By JEREMY & TINA BURGI
Oh, the bathroom. The room with so many moving parts, taking care of our most basic needs. The room that seems to get dirty five minutes after you’ve cleaned it, and the room that can quickly show wear and tear. If you take a moment to look at your bathroom with an objective eye, you may notice how outdated it’s become. There are some simple DIY upgrades that will take your bathroom from drab to dynamite. Best of all, they’ll add value without busting the budget.
Lighten Up A fresh coat of paint does wonders in the bathroom, especially when you’re replacing a darker color with a lighter one. After closets, your bathroom is probably the smallest room in the house. Paint is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to transform the space. When you lack square footage, a lighter shade of paint expands the feel of the room instantly. Make sure to choose paint better suited to withstand humid conditions and repel mildew, such as a semi-gloss. And while you’re sprucing up the walls, don’t forget about the ceilings. Scrape down any dusty, steam-trapping popcorn texture and then prime and paint.
Brighten Up Continue the lightening effect by replacing outdated light fixtures, and choose brighter LED bulbs, too. Not only will it liven up the look, but it will give you a clean, more modern feel that you’ll love, and so will future prospective buyers. You’ll be pleasantly surprised what a difference a new light fixture makes in your bathroom. Just remember to turn off the power at the breaker box before working with any wiring project.
Hardware Help Another quick way to change the look and feel of your bathroom is with new hardware. That could include updated towel bars, hooks, and shower curtain rings and rods. Heck, you may as well throw in a new curtain while you’re at it. If you have an older vanity that you don’t want to replace, just changing the door pulls and hinges can make a big difference. And believe us, there is no shortage of styles and finishes to choose from. New hardware is an easy way to show off your stylish flair!
Faucet Fantastic An old faucet can really date a bathroom. Fortunately, replacing it with a modern one only takes a couple of hours. Just like the hardware, faucets come in so many styles and finishes, you may spend more time picking one out than actually replacing it. That’s because most new faucets come as an ensemble with all the components you need, including the drain collar and sink stopper. You’ll be splashing water all over the counter again in no time.
Cosmetically Speaking While fixing or replacing functional items like faucets makes good sense, so does a little beautifying. That could include putting a new bead of caulk around your tub to replace a dirty or moldy one. Grout repair products make old grout look brand new. Or hide counter clutter by installing a new medicine cabinet and mirror. Attractive shelving keeps towels and beauty supplies tidy. Change out an old or non-functioning bath exhaust fan with a quieter, more powerful one. Keeping all that steam at bay will help keep your new paint and hardware streak and rust free!
Visit your local Do it Best store or doitbest.com for thousands of the best home improvement products, including paint, fixtures, and hardware for all your bathroom DIY projects.
JEREMY & TINA BURGI operate Schlemmer Hardware Do it Center® in LaGrange. They are member-owners of Do it Best Corp., a Fort Wayne-based cooperative of thousands of hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards throughout the U.S. and around the world.
(This article is for informational purposes only. Electric Consumer and Do it Best assume no liability for the accuracy or completeness of its content, or for injuries, property damage, or the outcome of any project.)
