And the other thing I thought of for you, since you have the scavenging gift -- look for a teak table that would fit your sink, cut off the top and trim the legs to size, and fit the plumbing from the back.

The first thing I would suggest is moving the toliet paper holder.

Paint or replace the cabinet fronts if you can.

Can you use tile appliques over the flowers that are more to your taste?

i had almost the exact same bathroom in my old apartment. here's what you got to do:
-don't try to disguise the fact the bathroom is beige by painting crazy colors, go with it. either keep the walls the same or paint them a shade of mocha that is in the same color family as the rest of the bathroom but that will add contrast.

-get a storage stool or hamper in wicker

accessorize with white:
-white ceramic french style soap pump, dish etc or clear glass
-white towels and bath matt
-white or off white sheer-ish shower curtain
-white candles
-a white cabinet with glass doors would look really great above the toilet and move the towel rack

-get some bamboo, ivy or dried eucalyptus in a vase for color

you'll see, it'll look great!

If you totally hate the beige- you could go in for a professional refinish paint job on the Tile, tub and/or counter- these can last 5-10 years... make it a bright crisp white and add an accent color on the walls and with the towels/shower curtain etc.
Mine is an 80's bath as well and that is the path I plan to take. Worse yet - mine is in gray, sea foam green and pink......

Not sure if you are renting and can't paint the vanity but you could buy some cool fabric and adhere it to the doors using liquid starch. It comes right off when you get it wet.. might peel a little in a steamy bathroom but starch is a buck so you can just stick it back on. I would get a white shower curtain or light colored one with clear liner so you don't block the light but hide the grandma tile. Then buy big ornate frame at a thrift store and paint it a bright color and hang it over the mirror in front of the sink (hang it from above with a triangle of picture wire hidden by a cool piece of fabric). It doesn't have to be as big as the mirror.. just big enough so you can still do your thing..

That's exactly how my bathrooms are laid out but w/ no window....

I have a bath/shower that is just very plain white, and for the forseeable future....that white will be paint and a white shower liner.....not the subway tiles I covet

Just clean, plain white....nice....fresh..

So....I just did a floor to ceiling shower curtain with gauzy ikea curtains.....2 of them on 1 rail and sewn together

It creates a translucent...but very dramatic and different touch to my black and white bathroom....it gives a plain shower a WOW factor....people comment often

If you did something that, in a green, a nice pattern, or even a red, it would look great with the light behind the windows and soften the room by hiding that flower pattern......the floors look great!

well, taste is so subjective.

the first thing is to remove the shower curtain, which is an eyesore. i think a contrast to the cafe au lait would be better than tying to disguise it! certain colors one next to another can enliven each other.

the tile applique idea is great; see what is out there. i would repaint the walls a color (NOT white or off white) that enlivens the cafe au lait. the floor is nice; one of the strong points of the room. are you trying to keep with the style in the rest of the townhouse?

all is so square in there; you need something round or curved to balance out all that squareness and square grids; something to soften things a bit.

but for on the cheap:

~new shower curtain - this is #1. that one is an eyesore and an energy drain.
~ tile appliques to cover the flower tiles and that would tie in your other colors from the walls and trim
~new wall color(s)
~ contrasting trim/cabinet accent color(s) (unless you want to keep the natural wood). wall color 2 accent colors, or even paint one wall an accent color that is richer than the other walls.
~new lighting (i like the hanging nylon lantern idea) in some part of the room to add ambience.
~perhaps one or two small pictures or decorative wall items, well placed
~agree with previous poster that the towel rack is unfortunately placed and wastes good wall space for something of use or interest that would be more aesthetic.

I agree with other posters about the shower curtain... it needs to go. Plain white and long would be great, something to let the light through but cover up the tiles on top and the tub on bottom.

How about some decking for the floor to give that spa feel? You'd have to work around the toilet, and you'd have to clean underneath on a semi regular basis. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60090639

I think you could paint those flower tiles, as long as you use a good primer and a good paint (maybe melamine? your local paint pro shop should be able to help) Sanding them first is imperative. I have painted tile backsplash in a kitchen and it held up amazingly well. Of course, a shower is a little wetter, but it's worth a try. Or you could bust out only the flower tiles and replace them with another (contrasting) tile, then regrout. I don't think the peel and stick tiles would stick for long in a shower.

