Believe it or not, three weekends are sufficient to transform your tiny bathroom completely. At the end of this project you will have a luxurious oasis where the bathroom used to be. Here’s how.
On the first weekend, get rid of all the clutter in your bathroom and reorganize everything. Eliminate anything you don’t use—outdated knick-knacks, art, or excess furniture. Completely clear your bathroom of everything, and then put back only what you absolutely need. Before returning your items, categorize them and buy storage boxes or containers that you can use to make them more accessible. The less your products are visible in the open, the more spacious your bathroom will look. Extra towel bars and a wall hook for your favorite fluffy robe are inexpensive and easy-to-install organizational items that will give more space. Finally, give the bathroom a thorough cleaning—floor, walls and ceiling—and make it shine before you put your belongings back it. Don’t forget those horrible baseboards as well.
The thorough cleaning that you accomplished on the first weekend is a curtain raiser for the activity that comes next —a new paint job. Now that the walls are clean, all you need to do is consult an expert at your local home and garden store and get advice on any other preparation you may need to do before you paint over the second weekend. Things removing the gloss on the old paint may not strike you. When you decide on a paint color, remember that a pale color from the cool end of the spectrum makes any room brighter and can also be enhanced with a stencil or decorative finish. You could avoid paint altogether and use water-resistant wall paper in a light shade or pattern. A small bathroom is the best place to hone your wallpapering skills. A decorative border paper would also be a nice accent that can also be used to expand the ceiling if it’s done in the right shade. Once the paint is dry, don’t forget to add accents that will bring even more light to the space, such as a light-colored mat, shower curtains, window coverings, or towels.
After the natural light in your small bathroom has been enhanced, the third weekend calls for the third small bathroom remodeling project—enhancing artificial light. Using artificial light is an important way to brighten up any small bathroom. New light fixtures with extra bulbs, brighter bulbs, or clear rather than frosted glass globes can add a great amount of light to a small, dark space. Having extra outlets installed will also allow for additional lighting, like lamps or wall sconces. Wall sconces, that are typically placed on either side of the mirror above the sink, not only produce light but also look pretty. Recessed lighting also illuminates dark corners of the bathroom. The key to effective lighting, though, is moderation and a nice diffusion of light. Choose carefully and wisely, since artificial lighting can be one of the trickiest yet most crucial small bathroom remodeling projects that you will encounter.