This is the perfect time of year for a bathroom makeover! Not an expensive, messy complete remodel, but something that will re-energize the room and delight your family and guests without breaking the bank. Tile is the most impressive - and one of the least expensive - makeovers, but there are other ways to get that visual "wow" in your bathroom!
Bathroom tile design ideas are among the easiest and most rewarding projects you,
as a homeowner, can do. Tile is inexpensive, looks solid and upscale and is actually quite easy! Really, if you have never worked with ceramic or granite tile, you should give it a try. A bathroom floor can be tiled by one or two people in a weekend for a few hundred dollars, and your vanity for much, much less.
And, if you've never studied the tile displays in the big boxes, well ... drop the mouse and get in the car! You'll see many ideas, from simple wall displays to entire areas, with soft blended colors to vibrant multicolor displays using different sized tiles and textures. The folks at those big boxes are there to help, and showing potential customers how to tile is just one of their jobs.
You will have to prepare, as is with most remodel projects, but once you tile something, you'll start looking for other rooms and areas to put your new-found skills to use in. Its that much fun! And, you'll find that all the materials, including the tile themselves, are very inexpensive. Tile, for instance, can be purchased on sale for less than a dollar each (for a 12"x12" ceramic tile). These are usually earth tones and soft colors, but not always. So, if you're tiling a small bath, say 8'x5', you're looking at spending around $50!
Of course, that's just for the tiles. You still have to buy the backer board (3 - 3'x5' boards = $35) and the grout (($15 - $20) and rent a tile saw (another $50). There will be other expenses, but you can see the cost factor is in your favor. Before you start to tally up the materials and create a cost sheet, however, spend some time surfing. Search "tile ideas", "creative tile bathroom" or see what's there for your particular style. A search for "tuscan tile ideas" or "black white tile design", especially in Google Images, will return hundreds and hundreds of ideas! Your imagination rules here.
And, don't forget the kids. In fact, if the little darlings have their own bathroom, that may be the place to start your tiling DIY career! While most tile jobs are relatively easy, there is a learning curve if this is your first time. Don't worry, tile is forgiving and, because its installed one tile at a time, is fairly simple to correct as you go. Get wild in the kid's bath and nobody will notice the few flaws and mistakes you make. BTW - search "kid bath tile" or "animal bath tile" and see how wild you can be!
Besides tile, of course, there's many other things you can do to give the bathroom a facelift that won't break the bank. Replacing the vanity or sink, getting new shower curtains, adding plants, pots and art are all easy, doable projects you can do instead of or along with your tiling. Painting the walls is the simplest, cheapest and maybe most noticeable thing you can do. And if you check out the return table at the home improvement retailers - the big boxes - you'll sometimes find lots of returned gallons for $5 or $10! These were returned because of the wrong color, shade or satin finish and the buyer needed semi-gloss. Whatever. You can find some really wild colors here.
New light fixtures are available for around $20 - $30 each in brass, chrome and many other finishes. There are attractive styles, even at these prices, and adding a brighter lighting system makes everything else look better. Window treatments, faux paint, new mirrors and even adding towel racks with new, coordinated color towels makes a big difference ... especially in a small space like a bathroom.
So, put on your creative hat and get thinking! Set a budget you can embrace and start perusing the 'net and the retailers. For more information, tips and ideas go to www.RemodelQuickTips.com and click on BATHROOM IDEAS. There you'll see these and other ideas explored further. A bathroom remodel is the perfect remodel project for fall, and could be just the thing to impress your guests this holiday season!