Cupboard doors... definitely paint or replace. Perhaps wood veneer with a dark stain?

I personally wouldn't go with an overly wild colour on the walls, it wouldn't look right with the earth tones. You definitely need some contrast and drama, but I'd probably try a natural looking green of some sort, or maybe a pale blue with bright white accessories and some dark browns. Something to dramatize but nothing that will look gaudy.

Definitely change TP holder, towel bar and lighting. Towel should be across from the toilet and you can use the space above the toilet for some kind of rack or shelf. A TP holder is less conspicuous if beside the toilet (mounted on vanity side). Definitely change the mirror or frame it.

You need something funky and artistic to spice up the walls and personalize the room. Something that goes with the theme of whatever shower curtain you choose.

I live in a rental with a very similar color scheme. I painted the walls a deep eggplant purple. In my case, the tiles went 3/4 of the way up, so I even painted the ceiling, but that might be overkill in your case. I changed the fixtures (shower rod, tp holder, towel racks) to gold because it contrasted better with the cafe au lait tiles. I then added a simple bright white waffle weave shower curtain, hung as high as I could get away with, fluffy white bath mats, and fluffy white towels to contrast everything. Add a bold piece of art work or two and some contrasting colors (I used apple green) to break up the dramatic wall color. I also changed out the ceiling light with a large rice paper lamp. I was amazed at how these simple changes (which cost me around $100 total) took my bathroom from bla to dramatic.

In your case, I think the suggestion to paint or add decals to the cabinets and some interesting hardware, as well as framing out the mirror would go a long way to making this a space you enjoy. Good luck!

These pictures leave out most of the ugly parts of the bathroom, but they should give you an idea of what I mean:
http://picasaweb.google.com/tisharayann/MyTinyPieceOfChicago?authkey=Gv1sRgCJKvuoPn3oPPeQ&feat=directlink

Is it so bad that you have a well-kept and well-maintained clean and functional bathroom? So many people around the world would be so pleased to have such a bathroom.

Enjoy and appreciate what you have - Save your money and when you have sufficient funds and time, then make changes as you wish.

That paper roll makes using the toilet a dare.

I'd paint the shower, vanity, window frame, doors, and jambs the same color as the tub.

I'd paint the walls semi-gloss dark apricot.

I'd throw stainless knobs on the vanity and a stainless TP hook on its side.

I'd replace the hollywood light bulbs and find a plastic diffuser.

I've researched the decal or painting of tiles in the shower. It's not a good idea to diy this. I've read that it's ok for other areas like around the sink or the kitchen, but not the shower. The only way to go is a professional job. It's suppose to be cheaper than a remod, but maybe that is still out of your budget.

I also disagree with adhering anything to the cabinet fronts. Stick with pant, you will have less problems. Make sure you clean them and prime them...do it right and take your time. Paint is a magical thing and so a handles and pulls.

I'd get rid of that window curtain and you can either frost the glass or get a decal to for privacy. If you have never done window tinting/decals look it up so you do it right. It's pretty easy.

Do you have anyone handy to help you? Because you could easily change out that counter if you did.

I would change out that lighting fixture even if it meant hiring a electrician....well worth it.

You can change out the plumbing fixtures as well. Check out your local hardware store for classes for all these things if you aren't confident.

Most colors will go with that 80's beige. I wouldn't go bold though. I would keep it more muted. I like my bathrooms more on the serene side. There are great inspirational pictures by the paint chips at the store.

I'd paint the bathroom door as well.

A few ideas:

Overall colour scheme: Beige - brown - red.

Replace the countertop - that'll have a great impact. Dark-ish wood (something wet-room proof). Get a small red vase similar.

2-3 pieces of artwork for the walls: Something with a primarily red motif, a white passe-partout and dark brown frame.

Paint the walls in a medium to dark colour, like chocolate brown. It will not make the hardware less beige, but it'll certainly stop the room from looking so typically 1980'es.

