Is your bathroom due for a refresh?

It’s time to get inspired and start coming up with ideas to make your bathroom feel beautiful again.

Updated July 2024

Does your bathroom space feel boring, dull and outdated?

Do you see all these beautiful images on Pinterest of jazzed up bathrooms that look amazing? Perhaps you just spend countless hours on Pinterest searching for things like ‘How to update my bathroom on a budget, best bathroom ideas or bathroom designs for small spaces.’ You are not alone, we all do it!

So, to help you out keep reading as we have some simple but super effective things you can do in your bathroom to take it from drab to fab!

**This article may contain affiliate links to products, meaning, at no additional cost to you. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links**

Let’s start your dream makeover

Get Inspired!

First things first, make up a vision board of what you want your bathroom space to look like. A bathroom inspo vision board can be on Pinterest or a corkboard where you can attach different ideas to. Start adding images of items that you like and love. Think about the colours you want to use and any fittings/accessories you might like to look at.

1 – Declutter as many unnecessary items as possible out of the space!

It is time for you to Marie Kondo your bathroom!

Throw out old expired moisturisers, makeup and potions. Anything you have not used in the last 6 months ditch. Things that do not bring you joy say buh bye too, and if you have towels that are turning into threads and are so thin you can barely dry yourself – thrash them asap!

2 – clean, clean, clean!

Get rid of any built-up dust. Wipe down walls, clean any bugs hanging out of the ceiling and give your window sills a good wipe, this is all in prep for what’s to come.

We have a fabulous article on cleaning here you can check out!

3 – Update your bathroom exhaust fans!

This is the first place to start! Before you do any painting or decorating sort your bathroom exhaust fans out!

Half the reason bathrooms end up feeling damp with paint peeling, and mould sprouting is because a decent bathroom fan hasn’t been installed in the first place.

A powerful bathroom fan will make all the difference in reducing the walls from dripping and pull the steam out while the shower is running. Trust me you do not want to waste all or your hard work in updating your bathroom only to find 1 year later it ruined due to a pathetic bathroom exhaust fan.

Some top exhaust fans include:

Broan Nutone Ventilation Fan and Light Combo and listed at a great price for a fan and light unit. 

or the

Ultra-Quiet Bathroom Ventilation & Exhaust Fan

Alternatively talk to your local electrician and get them to recommend a good one!

4 – Refresh the bathroom with some new paint!

The fun begins! Do you have tired-looking walls in your bathroom? Is the paint starting to peel in random spots or perhaps you have some mould growing that you haven’t attended to but now needs repainting?

Depending on what the rest of your homes style and colour scheme is will help determine what colour options you go with.

We love a crisp white ceiling, and you can never go wrong with a white like Resene Alabaster.

Other popular white colour options include Resene Black White and Resene Black Haze.

The walls are where you can add a touch of colour. Bathrooms are a place to relax, pamper and refresh ourselves, keep this in mind while choosing your colours. Our top picks are Resene duck egg blue, Resene Truffle and Resene Quarter Tea. They all work beautifully with a crisp white ceiling.

Note – this article is not associated with Resene Paints, it is just a paint brand that we have used for over 10 years and trust. The colours are a guide only.

When purchasing paint ensure you get a wipeable and mould resistant paint, especially for kitchen and bathroom areas.

Be sure to invest in some decent brushes and rollers while completing this job, the end result will be amazing when using good quality paintbrushes or rollers.
We recommend the Pro Grade paint brush set.

Don’t forget to place floor covering down to prevent paint splatters landing on everything and lastly, get some decent paint tape like Scotch Painters Tape (the best in our books) to use when finishing off trims, this will create a clean, crisp line.

5 – Light up your bathroom!

Good lights in a bathroom is a must, especially if you or someone in your home uses the mirror to apply makeup!

Many of the bathroom fan units will come with lights and heat lamps, but you can also place lighting above your vanity unit for a wow effect! Or perhaps add extra downlights in those areas that are a bit dark.

We love the look of the Melucee 3 Light Wall Sconce. Finished with brush nickel and clear glass shades, the Melucee Light Sconce would make any Vanity unit sparkle.

6 – Updating bathroom flooring can make a huge difference.

Depending on your budget, think about updating your flooring, especially if there are areas of your floor that have had water damage. If you have lino lift it and see if it exposes beautiful wood flooring that just needs sanding and a varnish.

If you want to lux your bathroom up a great option is tile, it’s easy to clean and can make a bathroom feel amazing. The flooring girl has some fantastic advice on her website – we highly recommend checking her out before making your flooring decision.

7 – Vanity units

If your vanity unit is looking tired and dull, consider switching it out with a new one.

When we were renovating our bathroom, we could not find a vanity that had the character we wanted so we made our own and it has made quite a statement in our bathroom. I will do a post on this at a later date, but in short, it is made out of old railway sleepers and a beautiful glass basin. It is definitely a talking point when we have visitors using the bathroom.

Wall Hung Vanities can provide extra floor space and make your bathroom look bigger.  Standing Vanities can provide more storage options especially if your bathroom caters for a large family.

8 – Shower and bath updates

If you have the money and your shower or bath unit is looking dated, damaged and dingy, this is the time to look at replacing it. Take some measurements and visit your local bathroom shop or trade store to look at your options.

If your units are in good working order and are in good condition, then you may just need to do quick updates! Thus maybe adding a new and fresh shower curtain. Perhaps you just need to replace the glass shower barrier or install some shiny new hardware. Little updates like this can make a huge difference!

We are loving

Dual Handheld Shower Head Combo

This has a high pressure rain shower head and a 10 mode handheld spray. Install it in only a few minutes and start your day with a luxurious shower!

ELLO&ALLO LED Shower Panel Tower System

If you have the space and wanting the ultimate shower experience then look into the Ello & Allo Led Shower Panel.

9 – Add storage to your bathroom.

If your bathroom is lacking in storage, this is not something to be overlooked. Everyone likes having extra storage, whether it be for bathroom towels, toiletries or beauty products. If you need to add storage some wonderful options include:

Vasagle Bathroom Storage Cabinet

This is a beautiful, clean and versatile storage cabinet that would look fabulous in any bathroom.

Hoonex Wall Mounted Towel Holder 

You can never go wrong with extra places to hang towels, so we think the Hoonex wall mounted towel holder is ideal. You can store spare towels on the tops rack while being able to hang 4 towels on the hooks.

Aojezor Small Bathroom Storage Cabinet

Small bathrooms deserve storage too, and that’s where the Aojezor may be the perfect option. With its slim design, it can fit in any snug corner. Use it to small personal items or spare toilet rolls.

Utex Over The Toilet Shelf 

If you have the wall space behind your toilet, then the Utex Over the Toilet Shelf unit is ideal for extra storage space. The open shelving can be used to store extra toilet paper, bathroom diffusers and extra hand towels.

10 – New bathroom decor and accessories

Your bathroom is nearly on the way to been finished, all you need to do to complete the refresh is add some bathroom accessories.

Bathroom decor and accessory options include:

• A new mat
• Toothbrush holder
• Candles – Click to see our favourites!
• A jar of Bath balls
• New fluffy towels (you need to see these beauties)
• Potplants
• Acrylic holders these are so handy for smaller items
• Baskets to hold extra toilet paper or towels
• Hooks, you need plenty of areas to hang towels
• Soap dispensers

So, there you have our guide on all the things you can do to take your bathroom from drab to fab. 

What other bathroom ideas can you think of? Please let us know below!

Stick around and read:

How to create a dreamy guest bedroom

Spruce up your laundry room

Please save this to your Bathroom boards on Pinterest!