Old bathroom needs a revamp!!

7 years ago

I hate my bathroom and really want to revamp it but I'm on a budget! Any ideas for fixes particularly anything I can do with the vast amount of mirror without pulling them all down and ideas for the horrible tiles would be appreciated! I can't afford to retile the whole thing and they go all the way up to the ceiling! Could I paint them? The bathroom gets quite steamy as it's very small so not sure what art would hold out! Help!

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Jo Chrobak Invent Design Create Ltd

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Hi Jessica. I know how it feels to have a bathroom you dislike without a budget. I have a few ideas for you using tile decals and some new vinyl flooring which is easy to lay.

A luxurious new shower curtain, toilet seat and a good tidy up will do wonders but also try some of the ideas I have for you below, which are cost effective and require minimal skill. Stick to a monochrome pallet with black, grey and white, then you will be able to use colourful towels and rugs to add colour and style without affecting the overall look too much.

If you can afford to invest or you have a family member or friend that is handy with tools, you could ask them to create a built in cabinet for you to hide everything away and make it appear more sleek and less cluttered. Never underestimate the power of storage.

Also some lower level lighting could create a more moody space for you (maybe IP45 rated strip led lighting on a dimmer at low or high level.

I hope this helped you get some ideas on how to progress ;-)

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Comments (15)

S L
7 years ago
Hi Jessica, you could maybe look into putting panels over the tiles. While some in the marine ply can be expensive there are some cheaper pvc versions. Your bathroom doesn't look that big so it shouldn't cost that much
Jessica Down thanked S L
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I think the main issue is the lighting. If its a gloomy room and you need to put the light on during the day and obviously in the evening, then a pendant light won't give out a nice quality of light to make much difference. I would consider putting in some really good LEDs to get the lighting right to start with. In terms of paint there are lots of options. One is to paint the walls a soft white that works with the tiles and paint the bath something like India Yellow which would really add some interest, it could be repeated with towels etc. Another is to match a paint to the tiles, either the same tone or lighter, this would involve buying more test pots and testing them on pieces of paper next to the tiles. Another is to paint something strong on the walls such as India Yellow or Bancha, a saturated colour is a good way of fighting the gloom.
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tamp75
7 years ago
Hi, you can get tile paint which I'd apply with a small foam roller for a smooth finish. I actually don't think the mirrors will be too bad once the tiles are painted. I'd also go for greys & white. Either repaint wooden floor white with mid / dark grey tiles then some brightly coloured accessories or dark vinyl flooring with white walls again with some colour in towels, etc plus a plant or 2.
Jessica Down thanked tamp75
Norren Bird
7 years ago
Hi Jessica. I once inherited a terrible peach bathroom which I hated, so I feel your pain! You can buy tongue and groove panels in DIY stores which you can stick over the tiles and paint, and then you could re-tile the area around your bath and shower. If the walls feel sound you can tile on top of tile. Shops like B&Q/Homebase are always discontinuing ranges and you can buy boxes for as little as £1. Also, it's worth registering with Freegle or similar in case anyone has a couple of leftover boxes going free. I'd say you're a little short on storage, so budget permitting, you could consider swapping your basin for a vanity unit - again look at showrooms for ex-display etc. Good luck! x
Jessica Down thanked Norren Bird
Sonia
7 years ago
Hi, it is the tiles that let the room down. Would it be worth getting a tiler in to quote for removal and retiling? It may not be as expensive as you think, and if it is then you can consider other options. You can do little things like replace loo seat with a white one, replace shower curtain with a shower screen (Wickes do a nice one and not too pricey) and paint the floor white, or board it and lay vinyl. Today's vinyl is fab and non slip. May I suggest a Morrocan style one with grey and white tile effect, or maybe a faded whitewashed wood effect. They really are worth a look. Finally, storage - put everything away except maybe nice handwash and cheery towels. Nothing makes a bathroom look untidy like bottles of shampoo, conditioner etc everywhere. Good luck with your update!
Jessica Down thanked Sonia
mrsthing
7 years ago
If it were my bathroom, I'd remove the mirrors and patch up any holes left behind in the plaster with filler, then paint the walls and hang a big mirror with an ornate frame instead. I'd leave the tiles as they are until I could afford to replace them but use one of those grout-whitener pens to tidy up the grout around the bath area, then add a white toilet seat, new shower curtain and rail and find some sort of cheap storage solution to hide the bottles. There are units which fit around a pedestal sink which might work. I'd also use the glass shelves above the end of the bath for something decorative so that your eye is drawn to something pretty when you open the door instead of multi-coloured plastic bottles.
Jessica Down thanked mrsthing
PRO
Pat Oliver Interior Design
7 years ago
The first thing you need to do is create storage. If you change your pedestal sink for a vanity, there would be storage below for bottles and jars. Also, you have some space at the end of your shower. Have your local joiner make a shallow, tall cupboard right down to the tub to make it look built in. Finish it in an exterior paint to take the moisture from the shower.

