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9 Budget Friendly Ideas To Update a Dull Bathroom Without Remodeling

Bathrooms are part of our homes where we spend a fair amount of time  pampering ourselves from the moment we start the day until when we are ready for bedtime. They should therefore be calming and inspiring spaces that help us prepare for the day with joy and end it in a relaxing spa-like atmosphere.

But, what do you do if your bathroom looks dull and unappealing to the point that you dread using it, and you simply can’t afford a full-blown remodeling or you are stuck in a rental?

Keep reading to find out simple yet practical homeowner and renter-friendly ideas that can transform your bathrooms into sophisticated and welcoming spaces within a tight budget.

Make an impact with removable wall murals or wallpapers

Make an impact in your bathroom with an eye-catchy removable vinyl wallpaper or wall mural that showcases a pattern of your choice.  They are family friendly and can withstand the demands of a wet high-traffic space.

Go bold with a floral wallpaper or a scenic nature-inspired wall mural that will elevate your bathroom.

Alternatively, keep it clean and subtle with a minimalist wallpaper with subtle designs and a muted colour palette of white, beige, greige, soft pink, or light grey and pastel blue.

Create a feature shower wall with self-adhesive tiles

If you want to hide the ugly bathroom tiles in your rental or simply elevate the look of your  shower area, use striking contrasting peel and stick tiles to create a feature shower wall.

Pick removable wall tiles that mimic either porcelain, ceramic, wood, or natural stones of your choice. Make sure your chosen feature shower wall pattern works cohesively with the key elements in your bathroom. The herringbone tile pattern for a feature shower wall is very much in trend right now in light of its classic and timeless appeal.

Add plants

Consider bringing the outdoors inside your bathroom with easy-to-maintain indoor plants.

From trendy and low-maintenance pampas grass and dried flowers to tiny cactus or green plants, select plants that you can easily keep alive and that are designed for wet interiors.

Realistically looking artificial plants that are best suited for people with pollen or mold allergy are also welcome. Make sure to keep dust off of them during your weekly bathroom cleaning to continue to safely enjoy your plants all year round.

Stencil your bathroom walls

Bathroom wall stenciling is an affordable way to bring dull bathroom walls back to life in a colour and pattern of your choice. 

From fake tiles to floral or geometric patterns, reusable wall stencils are available in a wide variety of designs and patterns to help you elevate your bathroom walls in a style and colour palette that are most appealing to you.

This solution is ideal for homeowners who don’t have the budget yet to splurge on expensive wallpaper or wall tile upgrades, or who simply want to add their personal touch of creativity into their bathrooms. 

Display wall art

Adding wall art into your bathroom is a simple yet effective way to infuse your personality into your space and cleverly brighten a dull wet space.

There are many options for you to explore. You can either print and frame your own pictures, use beautiful free stock photos, or buy customized paintings or wall art prints online or at flea markets.

 If it takes your fancy, create a gallery wall and mix and match different types of decorative wall hanging objects to make an impact in your bathroom.

Update your bathroom sink countertop and cabinets

Use a high quality contact paper to completely transform the look of your sink countertop and cabinetry. Removable contact paper with a marble effect in white and light grey are very popular amongst homeowners and renters alike. It brightens and adds sophistication to your bathroom.

For the cabinetry, opt for a self-adhesive contact paper with either wood grain effect, hessian or cane effects that works beautifully with your selected bathroom countertop.

Install removable flooring

Peel and stick floor tiles, vinyl sheets or vinyl planks, and laminate sheets are all cost-effective bathroom flooring options to choose from when you are desperately seeking to hide away dated tiles or a bathroom floor that doesn’t suit your home decor style.

Make sure to first measure your floor dimensions in order to purchase the right amount of square footage you will need for your DIY project. Store away the leftover vinyl sheet or peel and stick tiles you might need down the line for occasional wear and tear repairs.

Paint your bathroom tiles

For a more dramatic bathroom upgrade, be brave enough to paint your tired wall and floor tiles and regrout your bathroom tiles with a grout pen. This will completely give a fresh new look to your bathroom and modernize it in no time.

With so many paint options available, seek professional advice at your local paint store for a long-lasting paint specifically designed for bathrooms. Resin-based bathroom paints are currently gaining momentum for their durability.

Invest in nice bathroom accessories

A beautiful shower curtain, an elegant bathroom rug, soap dishes, candles, and gorgeous cotton pad storage boxes displayed in a hand carved or marble bathroom tray alongside fresh face toilets and decorative trinkets can add a touch of glamour to your bathroom.

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