Remodeling a home can be a labor of love, and it can also be pretty expensive. When we moved to Georgia, we bought a fixer upper, and while we’ve been here almost three years, we still have a ways to go before our dream home is complete.
A TikToker named Bernice is in the same boat, and she is remodeling her 90s home one or two projects at a time. In a video that she shared at the end of September, she featured one of her gorgeous bathrooms and offered up tips on what to splurge on and save on during a bathroom remodel.
What I liked about Bernice’s video is that she explained in her caption why you should splurge on certain items and which ones you can save on. I agree with her list! We’ve remodeled bathrooms in two of our homes and when you’re on a budget, you really have to pick and choose what items are most important to you. People spend a lot of time in the bathroom, so you might as well make it a space that is comfortable.
Related: 10 Things to Consider Before Remodeling Your Bathroom
Less is More for Your Next Bathroom Renovation
A recent bathroom trends study showed that most people remodeling bathrooms are opting to focus on a few key details rather than an entire bathroom makeover. Changing out towel racks, hardware and accessories, and decor are relatively inexpensive to do and can give the room a whole new look. One thing the study found that people are splurging on is their toilet, “More than 2-in-5 surveyed homeowners have installed toilets with specialty features like bidets, heated seats, and air dryer functions.” People like fancy toilets!
Another trend that’s popular right now is putting wallpaper in bathrooms. Most bathrooms are rather small areas, so it’s a good place to get creative and go with a bold or fun look. I’m not a huge fan of using wallpaper on every wall in a room, especially if you’re doing something bold. But adding wallpaper to just one wall or even just behind the wall your vanity and mirror is another way to give the space a new look. Not sure if wallpaper is for you or if worried you might quickly get tired of it? Try using a peel and stick or other removable design so that if you don’t like it, it’s easy to remove.
If wallpaper isn’t your thing, changing the paint color in a bathroom can also be an inexpensive way to renovate. You’ve heard of 50 shades of gray, and there’s a lot of truth in the statement. Colors can look different based on time of day and natural lighting coming into a room. Don’t just run to Home Depot and buy a gallon of the first color you think you like; instead, choose several color swatches in the same hue and put them on your walls for a few days. You can narrow your choices down to two or three colors and buy paint samples to paint on small sections of your walls. I’ve painted walls without going through this process and ended up hating the color. It’s definitely worth the time to make sure the color you think you want is really the right color.
Whether you choose to make a few small changes or remodel the whole bathroom from top to bottom, make the space one that fits your personality and aesthetic. Skimp and splurge where you can and make the space yours. Like Bernice, you can do a project or two at a time throughout your house and somewhere down the road, your dream home will finally be complete.