There are specialist paints for tiles. Forget B & Q. Go to your
local decorators' merchants for advice and good quality paints. If the quantity of mirror is not to your taste, remove the one to the left of the toilet, however the wall would be recessed from the front of the tiles below and the only way to repair that would be to tile with the same size tiles, then paint them as well. Better to leave the mirror until you've done the tile painting.

A glass shower screen, replacing the curtain, will make the room seem larger.

Painting the tiles white would make the room clean and fresh and neutral. I'd leave the floor as is. Wood is warm visually and underfoot. Using some natural baskets for waste and for a planter would link to the floor.

Warm the room up with brightly coloured towels and bathmat. Put up some colourful prints using double sided tape to stick to the tiles and the mirror.
Jessica Down thanked Pat Oliver Interior Design
User
7 years ago
Ive read all the comments and there are some great ideas. I know that using a colour other than white to paint tiles can look worse sometimes as you lose the contrasting white grout lines and the tile effect. I would also remove the large mirrors in favour of a framed version as suggested. If you really dont like it though,could I suggest living with it for another year while you save up and completely re fit the bathroom to your taste,thats what I would do!
Jessica Down thanked User
PRO
BigBathroomShop
7 years ago
We agree with previous comments about storage - it's a must in any bathroom! Keeping clutter hidden away transforms a bathroom, whether that's with a vanity unit or a mirrored cabinet. Bath screens are great too and create a smart, modern look. Fitting new taps and accessories will revamp your bathroom also.

Check out our blog where you'll find plenty of bathroom ideas to inspire you http://www.bigbathroomshop.co.uk/info/blog/

Hope that gives you some ideas.
Jessica Down thanked BigBathroomShop
margretg2
7 years ago
I'm not sure why everyone is suggesting you remove the mirror. Mirrors make bathrooms look bigger and, unlike tiles, they don't have grout that gets grubby in a poorly ventilated space. If it's the steam that's a problem, a powerful extractor would make a big difference.

If it were my bathroom, I'd replace the old-fashioned loo with something more streamlined. These are not as expensive as you might think eg https://www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/#ProductbigImgPopup and have the added advantage of making new tiling a lot easier when/if you can afford it.

Covering the wooden floor would help a lot, too. Some modern vinyls are really quite stylish and because it's such a small space you don't have to go for bargain basement. It's probably best to avoid anything that's pretending to be ceramic tiles. Try metal-effect. I bought some from John Lewis's own brand for a flat I was renovating and it looked wonderful.
Jessica Down thanked margretg2
PRO
Anthony Kawalski
6 years ago
Just close the loo seat before any photography.
Please and thank you...
Jessica Down thanked Anthony Kawalski
PRO
Anthony Kawalski
6 years ago
@jessicacolson

Hi there!! Greetings from Canada‼️
How did the project go?
Jessica Down
Original Author
6 years ago
PRO
Jo Chrobak Invent Design Create Ltd
6 years ago
wow great job!
Robert Harrington
2 years ago
Wow, Jessica! It's really great! Sorry for up, but how did you do that? And where to find professionals? I hired this company, but I'm totally disappointed at all... They used strange chemicals and just escaped

Old bathroom needs a revamp!!

Jo Chrobak Invent Design Create Ltd

Comments (15)

S L

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