So you just bought your new house and are now on a strict budget. We understand that your hands must be itching to add small personal touches everywhere in the house. Let’s take it slow and handle one room at a time.

Which is the most used room in the house?

Bathroom!

The good news is — a bathroom can be refurbished with a couple of changes here and there. In fact, there are plenty of household items that you can spruce up and add to your bathroom. Don’t forget to use bathtub caulking tape for wet areas that you renovate!

Let’s begin:

1. Coordinate Accents

First things first, you need to add a little color to your bathroom’s existing décor. Here’s what you can do: paint the medicine cabinet and coordinate it with the electrical metal outlet. Use the same color for other accessories such as the shower caddy, the bathtub curtain, the toilet seat or lid, the soap dispenser or dish, etc. There are more than a dozen things that you can color coordinate to create a theme. This will also add an appealing touch to the old décor and liven up the room.

2. Tile the Sink Counter and the Bathtub Space

Everybody loves the luxurious and posh look of a tiled bathroom. However, tiling can be very expensive and its maintenance is quite difficult. If you want to install tiles and at the same time, minimize the maintenance problem, then here’s what you can do— tile the sink counter and the bathtub space only. You can use old tiles from the last tiling job and mix-match them to create a chic look. If the bathtub is movable, position it in a corner so that the tiled area doesn’t stand out too much. The floor underneath will look like as if you have placed a huge tub. Once the corner has been tiled, use bathtub caulking tape to seal the edge. This will give a clean finish and make your bathtub the star of the room.

3. Replace Outdated Lighting

A little more lighting can completely change the look of your bathroom. This is perhaps the most inexpensive and smart way to refresh your bathroom. There are plenty of contemporary and modern bathroom lighting styles to choose from, such as pendant lights, scones lights, chandeliers, etc. To make the bathroom look more spacious, you need flood lighting. The best way to do that is by installing vanity lights above the sink’s mirror. Install the lights in pairs of two on each wall to illuminate a particular area.

4. Add a Towel Rack

A towel bar is great, but it cannot hold more than two towels at a time. If you have an old hanging rack lying around the house, you can utilize it in the bathroom. Simply paint it and seal its finish with clear polyurethane. Fix it anywhere near the bathtub. As for the towels, a couple of new ones will definitely bring a big change to the room. Don’t go for the plain colored ones. Instead, buy ones with abstract or floral designs. Make sure they complement the bathroom accessories.

5. DIY Wallpaper Wall

Are you in the mood to do something fancy and unique? Gather all your old books and outdated magazines because they are about to come quite in handy. You can do one of two things: follow a theme and pick pages just from the comic section or mix and match. You need a wallpaper for just one wall. Measure the width and height of this wall and then calculate how many pages it will take to plaster it. Tear off the pages and brush the backs with wallpaper paste. Stick them onto the wall and then seal the wall using a transparent top coat. For the final touch, seal the edges with peel and stick caulk to create a frame-like look.

6. Add Candles

It can be really annoying when you have to gather all those comfort accessories for a relaxing bath. Candles are the one constant that create an inviting and soothing ambiance. Instead of keeping the candles in the sink cabinet, why not make them part of the décor. You can get a couple of various sized hurricane lanterns and place the candles in them. You can either position them on the floor near the bathtub or hang them from the ceiling.

7. Movable Storage

If you have a garden pot rack lying around, then you can use it to create the perfect movable bathroom storage accessory. You don’t have to spend a penny on this DIY décor. First, clean the rack thoroughly and paint it. Then wrap the legs with artificial leaves, like the ones used on a trellis. Place wicker baskets on the bottom rack and start adding lotions, body creams and other shower essentials in it. Place towels on the middle rack, and on the top rack, place a few knick-knacks along with two potted plants. The best thing about this rack is that you can move it around when taking a bath.

8. Frame the Mirror

When it comes to the bathroom mirror, you have two options: you can either frame the mirror for a fancy touch or install a life-size mirror on the opposite wall. The latter option is pricier than the former one, but it will be under your budget. It’s a simple addition that brings attention to the wall and makes the room appear larger. Plus, if you position the large mirror in such a way that the sunlight falls on it, it will make the room brighter.

So there you have it — 8 smart and inexpensive ways to refurbish your bathroom. Since the star of the bathroom is the bathtub, make sure to use peel and stick caulk after you have installed the tile. This will maintain its look for a long time.