Help me update my bathroom on a budget

[User65412]

So we bought this house 4 years ago and are renovating. We've done loads but money is tight right now so everything is on hold for a bit.
This is the main family bathroom and I absolutely hate it - it's just not for me! Luckily we have a beautiful big ensuite with a bath which we use for the kids etc, in future I'd like to squeeze a bath back in this shower room and completely redecorate. So what can I do on a budget without changing the sink and tiles?
What colour can I paint the walls? Should I make the grout black? I'm really not interested in painting the tiles as I think it will flake etc over time...it's a wet room floor so constant water on the floor. I'm thinking add some wooden shelves with plants between the mirror and the wall. But maybe matt black walls or just white?
It's a very narrow room. Very high ceiling though.
This room is bugging me so much, please help!

I'd say colour wise go neutral, because you can live with it for a while then decide if you want a brighter colour.

Paint the walls something clean and bright as the tiles are slightly dark. I wouldn't bother changing the grout colour tbh, I think the walls would make a huge difference!

I'd change the shower curtain to something light too and perhaps add a hook and tie to the wall to keep it looking tidy during the day when not in use. I'd replace the mirror above the sink to something with a bit of detail around the frame,

If you're not adverse to changing the door a light sand and then perhaps lime wash would help it brighten the space too.

What's the ceiling light like? You can get some nice bathroom rated ceiling lights that really add a nice feel to the space, the ones I've seen have been relatively affordable and good lighting can make such a huge difference.

I'd start there then look at the space and see what works for you (if it's more shelves / storage etc).

I'd just paint the wall white and change the shower curtain to something plain like a white cloth style one.

Literally nothing else you "need" to do with the room - it's nice and fairly new looking.

Declutter it a bit - is that a bin next to the sink? Have a look at something more in keeping to the style of the room. Maybe a massive mirror where you have the photos on the wall. That'll brighten it considerably.

The wall colour is easily changed. The black tiles are... striking too.

Do you have the budget to cover the tiles with wet wall type panels? You could also replace the shower curtain with a sscreen.But both of those are temporary if you need a bath in there eventually, so personally I'd not bother. If it cost you £1,000 and it stayed for 2 years, you'd be paying £500 a year to have a bathroom thats only marginally better, and for me thatd be too expensive.

As it is functional, I'd paint the walls a soft white, maybe add plants, and live with it, until you have the time /money to redo it properly.

@NCForQuestions it's a nappy bucket for reusable nappies. 2 kids under 2! Have a small landing which is why the washing basket is in the shower 🙈 we don't use this shower at all really as there's one in our en-suite. I'll have a think about where else it can go. Good idea for the curtain thank you. Totally understand that there's nothing 'wrong' with it but I just really don't like it, personal taste!
@Midnlghtrain thanks. Ceiling is really high and slanted and has led lighting. I think I'll have to try white and a different mirror like you say.

@Saz12 thanks, yes definitely in the 'live with it' camp but just looking to improve the overall look. I've been living with it for 4 years and it's starting to irritate me!
The rest of the house is very much greens, whites, woods, light blues so this room is a massive contrast and looks so out of place. Think I'll book a day off to get some painting done soon and hope that improves it!

I'd get rid of the yellow paint and paint white. Get rid of the oversized mirror and put up a small one. Change the shower curtain for a screen. Then I'd live with it.

I think if you paint the walls white or a very pale silver grey (to pick out the mosaic tiles) you will see this room in a whole new light. The yellow is very OTT in your face. No need to re-grout or paint the tiles. Even the mirror will probably look fine once you dial back the colour. Then, some fluffy white towels and mat. Or, you can introduce some colour if you must. I'd take down the pictures for a cleaner look.

The shower curtain is a very good match for the tiles but seems totally impractical, far too close to the shower head, I'd imagine the shower curtain would just cling to whomever is using the shower allowing lots of water to escape underneath. It's difficult to tell from your photographs, is there room to put in a fixed shower panel closer to the middle or the outer edge of the second column of tiles? This would contain the water to a smaller area. A clear shower screen will give a cleaner look to the room and help to make the room feel bigger than it does with the shower curtain hanging there.

In just a short couple of years your children will have no interest in the bath and will prefer a quick shower so, while it is nice to have a bath in a bathroom, you already have a bath in another room. Once my children didn't need supervision to wash themselves they always chose a shower instead. They are now older teens and I am the only one who has used the bath in the last 12 years or so.

Thanks everyone. There is a screen but it only comes half way which is why we put the curtain up but maybe I'll just take it down now we rarely use it! I'm going to paint white, take down the pics and see how it looks.
That's interesting @SageRosemary I always thought the lack of a family bath was a bit off putting but maybe not!
Here's the view down to the loo - some people find it a bit of squeeze to reverse in 🙈

I would:

• Paint the walls white or very pale grey or pale pink
• Replace the floor with some patterned vinyl https://www.best4flooring.co.uk/moroccan-vinyl-flooring-sheet-tangier03?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0PuuBhBsEiwAS7fsNXn0JqEtl1AKBl_3-wC3tbnww4JGQvVA6gf8sv_dkDF6PRX_9m1w9RoC5RAQAvD_BwE

I have two grey tiled bathrooms (before they became ubiquitous!), one has a patterned floor similar to that one, one has grey/brown wooden effect vinyl with pale turquoise on the walls and in some mosaic tiles as an accent colour.

