Bathroom Makeovers for Less Than $100

Photo: Maax/Pearl Baths.

When homeowners think of updating and remodeling their home, one of the first places they focus on is the bathroom. Updating this area can be fun and easy — and inexpensive if you are willing to do the work yourself. There are three major components to your bathroom that can easily be remodeled: the floor, walls, and bathroom accessories. You can do all this for less than $100 and invest only about two days of work.

Painting and Staining

Painting or staining should come first, since it tends to make the largest mess and takes the most time to complete. First, decide what you want for an end result. If your bathroom has traditional log walls, you may want to stain or color-wash the wood to preserve it while giving it a clean and fresh look. If your bathroom walls are drywall, you will want to decide on a different paint color. For walls made of wood, color washing the wood to bring out the natural luster and shine is the easiest way to update the room. Color washing wood, much like staining, brings newness to the room. This is the perfect choice for updating the bathroom while not going to drastic measures.

Even with color washes and stains, you can change the color of the wood while ensuring the walls are mildew- and mold-resistant. To make the room appear brighter and larger — which is essential for interior bathrooms lacking natural light — you’ll want to start with a wall color that’s bright and invites light. If you want keep the rustic appeal, stick with earth tones or natural colors.

Flooring

With a little time, a few dollars, and some ideas, you can outfit your log home with “new” flooring. Flooring companies are making it easier than ever to lay a floor down yourself, and many patterns are available that make outstanding accents. To keep the log home look, choose a floor that is or appears to be real wood. Most laminates are scratch-resistant, unlike traditional wood floors, and easy to clean.

Your local home improvement store will have several inexpensive tile options. If you go this route, use the kind with peel-off backing that stick in place. To the untrained eye, it will appear as though you slaved over the tile floor, covered in grout and tile dust, when in reality the process is simple and can be done by anyone. Tools you need include items you probably already own: a rolling pin to secure the adhesive, a box knife, and floor cleaner.

Measure your bathroom floor to determine how many tiles you will need. Most home improvement stores allow you the choice of prepackaged or individual tiles. You’ll need to cut tiles to fit around obstacles such as the toilet and vanity or sink, and plan on buying few extra tiles in case you cut one or two the wrong size. You can always return the unused tiles. Self-adhesive laminate flooring allows your bathroom a new floor for a fraction of the price and has the benefit of being able to be used immediately. It’s an excellent, efficient, and inexpensive option to consider if you’re ready for a makeover.

Accessory Decorating

Re-accessorizing is another easy and inexpensive remodeling tip. To stay true to the look of your log home, look for natural colors such as greens and earth tones in your accessories.

Look at the towels you currently have. Find a complementing color to them and purchase a few hand towels to contrast the ones you have. With the towels in mind (and in tow when heading to your local department store), consider the color of the towels and purchase a new shower curtain. (You might want to stay away from plastic shower curtains, as they tend to last only a short time and look less elegant than a fabric curtain.) A new rod for the curtain and curtain hooks when on sale will only cost a few dollars and go a long way to help your room. A shower rod with a matching towel rack and cabinet knobs will make the room feel complete. If changing all of these items is more work than you want for now, try just putting up a new shower curtain and curtain hooks.

A medium-sized wood basket for your towels or linens that will fit in a bathroom corner or on top of the counter is an easy switcheroo that’ll help the room look different. A trip to the local craft supply store will give you literally dozens of creative basket options, all of which perfectly complement the wood in a log home. Washcloths and towels can then be folded in half to hide the rough edges, rolled, and arranged nicely in the basket. You’ve saved space and made a beautiful presentation with your towels that was practically free.

If you really like the look of the basket and have other toiletries that need to be kept neatly in one place, try placing them in another basket on the sink counter. Adding a wooden shelf to a nearby wall with heirlooms or knickknacks, along with changing up the pictures on the wall, also help create a different setting. Tea lights or aromatic candles in decorative stones on the vanity can help fill the counter space. Log home bathrooms can be updated easily and inexpensively while staying true to the log home feel — and much of it can be done in just one weekend.

Check out tips from industry professionals for more cabin decorating ideas.