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Posted on: September 1, 2005

Flush it Out

Money-wise makeovers can bring your bathrooms into the 21st century without breaking the bank.

By Deborah Douglas
CTW Features

Image courtesy Decolav

Before you begin your bath renaissance, you must decide how you want a the room to function, how much is in your budget and whether you want to make surface changes or get involved in hardware matters. And when you’ve decided all that, you have to ask yourself: Am I the person who should be doing all of this?

“Make a list of what you do in the bathroom,” says interior designer Lisa Abeln of Design III in Chicago. “You may dye your hair, have wet towels, bathe children. You have to think about how high the tub is, whether you have enough outlets and if you have enough natural light.”

Once you have a plan, start by investing in your bathroom’s infrastructure, such as pipes and drains. If you buy what’s in stock whenever you can, you’re guaranteed to save cash.

Check out these tips for money-wise makeovers in the kids’ bathroom, the powder room and the family bathroom.

Kids’ Bathroom

Think accessible. Think ease. Think like a kid. Make reaching towels easier by hanging children’s towels on closet and coat hooks instead of hard-to-reach racks. Invest in a sturdy stepstool so kids can reach the tub. You’ll find stools at second-hand and hardware stores, or places such as Ikea, which specialize in inexpensive yet lively accessories.

“I don’t like towel racks,” says Nan Sloan, a Minneapolis-based designer for Gabberts Furniture and Design Studio. She prefers hooks, coat trees or train tracks that function as hooks for kids. “I just prefer anything mounted on a wall.”

And don’t forget the toys. If your kids like to play while they bathe, they’ll need a basket to hang over the bathtub for tidiness’ sake.

You can get colorful with store-bought kids’ shower curtains, but if you want a functional yet custom look, make the curtains (backed by a plastic liner), Sloan says. Then use some of the same fabric to trim the woven groove in the bottom of the towels and to use as a window treatment. Cotton is preferred; silk is not an option because of potential moisture problems.

And of course, make sure that all you choose, from paint to patterns, is easily washable.

Powder Room

Remember to save money on the basics, such as white and off-white colored toilets, countertops and wash basins. And because you’re saving by buying in-stock items, you can invest in unique found objects and mood lighting.

While you should have adequate overhead and side lighting for applying makeup, use alternative mood lighting for those lazy days when you want to lollygag in the tub. A simple dimmer switch sets the right tone when you’re hosting a party. A qualified contractor can advise you on how many recessed cans you’ll need for a sophisticated look, or even what’s involved in hanging a chandelier over your bathtub.

“A chandelier over a tub is just a great dramatic effect,” Sloan says. “It’s one of those things where you have to get into the wiring and the code, such as the distance from the tub. You always defer to the electrician.”

Continue a soft theme when bringing color in with drapes, accessories and rugs. Get the feel of a luxury hotel bathroom by forgoing typical discount-store shower curtains and making your own bigger, fuller custom shower drapes (but save money by hunting for the fabric in the closeout aisle).

For instant style, a big trend is natural stone, such as 3”x6” subway tile, says Karen Thompson, an Atlanta design consultant for Home Depot Inc. This ceramic tile is less expensive yet great for a sophisticated feel.

For accessories, forget about typical bathroom fare, Sloan says. If you need a soap dish or toothbrush holder, think about items you cherish that might fit in the bathroom. Find old furniture, such as an old dresser, and use it as a base for a countertop and washbasin.

“You can take an old antique saucer from your mother’s china set, the one where the cup is broken. You can put a candle with potpourri around it,” Sloan says. “I don’t look in bath shops. I look in other places: salvage yards, garage sales, tag sales.

“You can use something like an antique leaded window in lieu of a window treatment so you can still let some light into your bathroom.”

Family Bathroom

While most designers we interviewed favor plain white and off-white walls and fixtures, no one expects you to adhere to these hard-and-fast rules. And if you have a dramatic idea for your central bathroom, you can let your design strategy flow from the bathroom to the rest of the house, instead of the other way around.

“I’m much more of the opinion that color should be consistent with what’s going on in the rest of the house,” says Sloan, who once used wallpaper with a black background and carried strong, bold colors throughout the rest of the house.

Mood lighting is an option, too. When in use, bright overhead and side lighting, such as wall sconces, is a must. But recessed lighting or a small lamp resting on the back of a toilet transforms this functional room into an oasis, Sloan says.

Getting tubs and washbasins re-glazed is much cheaper than buying new ones, our experts tell us. So if you can’t wait to get rid of your harvest-gold fixtures, this may be the move for you.

Use feng shui, the Chinese art of decorating, here and in your fancy powder room by balancing lights and darks. For example, dark, cherry wood cabinetry is popular now, Thompson says. You can contrast that with light-colored countertops and basins.

Go even fancier by getting leftovers from local marble and stone fabricators. Sometimes the stonecutters prep the wrong size for a client or the client decides they don’t want a piece. That’s when you can swoop in and take if off their hands at a steal. And if stone is what you want, remember to opt for stock so you can save money by avoiding premium customization fees.