10 Easy Ways to Freshen Up Your

BathroomEugene Chrinian

The bathroom is an easy room to take for granted, or to dismiss as purely functional. That’s a shame, because it doesn’t take much to transform even the most average bathroom into a calming, tranquil oasis. Here are 10 simple ideas to help turn your basic bathroom into your own personal spa without a lot of effort, time, or expense.

Layer your bath mats.

Having a soft and cozy bathmat underfoot is an important part of an inviting bathroom. But why stick to just one? Layering a few different bathmats together keeps the cozy and comforting feel, but adds in a new dimension of visual interest through contrasts of texture, color, and pattern. In addition, it’s easy to rotate the layers, so you can keep changing up the look and help keep your bathmats lasting longer.

Create a classy toiletries display. Take a cue from your favorite

spa and get fancy with your toiletries. Get rid of the boring plastic containers your soaps and lotions came in and find pretty little jars to store them in instead. For an added touch of elegance, place all the jars together on a raised wooden board or a lovely tray that can sit on your vanity or on a shelf.

Dress up your mirror.

You’ve seen how beautiful mirrors can be in a living room or dining room when they’re decoratively framed, so why not try the same trick in your bathroom? Even a standard-grade bathroom mirror will look striking when it’s in an elaborately carved or boldly colored frame. For a simpler option, simply hang a garland along the top of the mirror to create an easy framed visual effect.

Make a gallery wall.

There’s no need to shy away from putting up pictures just because it’s a bathroom. Artwork like vintage posters or photographs can instantly personalize a bathroom and make it a fun, rather than a forgotten, room in your home. Just be aware that the high humidity of bathrooms can affect artwork over time, so save any higher-value pieces or original works for your living room, and go for simple poster prints instead. Framing your pieces in plastic or Plexiglas will also help protect them from moisture and preserve them longer.

Upgrade your towels.

Sure, the most important function of a towel is to dry you off, but you can also think of towels as soft, touchable pieces of art for your bathroom. Splurging on towels in bright colors, bold patterns, or inviting textures can add an instant pop of style to your bathroom that’s not only attractive, but practical, too.

Add more lighting.

Many homes have inadequately lit rooms, and the bathroom is no exception. Adding some extra light sources can brighten and refresh the feel of the room—not to mention help make it easier to get ready on cold, dark winter mornings. Depending on whether you rent or own your home, consider installing elegant wall sconces beside your mirror, or simply bringing in a table lamp to sit on a countertop or shelf. For a more festive feel, try putting up a simple string of white lights.

Add plants.

There’s nothing like some fresh greenery to bring a lush, exotic feel to your bathroom. Whether you hang them from the ceiling, stand them next to the bathtub, or even hang them right in the shower, plants can do a lot to revive even the most basic bathroom. And the good news is that there are plenty of plants—like aloe vera, bamboo, or spider plants—that thrive in low light and high humidity, so it’s easy to add some foliage to your bathroom even if you don’t have much of a green thumb. If your bathroom is windowless, try swapping plants on a regular basis between the bathroom and another brightly lit room in your home.

Update your cabinets with contact paper.

Freshening up or changing the color of your bathroom cabinets doesn’t have to mean breaking out the paintbrushes. Contact paper is a great tool for this job: it’s extremely versatile (in both function and appearance), it’s easy to apply, and it’s long-lasting. Your cabinets can look like new in little more time than it takes to cut, peel, and stick.

Upgrade hardware and fixtures.

If you don’t have the time or budget for a full-scale bathroom renovation, you might be surprised at how far a simple hardware upgrade can take you. Replacing cabinet handles, showerheads, doorknobs, and faucets can be relatively easy and inexpensive, and can dramatically update the look of your whole bathroom.

Do a deep clean.

Nothing refreshes a bathroom like a good, old-fashioned, deep clean. Shine stainless steel fixtures. Wash the walls. Wipe grime off rarely-cleaned places like the door, door knobs, and light switches. Make your floor and tile grout look as good as it did the day it was installed. It will take some time and elbow grease, but you’ll be rewarded with a bathroom that feels practically brand new.