I used to have a bright yellow bathroom in a flat in the 1990s. It had no window though so the brightness was necessary and it was quite funky at the time I thought. But not with a hangover. And it didn't have grey tiles. I think yellow does go with grey but not those shades. I wonder what possessed them to pick such a dark shade of grey as well. Prison chic?

I went for monochrome theme and painted my bathroom black but I have white tiling, and alot of it ,and a huge window. I think your bathroom looks like it would be too dark. I'd go white and if you have room, lots of plants ( I used the huge windows sill to put loads of plants on) to add interest.

I'd go for bright white walls and then dress it. Nice soap pump, lots of plants (I have good quality fakes in my bathroom because there is no window). I've got shelves high up with trailing plants on. I also have some funky bathroom prints. I too was on a budget but it's transformed the room for very little.

Ref the nappy bin, can it go behind you as you stand at the sink?

Tbh if you're not using the bathroom, bin the shower curtain, paint the yellow walls white and stop there!

Thanks all. I used to have a nice soap dispenser on the side and where the bin is I had a little stool with plants and a candle on it towels rolled up underneath, but my 1yo is just into absolutely everything and I can't leave anything within reach anymore! So soap lives on the windowsill which isn't practical either!
@shearwater2 love that idea but I'm not sure I can go over the top with vinyl as it's a wet room floor?
@NCForQuestions no, it's such a narrow room so no space on the right hand side. But I might use a wet bag instead hung behind the door like the one in the pic. Or hung on the right of the sink unit so you can't see it.

I would accentuate wood and wood tones to take away from the current 'hairdresser-y' feel. Paint the walls something warm like mink or something like F and B Dead Salmon, a pinky, mushroomy brown), replace the mirror with something wood-framed (and round, maybe?), and put up a wooden shelf out of the children's reach, to keep plants on (I have aloe vera and ferns, but succulents are very low-care). And a new light fitting can make a big difference.

I believe some vinyl is ok for a wet room.

Oh my goodness, when I see it from that angle, that is a very tight squeeze alright!!! But it looks like everything was done very professionally. The sink unit and the heated towel rail are lovely. Just changing the wall colour will make such a difference for very little money, you won't feel like you're inside a bumblebee. It will look sleek and streamlined. The bright yellow looks like a paint colour that escaped from the last millennium! I'm sticking with my original colour suggestion, keep it minimal and you can introduce some colour with accessories.

If you were starting from scratch I'd be suggesting other things but really, there is no need, that's a perfectly serviceable shower/wet room. I don't see how you could ever hope to fit a bath in, but, you don't need to as you have one elsewhere.

Hope you'll come back in the future to show us how it looks after painting.

White paint and hanging plant in the corner over the toilet and maybe a shelf about a third of the way down with another trailing plant, diffuser etc. Or put the hanging plant in the corner by the door if it doesn’t get in the way of the basin. You can get little shelves that fit into the corner.

Take the shower curtain down if you are not actually using the room.

It really doesn’t look that bad.

If you're not using the shower, I think I'd be tempted to remove the cubicle, so at least using the loo is comfortable. A second, easy to access loo is nore useful when you're little are potty training.

I'd go monochrome. White walls. Some plants on shelves and that would be it

I agree with you, it’s ugly. But it’s liveable once the yellow is neutralised. Pick a nice off white and accessorise - fake/real plants on some shelves etc. £100 budget is enough. Save up and do it properly in a couple of years. I love planning bathrooms. I’ve done a few and about to start another.

With two tiny kids no one will care, we had 2 with a small gap and lived with an ugly bathroom for at least five years, just painting, switching shower curtains and cheap lino at the most. It’s lovely once it’s finally done. Take your time planning.

Difficult to be certain what is possible without too much 'destruction' but I'd remove the shower cubicle (as it is a proper wetroom) and get a shower rail to go from one side of the room to the other ie in front of the loo. Then you can easily use the loo, keeping the shower curtain at the other end of the rail where it is now but when you use the shower you can pull the curtain across from wall to wall.
I would also consider taking off the mosiac tiles that are across the top of the black tiles (not the ones in the middle obvs :) ), and when you repaint you could fill and sand any bits of plaster that came off.
I agree with Smoor, try and go with accentuating the warmth of the wooden door, and maybe not complete black and white starkness.

I'd go for a sage green on the walls - I think it would go with the door and the rest of your house. I'd replace the mirror with a round one that's a bit prettier, to soften the look - with the tiles and your existing mirror I think it's a bit too angular.
I would definitely remove the curtain and if it's necessary get a better clear screen, maybe foldable if space is an issue. Shower curtains just stick to people and go mouldy and make a small bathroom look more cluttered.
Plants are a good idea to soften and add warmth.

I actually like your bathroom. You have a nice sink and cupboards, which are the expensive things to replace, so it's good you can keep yours.

I'd not bother with a bath, since you do have one already. My kids as they got older always showered, except for dd who likes an occasional bath.

Our bathroom was yellow when we first bought our house, simply painting the walls white made no end of difference! We also replaced the flooring, that wasn't too expensive and revived the room.

Just a word of warning OP, I hung a nappy wet bag on the back of my bathroom door and it made the door grow black mould over time. And I had super dooper completely waterproof bags too.

You have lovely doors by the looks of things so I'd hate for that to happen to yours! Worth consideration anyway 😊

But yes as per PP, painted white and lots of plants would hugely change the look of it and be lovely!

the bathroom is decent, it’s the yellow paint that’s bad. I’d actually consider painting that black and add green plants.