You can "hide" a lot of the tiled walls with shower curtains. Get two red shower curtains (for the front) and close them partially (like 1/3) from both sides. Get a third shower curtain for the window, cut it just above the bathtub and keep it closed. I'd choose a white, semitransparent curtain for the window and a strong red colour for the two in front.

We covered the tiles in our eighties bathroom with tongued and grooved wood. The bath etc were a similar colour to this and we painted the wood cream. It has worked well but it is in the guest bathroom so it doesn't get daily use.

Ummm....be glad it isn't a big bad '60s bathroom? That's what I've got and it's horrific (everything pink). My lovely house built in 1913 undoubtedly once had a nice bathroom but at some point the renovators got it.

I am hoping this year finally to afford to re-do it and I'm going to try to make it as era-neutral as possible, in deference to future owners!

See if you can find replacement tiles for the flower tiles. To me, the flowers don't look that bad and might be okay depending on the paint of the bathroom walls. Replace the fixtures in a nickel or wrought iron. Get a nice rug to match whatever shower curtain you pick for the room. If you are going to keep the flower tiles, maybe something in a nice earth tone. Find some cheap accessories and you should be able to do this on a budget.

I had a similar situation in a bathroom but with pink flower tiles. Here is what I did, many of which have already been suggested. The bottom line is to keep it simple, but at the same time distract from the less contemporary features.

1. Paint the walls boldly, but not garishly. I did mine in a deep moss green. I could see you going with chocolate brown or a deep taupe.

2. Take down the mirror and replace it with a large framed mirror. Maybe go with a black, walnut, or silver frame.

3. Replace the vanity light fixture with something in polished nickel. Possibly a three-light sconce. I went with one from restoration hardware

http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/category/category_collections_gallery.jsp;jsessionid=3MVHO1SVZOYK3LAWCQKSDSVMCYKBMH20?navAction=jump&navCount=0&categoryId=cat960013

4. Replace the towel bar and toilet paper holder, and shower head with something in polished nickel.

5. Use a white waffle weave shower curtain (and keep it closed), rug, and fluffy white towels.

6. Whatever you do, don't start decoupaging and adding stick on fabrics & tiles to floors and vanities. I can assure you that the bathroom is the last place to use these faux applications. They will show wear quickly, and actually enhance the tackiness of the room.

The flowered tiles are the worst thing here. It is possible (and not very difficult) to replace individual tiles. Googling "replace cracked tile" should pull up lots of info.

My 5 cents worth:

Good points that it already has:
- it looks clean. That's a real plus already. (It's just ugly).
- I like the mirror. I think it's a great size (and it's as neutral as you can get) plus it widens the width of the bathroom.
- I like the lights above the mirror (very backstage theatre).
- I like the towel rail and I think the toilet paper holder is just funny! (That's easily moved to the side of the vanity if need be)

Stuff you must change:
- The tiles in and around the bath. For the short term, if you can't bear them, I would paint them white. (Including the side of the bath)
- I would repaint the walls white.
- If you can't afford to change the basin unit, I would leave it as is.
- If the floor tiles are not beige but a late colour, I would leave them. If everything else was white, I think they wouldn't look so bad.
- I think the toilet is a decent shape but not a good colour, but i'd leave it.
- As someone suggested, I'd move the rail to near ceiling height and get a shower curtain that you love that blends with the colours you have. (I'm thinking mostly white, with perhaps small coffee coloured tiny dots, or a small border motif border across the bottom. Again I'd choose chocolate or a leaf pattern (fern? with a bit of brown in it).
- I would then put in some magnificent ferns as centre pieces that would detract from the neutral colours.

(PS: I'm not a fan of neutral colour either, but I don't think you can mask it all with a small budget.) I don't like sloppy cover ups... so I reckon if you keep just the vanity, toilet and bath in the neutral colours all your other white features would tone the 80s down and brighten up the room.

If you could paint the floor tiles (don't know how long-lasting that would be) that would obviously help, but I'd go a chocolate or white.

PS: On this site ages ago, I saw a great solution to a very ugly toilet (similar colours, if not worse). They had a huge red painting sitting on the toilet. It looked great and totally distracted from the 80s ugliness. I wouldn't have thought that it would work but it did.

