A discussion of budget bathroom ideas and new design trends like vessel sinks, plus tips for making your new bath special without overspending.

• Keep your major fixtures basic. Walk into any home improvement store and you will discover that a toilet can set you back $60 or $300 depending on the style and materials used. Vanities and cabinets can run into thousands of dollars all by themselves. By choosing a tub, surround, toilet, sink, and faucets that are functional but simple, on the budget end of the price scale, you can keep your costs low while creating a fresh canvas on which to improvise.

• Choose one luxury fixture as a centerpiece. Vessel sinks are especially good for making an inexpensive bathroom look high end. Choose basic fixtures and cabinetry but splurge on a dramatic vessel sink in colored glass, marble, or even custom ceramic. Especially if the bathroom is small, the visitor’s eye will be drawn immediately to the custom sink instead of the plainer fixtures, leaving an impression of luxury when you really only splurged on one item.

• Use fabric, paint, and color to brighten a basic room. You can use plain white fixtures and basic chrome faucets to save money, then spice up the look of your bath with a coat of bright paint and matching shower curtains and linens. Designer linens in a soothing color palette will give a sophisticated, expensive look to the most basic bathroom.

• Use the right accents to set a mood. If you working on your master bath, you can create a spa effect with scented candles, simple wooden bowls with Japanese stones, and a bamboo plant. Roll your linens and display them in a wicker basket and set out handmade soaps. For a kids’ bathroom, pick up some bright plastic pails and beach toys and a shower curtain with bright fish. Hang one an inexpensive stuffed animal storage net to hold towels and rubber ducks.

• Stick to one style. When looking for bathroom ideas, it is very easy to get carried away and do too much. Even big bathrooms are usually fairly small compared to other rooms in the house. You don’t need many extras to set a mood, and if you use too many special items your bathroom will just look cluttered or cramped, not clean. Stick with simple lines and use specialty items and accents sparingly. If your home has country décor, don’t try to create an ultra modern industrial look. If the bathroom gets heavy use, lots of Victorian knickknacks and frills will probably just get in the way no matter how much you love them.

• Keep your colors in harmony. You don’t want to open an art museum in a space that is only five by six feet not counting the tub. Choose one color you like and one accent color and work around that palette. If you like blue and pink, choose towels, paint, and linens in mostly blue and add one or two pink accents. Don’t throw five or six bright colors into one small space.

• Use natural materials to soften a basic bath. An all white bathroom looks clean but it can feel a bit like a hospital room without a bit of help. Wooden towel rods, wicker wastebaskets and towel holders, simple plants, flowers, and even found items like shells or polished stones can bring the outdoors inside and take the edge off all that gleaming porcelain.

• Be creative. Let your own personality shine through by integrating found items into your new bath. Cluster branches from your favorite shrub in a tall glass vase for a dramatic accent that costs almost nothing. Hang your towels on antlers or keep soap and supplies in a bright wooden fruit crate mounted on the wall. Use your imagination and choose a few accents that no one expects.

Finishing a bathroom can be a lot of fun and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. By choosing one or two bathroom ideas and keeping your new bath simple and bright, no one ever has to know you were on a budget except you.

About the Author:
Scott Gray is currently a home owner, handyman enthusiast who enjoys providing tips to consumers and home owners. For more information about do it yourself home improvements, glass vessel sinks and copper kitchen sinks be sure to visit everydayhandyman.com.