Quick Bathroom Fixes Add Style and Luxury

5/22/2009

(ARA) - Spending time in a pretty, cheerful bathroom can lift your spirits every day. And, if you've done most of the work yourself, a sense of accomplishment will add to your pleasure. The process can actually be less expensive and easier than you might expect.

Start with the largest object in the room, the bathtub. Replacing it is not a quick fix, but a big, expensive undertaking because it involves plumbers, tilers, flooring contractors and more. But a new look can be achieved with just a facelift. Matt Jacobs, president of Renew Finishing System in Bowling Green, says that his company has just come out with a new, environmentally-friendly spray coating that can completely change the look of a tub or sink for much less than the cost of a remodeling job. A variety of colors and stone patterns are available. Best of all, he says, it cures instantly a big advantage if your home has just one bathroom.

When we refinish a bathtub, we recoat the tub, he says. It will instantly cure, and the client can use it as soon as we leave.

His company offers a free five-year warranty with all coatings, covering peeling and lifting, and they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

We stand behind our work, and stand behind our warranty, he says. We ve had zero warranty claims, to be honest with you.

New shower heads and faucets can also make a big difference, both aesthetically and functionally. A rainfall showerhead can give you the feeling of being in a spa every time you shower. Faucets can be replaced at minimum cost. If you can turn off the source of water coming into the house, you can install them yourself. Or, this may be the time to call a trusted plumber.

The fastest, most cost-effective decorating trick available is a big-impact shower curtain. Extra touches can work wonders. If you can't find exactly what you're looking for, Art Institute of New York City interior design instructor Mary Saleeby recommends finding just the right contemporary or traditional touches in a trimming store and sewing them on yourself.

"Adding 'jewelry,' which is what I call the trim, can enhance the look at a minimum price. Use beads, fringes, or tassels; since all curtains should have a plastic liner, just about any fabric or trim can be used. For a really coordinated look, buy two shower curtains and make one into a window treatment," she suggests.

Another transformation can come from a new wardrobe of towels, purchased inexpensively at sales or discount stores. Towels too can be trimmed to your taste, with appliqu s, lace or anything washable. However, if your current towels are faded and have worn a bit thin, just seeing thick, thirsty new ones hanging on the rack waiting to enfold you will impart a feeling of luxury.

Coordinate all your colors and styles. "The more you repeat themes, the more you achieve a designer look," says Mary Saleeby. "Repetition is a trick of the interior design trade. Trim on the shower curtain could be repeated on a window shade or on towels. Don't forget waste paper baskets that can carry your theme to another dimension in accessorizing the room."

Lighting is crucial in setting the mood of any space. New lighting fixtures can be very inexpensive, with no rewiring needed to create a noticeable cosmetic change. Visit home improvement stores, then compare prices online where you may find real bargains.

Dimmer switches can be used to brighten the bathroom for cosmetic application, or be turned down for mood setting. Lower the lights in the bathroom, light some candles, play music in the background, and look around at all you've accomplished; you'll have a spa experience, enriched by the warm glow of personal achievement. Courtesy of ARAcontent