Ooh, after much searching - I found the image: http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/060908lisacoristour/29lisacoris

I feel your pain...I have very similar tiles in my bathroom....but mine is a rental so I'm limited to what I can do. Good Luck!

Why not just go with an 80s theme? Pick the most Golden Girls, Cosby esque patterns you can? But not Santa Fe style - stay away from the 90s southwest stuff. More like bold 70s patterns in 80s colors.

There is a ceramic paint in craft stores (I seem to think it's called Pebo, but that's a feeble memory.) Assuming your landlord (I thought you were a renter?) approves, you could paint over the flowers with a solid color that matches something in the tiles, and at least lose the designs. Maybe you could paint a second coat with African motifs (work great in neutrals and are easy) or tape off geometrics, like concentric squares, and paint them in another color.

I have the same exact tiles in my bathroom. I would love to change a lot but it is a rental apartment. I also have an oak vanity with an ivory colored laminate countertop. I painted the walls a darker brown and have beige and dark brown towels and a beige floor to ceiling shower curtain that has some texture on it. I also purchased chrome accessories which help give it a little sparkle. I played with the beige/brown tones with white and chrome accents and it looks really cozy in there.

Maybe you need to try some bold statement colors on the walls to draw attention away from the older fixtures and tiles. You would still want to find a color that matched, however. Maybe a dark chocolate?

One easy thing, if you can install a shower curtain rod (maybe a tension rod) at the ceiling and drop a floor-to-ceiling shower curtain in a really nice fabric, that would be a start. It would add a focal point and also sort of hide the tiles and tub behind it.

I would also move the towel rack, or invest in a nice shelf/rack and put some folded white towels on it. Think "spa" style and deck it with some nice accessories.

I also have a slightly outdated bathroom (though luckily it's white and gray), but when I added a coat of rich, gray/purple paint, the old fixtures were suddenly less noticeable.

Here are few ideas on my friend's bathroom too. You can see what a coat of paint can do:
http://mochihome.com/?cat=7

Good Luck!

I say embrace the ugliness/tackiness until you have enough money to do a real renovation. A tacky palm tree shower curtain and a couple of hula dancers could go a long way! lol but seriously, a better shower curtain, a coat of darker paint and a new mirror and light fixture could make a big difference. You could always plan a big renovation now and do a little bit at a time; paint one year, a new vanity the next, etc.

Ah, the bathrooms of my youth...

My advice would be to keep it as simple as possible: don't waste money or energy in "fixing" this bathroom -- save it for the eventual renovation.

(A cosmetic renovation for a bathroom like this should not be overly expensive -- new white fixtures (tub, toilet, sink), simple white subway tiles for the walls (stacked instead of a running bond for a more modern look), white rubber for the floor, new cabinet and lighting. It is something a couple could do themselves, if well planned, instead of hiring out -- especially if you have another toilet or bathroom in the house).

Moving on to your current problem though...

I wouldn't even make the effort to paint, I would just get modern accessories to update the space from the '80s.

Personally, I would go for a clean simple white spa look: a long white chenille loop rug (2 smaller rugs joined together), a cotton shower curtain curtain (with liner) on rolling ball hooks and waffle weave spa towels,

http://www.jreneeonline.com/pd-jumble-waffle-weave-towels-robes-by-the-purists.cfm

in addition to lovely natural linen towels, frosted film for the window. I would replace the towel holder with IKEA's GRUNDTAL towel hanger/shelf to stack and show off the lovely towels spa and linen towels:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30049279

Keep soaps and shampoos minimal, discreet (hidden if possible), and high-end if on display -- maybe a glass Savon de Marseille hand soap.

Look for interesting containers and trays from Armani Casa or resin goods (in white) from Martha Sturdy. Get a white VIPP 13 or 14 trash can.

Don't invest in something that will not stand the test of time, or that you will get rid of in a renovation.

That's my big ol' bathroom - thanks for the great ideas and nice comments everyone! I especially like the idea of doing a floor to ceiling curtain, and I'm going to investigate all the paint ideas you guys have recommended. The towel bar is gonna go, and I have to take a closer look at getting rid of the toilet paper holder (it's in the same beige, only ceramic and built into the wall...). I really appreciate all the help - thanks again!