Freshening Up: Update the Bathroom Without Spending Thousands to Remodel

Tired of the globe lights, the beat-up oak vanity, the faucets with the faux crystal handles?

Of course you are - especially if you've flipped through the glossy pages of any home decorating magazine and viewed the pristine, spa-like spaces that we now call bathrooms.

It may be the smallest room in the house, but it gets a daily workout. It's probably the first and last room you hit during the day, says Krista Watterworth, host of HGTV's "Save My Bath" (seen at noon Saturdays in Milwaukee).

"Our bathroom is the most intimate space in the home," she says, no longer "that tiny box where we jump in and jump out."

Today, it's "the place where we prepare for life," she says. "So it should inspire, invigorate, relax and rejuvenate your soul."

But the cost of the serene scene can be steep.

A total remodel can run anywhere from $8,000 to $10,000, says Sandy LaDue, senior kitchen and bath designer at Drexel Interiors in Brookfield. And that's at the modest end.

The bathrooms featured on "Save My Bath" run from $14,000 to $50,000.

Besides the sticker price, there's the disruptive nature of a project that tears up an essential room. "It can get very invasive, depending on the scope of the project," LaDue says.

Happily, an update can be done for as little as a few hundred dollars, if you're just changing hardware.

For something more ambitious (new toilet, countertop and faucets), LaDue puts the cost at $1,250 to $2,500 for materials alone, with an additional $1,000 to $1,200 for labor.

One of the keys to updating a bath is toning down colors popular in decades gone by, Watterworth says.

She summed up the look that's favored now: "Much quieter, more classic, more refined, sophisticated looks are in. Earth-conscious, yoga - that overall consciousness of calming down your life and being in touch with the Earth."

Gone are the bright primary colors popular during the 1980s, she says.

"That was a very sort of loud, extravagant time," she says.

Colored plumbing fixtures (avocado green, mauve and gray, pinks and purples) quickly date a bathroom, Watterworth says.

"My advice - stay clean and neutral on the more permanent fixtures in the space," she says.

"Bringing some natural stone elements into a space is a very current and beautiful way to transform an environment," Watterworth adds.

Substances that were once rarely found in the bath are now making appearances.

These include glass, steel, copper and wood, Watterworth says.

Dark woods and exotic woods are popular now, with clean lines and a contemporary look, she says.

That's something that's easily added and packs a big impact, says A.J. Traylor, kitchen and bath sales specialist at the Home Depot in Glendale.

"Dark cherry with granite tops looks luxurious and makes a statement in a small bathroom," says Traylor, who urges customers to come in with photographs as well as a budget in mind.

So what else can easily be changed to update that tired bathroom and bring it into 2007?

Here are some key areas to consider, according to Watterworth, LaDue, Traylor and the people at Lowe's:

Countertops. Depending on your choice, you can easily come up with a fresh, new look for under $500.

You can go high-end, splurging on something like granite, because you'll generally need a small piece - unless it's a double sink. If you look for remnants and closeouts, you can really save.

The closeout room at Drexel Interiors has countertops and fixtures at 75% off, LaDue says.

That's anywhere from $15 to $100 for a bathroom countertop, she says.

"We've had people over the years do a whole house out of closeouts," she says. "You can find some great deals. It's anything that didn't work - things that were ordered wrong, came in wrong." It may be damaged, but not everything there is.

Quartz, granite and solid surfacing such as Corian all are big, LaDue adds.

"You can't argue with the 10-year warranty from DuPont," she says of the popularity of Corian.

In addition to natural stone, Watterworth recommends laminates that "look exactly like stone."

She adds, "Wilsonart has limestone-like laminate tops that are fabulous."

Lighting. This can easily be done for less than $100. LaDue calls lighting one of the top features that can date a bathroom. "Get rid of the globe lights, they've got to go. Get rid of the polished brass and polished chrome - unless it's very contemporary," says LaDue.

Sconces and strip lighting along the mirror give the best light coverage and with minimum shadows, Lowe's says.

Tile. A simple border can introduce a color theme and transform the look for relatively little time and money. A great (and inexpensive) option for the floor is peel-and-stick laminate tiles, especially if your floor is uneven, says Watterworth. "And they come in beautiful designs that look like glass tiles or even limestone, slate and marble."

Paint. For $40 or less (depending on the room size and paint quality) you can completely change the feel of a room. "A fresh coat of paint is the least expensive remodeling tip," Watterworth says.

For walls, shades of bone and linen are popular and make that dark cherry vanity pop out, Traylor says.

Another idea: "Paint your vanity," says LaDue. "Paint can be your best friend."

Traylor suggests pulling a color from the tile. "You want to go a tad lighter than the tile," he adds.

Lowe's recommends American Tradition kitchen and bath paint because it has a mildew-proof finish, anti-microbial properties, stain resistance and one-coat coverage.

If you're looking for help pulling it all together with color, consider Restoration Hardware's "Bath By Color" collection. It groups items including paint, rugs, towels, shower curtains and bathrobes by color collections: whites, flax, silver sage, juniper, celery, grass, breeze, sky, blush, lavender, butter, apricot. View them at www.restorationhardware.com.

Details, details. Changing drawer knobs, switch plates and other hardware can quickly freshen and pull together a tired-looking bathroom.

"The polished brass hardware has to go, because it's probably beat by now anyway," says LaDue.

People are paying attention to these elements, says Watterworth. "Hardware gives a bathroom personality," she says. "It's like having just the right earrings to top off your fabulous outfit."

Make sure to get new hinges that complement new cabinet handles, Lowe's suggests.

Mirror images. One quick way to get that contemporary look is by replacing or framing the mirror over the sink, according to Lowe's. A dark frame that complements a dark vanity can draw things together and complete the look, Lowe's suggests.

Think spa. It's still a popular theme, says Watterworth. Beyond the pared-down, organized look, consider pampering extras: Body sprays, rain showers, double shower heads and towel warmers. "A ceiling-mounted fixture is totally cool," Watterworth says.

Towels and shower curtains. Patterns and colors can liven up the place and lend a fresh look, but be careful. Choose one patterned item and make it an impact piece. Matching curtains, towels and throw rug covered with palm trees can look busy and overwhelming to the eye, Watterworth says.

"Why have someone else design your bathroom for you? Why should everything match?" Watterworth says.

The key to drawing it all together is having "one color running through everything," she says.

Contain the clutter. That tranquil spa look comes from a sparsely arranged space.

Use baskets and other containers to round up toiletries and keep them out of sight. It makes the space look bigger, too.

Target carries a variety of woven baskets in various sizes, generally under $25, that can be used for towels and other essentials.

See them at www.target.com, under "storage and organization."

"Baskets must be square and clean-looking to give it an updated look," Watterworth says. "The baskets left over from Easter won't really cut it. And putting baskets in recessed cubbies is the most contemporary look for storage these days."

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