11 Easy and Luxurious Upgrades for One-Bathroom Households
Without question, the ugliest room in our 2 bedroom one-bath home when we purchased it was the bathroom. It was outfitted from floor to ceiling with hideous mustard-yellow and brown 70’s tile. Since we don’t have a master en suite, it wasn’t something we could ignore.
Without a doubt, gutting and renovating our home’s only bathroom ourselves was one of our more ambitious (and frightening) ventures. The before photos are so awful, I couldn't bare to post them on this website twice (Insert laughing-crying emoji). So the link above will direct you to the post that contains all the gruesome details.
Once the dust settled The Husband and I were really proud of what we had accomplished. Our tiny bathroom now had a more airy spacious feel. But it still seemed to be lacking something. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I’ve started a new mini series with a few other ladies called #tightenupthehouse. The space I selected to finally “tighten up” was our lone bathroom.
Over the years I’ve tried adding a few fun and functional bath elements to make our family bathroom more interesting. In the end, however, it really wasn’t the “experience” I was going for. My preferred home decorating style is heavily reliant on sensory experiences. Although I loved the finishes in our new bath, it just felt… meh…whenever I entered it. So below are my plans to finally get that luxurious feel I’ve been craving - on a budget. I’ve already started the process and will share just a taste of what I’ve done so far.
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How to Make Your Home’s Single Bathroom More Luxurious
Believe it or not, you don’t necessarily have to gut your home’s only bathroom right down to the studs in order to create a luxurious feel. All it takes is a little creativity and elbow grease. If you are a renter who is prohibited from making many changes to your home, don’t lose hope! These simple steps can be applied to any home.
1. Simply Clean it
Nothing screams luxury like a pristine space. Deep cleaning your bathroom will make everything look like new - even if it isn’t. If you want to see your small bathroom come to life before your eyes - just clean it.
2. Have a place for everything
Truth be told, good organization is really how we’re able to manage with only one bathroom. Even when we host overnight guests - we’ve had up to 6 at once, bringing the total house count to 8 persons - having just one bathroom almost never poses a problem. Sounds crazy and impossible doesn’t it? Well I’m here to tell you: Unless you just enjoy the thrill of running around like a chicken with your head cut off, don’t fall asleep on the value of good organization systems. A deftly organized bath linen closet has helped us tremendously. All the trial and error it has taken to get it that way was totally worth it.
3. Toss or Rethink the Store-Bought Packaging
Not only does the manufacturers’ packaging take up valuable space, but it is often extremely unattractive. If it’s not practical to remove the manufacturer’s packaging, group similarly packaged items together. This will make basic toiletries look more like a “collection”. Or, if the packaging is nice, simply repurpose it. Notice below how I used my empty spice containers to hold our toothpicks and floss.
4. Store Essentials Beautifully
Sometimes daily essentials must be stored in the open. Other times they are hidden. Whatever the situation is in your home, storing toiletries in a beautiful way will take your morning routing up a notch. Again notice in the photos above and below how I store the floss, shower gels and mouthwash.
5. Add a Live Plant
It's amazing what a live plant can do for a room! If you have a certified brown thumb like me, opt for hearty plants. I've got s post that includes a shortlist of hard to kill plants.
6. Update Your Shower Curtain
To be honest, I’m not a fan of printed shower curtains. I usually go with a basic white. But I have used beautiful shower curtains to divert attention from aggressively ugly bathrooms. The trick is to use a shower curtain with a color or pattern that compliments—rather than fights with— the color scheme you’re stuck with. And yes, this applies even if your bathroom is tiled from top to bottom in mustard yellow and chocolate brown. Ugh. Trust me, there is a shower curtain that can work with just about any problem.
7. Roll your towels
Yes… it's worth the trouble and doesn't call for any more time than folding them. We do this sort of thing for guests without a second thought. Why not do it for yourself and your family?
8. Get Creative with Amenities
Great amenities are what separate the mundane from an extraordinary experience. A while back I hacked a couple of hangers to create a chic twist on a magazine holder. They were originally mounted to the wall. But I soon learned that that placement wasn't exactly practical. So now I just hang them on the door knobs. Simple, cool, luxe. Done.
9. Invest in High Quality Towels
Speaking of towels... It pays to invest in ones with better quality. Turkish towels towels are, in my opinion some of the best. Turkish cotton towels have long fibers and are generally manufactured without the use of bleach. This process allows them to be more plush, softer, fluffier, and more absorbent with each wash. AH-mazing!
10. Add Waterproof Window Treatments
Why oh why do bathroom windows have to be so darn ugly?! In my quest to make my bath more luxurious, this is one area I will be sure to fix. Some options are:
Use vinyl film to cover the window
Install faux wood blinds that are water resistant and won’t warp with intense humidity
Consider plantation shutters to block out the window
Since our bath window is constructed with unsightly glass blocks, plantation shutters might be the best option for us. But those babies ain’t cheap so I’ll keep you posted on that idea.
11. Change a Light Fixture
Thanks to all those big box stores, changing out a light fixture can cost as little at $40-50 bucks. That applies even if you live in a rental. Just remember to keep the original fixture so that you can replace it when your lease is up.
And below is the space that I’ll be working with. I’ve stripped it completely bare so that I can start with a clean slate. Wish me the best!
Before you go, please tell me:
Do you, or have you ever lived in a single-bath home?
How do you like to add luxurious touches to your home bathroom?
