Starter Home: Style Your First Bathroom on a Budget
Be inspired by these clever styling tips for your bathroom when ripping out and starting again isn't an option
Just moved into your first home or rental? How’s the bathroom looking? If it’s seen better days but still basically functioning, you can do all kinds of things to improve its look and feel (and most will take you no time at all). Obviously, replacing the sanitary ware and tiling is prohibitively expensive and, if you are renting, impossible, too. But with some clever styling and a few inexpensive purchases, you can turn a tired bathroom into a pampering haven in no time.
Go green
Adding house plants to your bathroom can hugely improve its appearance, introducing vibrant living green to a dull space. Many plants really enjoy the misty, warm atmosphere of a bathroom, too, and will thrive there.
Adding house plants to your bathroom can hugely improve its appearance, introducing vibrant living green to a dull space. Many plants really enjoy the misty, warm atmosphere of a bathroom, too, and will thrive there.
Lean in a ladder
If your bathroom doesn’t boast a stylish towel rail, introduce one with a lovely ladder. Go vintage and use an actual decorator’s ladder, or source a contemporary design. Ladders can be moved easily and will slot into small spaces, making them practical as well as attractive.
Decorating ideas using a vintage ladder
If your bathroom doesn’t boast a stylish towel rail, introduce one with a lovely ladder. Go vintage and use an actual decorator’s ladder, or source a contemporary design. Ladders can be moved easily and will slot into small spaces, making them practical as well as attractive.
Decorating ideas using a vintage ladder
Squeeze in some storage
By fleshing out your bathroom with useful pieces of portable storage, you will improve its functionality. Pick storage in a bold, arresting colour and it will add a welcome shot of brightness, too.
By fleshing out your bathroom with useful pieces of portable storage, you will improve its functionality. Pick storage in a bold, arresting colour and it will add a welcome shot of brightness, too.
Display treasures
Creating small, neat displays of your favourite objects brings personality to any space and can act as a pleasing diversion from a dreary scheme. This is a row of colourful bath toys, but ceramics or glass would also look appealing. Just make sure you stick to objects in water-resistant materials, as the bathroom is a humid, splashy environment!
Creating small, neat displays of your favourite objects brings personality to any space and can act as a pleasing diversion from a dreary scheme. This is a row of colourful bath toys, but ceramics or glass would also look appealing. Just make sure you stick to objects in water-resistant materials, as the bathroom is a humid, splashy environment!
Add vintage buys
The judicious use of a little vintage in your bathroom can ramp up its character rapidly. Less is often more, so don’t be tempted to style your bathroom with masses of op shop finds. Instead, pick one or two items that will look great and earn their keep, too. Here, a beautiful old wooden crate acts as towel storage.
The judicious use of a little vintage in your bathroom can ramp up its character rapidly. Less is often more, so don’t be tempted to style your bathroom with masses of op shop finds. Instead, pick one or two items that will look great and earn their keep, too. Here, a beautiful old wooden crate acts as towel storage.
Exploit a tall ceiling
If your bathroom has a small footprint but a high ceiling, make the most of these dimensions by hanging a clothes rack up high. Clothes racks can eat into floor space and make a room feel cluttered, but whisking your wet pants up to the ceiling will keep your floor laundry-free!
If your bathroom has a small footprint but a high ceiling, make the most of these dimensions by hanging a clothes rack up high. Clothes racks can eat into floor space and make a room feel cluttered, but whisking your wet pants up to the ceiling will keep your floor laundry-free!
Bring on the brightness!
Cheering up a first bathroom can be as simple and inexpensive as buying some brightly coloured towels and a zingy bath mat. This won’t break the bank, but can really perk up a tired scheme. Colourful signs such as this ‘washroom’ one can be easily propped up on a shelf or the top of a door frame if you don’t want (or aren’t allowed) to drill into walls.
Cheering up a first bathroom can be as simple and inexpensive as buying some brightly coloured towels and a zingy bath mat. This won’t break the bank, but can really perk up a tired scheme. Colourful signs such as this ‘washroom’ one can be easily propped up on a shelf or the top of a door frame if you don’t want (or aren’t allowed) to drill into walls.
Mix in a mirror
A good-sized mirror is essential in a bathroom and it’s also an easy way to inject some personality into the space. Hunt down a vintage piece, or splash out on a beautiful new design with a handsome frame. This is one piece that will prove invaluable in any bathroom, and in any home you move to.
Style your bathroom with the right mirror
A good-sized mirror is essential in a bathroom and it’s also an easy way to inject some personality into the space. Hunt down a vintage piece, or splash out on a beautiful new design with a handsome frame. This is one piece that will prove invaluable in any bathroom, and in any home you move to.
Style your bathroom with the right mirror
Keep it tidy
Once you have some storage in your bathroom, you can take control of how tidy it looks. Bottles cluttered up around the basin will look messy, so store them out of sight. Then decant liquid soaps into smart dispensers, invest in a beautiful dish to keep soap stored neatly and get hold of an attractive holder or pretty vintage mug for toothbrushes, to give your basin a clean, ordered feel.
TELL US
Do you have any other tips for brightening up a bathroom in a first home? Please add them to the Comments section.
MORE
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See Some Local Bathroom Design Inspiration
Once you have some storage in your bathroom, you can take control of how tidy it looks. Bottles cluttered up around the basin will look messy, so store them out of sight. Then decant liquid soaps into smart dispensers, invest in a beautiful dish to keep soap stored neatly and get hold of an attractive holder or pretty vintage mug for toothbrushes, to give your basin a clean, ordered feel.
TELL US
Do you have any other tips for brightening up a bathroom in a first home? Please add them to the Comments section.
MORE
Starter Home: Assembling the Essentials for Your First House
Starter Home: Style Your First Kitchen on a Budget
See Some Local Bathroom Design Inspiration
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Chairs are not on everyone’s must-include list when it comes to kitting out a bathroom, but in a first home, where making major changes is often impossible, adding small pieces of furniture to the room can greatly improve how it looks and works. Pick something small and neat, such as this vintage child’s chair, and then use it as a handy storage surface.