How to Plan & Design a Bathroom on a Budget
Oh I wish my bathroom was this big but sadly it is isn’t - it’s a tiny little bathroom in a 100 year old house. In honor of me finally getting off my butt and ‘remodeling’ my bathroom after 2 years of living in our house I am officially declaring March 2009 Bathroom Month. I am on a limited budget so my remodel was an economical one. I antique crackled my cheap bathroom vanity which came out wonderful!
Every homeowner wants to have a space that is distinctive to their personality. The bathroom is the perfect place to showcase your unique personality. I have a bad habit of judging someone’s taste and style after taking a trip to the rest room. After all, one’s bathroom says a great deal more about your taste and personality than most other rooms in your house.
There are three main factors to take into consideration when personalizing your bathroom: layout, size and style. Finding an “inspiration” piece is a great place to start. For example, in my bathroom remodel I focused the color and accessories around my brown and teal shower curtain that I absolutely love. Other ideas for inspiration include artwork, a bathroom vanity, a gorgeous bathroom faucet, even a picture you find in a magazine. Tailor your inspiration to your specific tastes and needs.
For inspiration books and magazines on decorating are a wonderful place to start to generate plenty of ideas. I keep a notebook of all my inspiration pictures that I take from books, magazines or websites. I start off without any filtering then review over and over until I have made a decision. I am fickle like that - one day I might love a French country style then the next day I’ll hate it and want a more modern style so it helps to keep all of my inspiration pictures together and review often until I have finally made a decision.
Give careful consideration and thought before you begin your bathroom remodel - you’re going to change the look and feel of your house when you remodel your bathroom. Remodeling my bathroom was hard work (painting in my little tiny bathroom wasn’t the most pleasant of all jobs) so you want to choose something that you are willing to live with for quite awhile.
When planning your remodel take into consideration the amount of space that you currently have. Often rooms lack space and storage so the remodel is a wonderful time to install new storage into the décor. Changing the floor plan in the bathroom is usually a very expensive endeavor. So to avoid such a costly endeavor there are many storage options on the market today such as over the toilet storage pieces, shelving, baskets - be creative and don’t be afraid to experiment! These are all important considerations that will help you design your bathroom so that it is stylish, personalized and functional.
I would highly recommend discussing your design plans with your family members. I know that if my husband hates the color I am painting I will not hear the end of it for years. Their input can offer valuable insight into what areas are lacking in your bathroom.
My grandmother used to say perfect planning prevents poor performance. The more careful and thought out the plan the better. Plan for design, budget, space, layout and style and enjoy your new bathroom.