Not everyone can afford a professional bathroom upgrade, but you can do amazing things with your bathroom when you go green. Apart from new frameless shower screens, one of the trendiest things that people pay thousands of dollars for is a vamped up old dresser to hold the hand basin, yet you can do this yourself for next to nothing.
Where to find the dresser
Many people have an old dresser stored in the attic. If you don’t, you can easily find one at a goodwill store or a recycling depot. You may be able to get one cheap online at places such as Gumtree or Etsy, or pick up one at a garage sale.
All you need to do is cut a hole in the top to take the basin and then cut plumbing holes in the back or through the shelves if it comes up from the floor. Of course, the whole thing will need to be painted to seal it from getting wet, and the hand basin will need to have caulking around the edges to seal them.
Green towel rails
Going green with your bathroom renovations is easy to do with towel hangers or rails. Anything that looks like it will hold a towel can be used. Old copper pipes or even plastic plumbing can be used. Shelving can also be made from recycled planks or other materials for added interest. How about half a bicycle wheel with the flat side to the wall? Put the other half underneath for two high interest shelves that can hold folded towels and washers.
Save with imperfect granite
Another way to save that is going green is to use granite counter tops that have imperfections in them. These will be much cheaper than those without and if you choose carefully, the imperfections will be cut out when you cut holes for taps and the sink. This is going green because you are using a piece that might otherwise be discarded.
Mix your tiles
You can also save on tiling by choosing just a few of those expensive tiles and mixing them in randomly with cheaper tiles. They will stand out amongst the plainer tile and create a wonderful effect for less than half the price.
Don’t buy cheap paint
One thing you should never try to save on the cost of is paint. It is essential to have top quality paint for the bathroom because the atmosphere is damp and mould will grow on cheap paints, or they may peel off more easily. But all you save on recycling or up-cycling as it is called, will allow you to spend extra on the paint. Painting the bathroom is probably one of the best and easiest ways to give it a new look. You may even want to hire a professional handyman to do it if you are busy with other things.
