bath

Whether renovating or simply redecorating, create a fantasy bathroom on the budget of your dreams. Here's how...

1. Don't re-locate. Re-plumbing ratchets up the reno budget, so keep toilets, sinks and showers as close to their original location as possible. If you must move something, sinks are generally the cheapest to re-position.

2. Choose a single "splurge" item, and plan around it to ensure it acts as a stunning focal point. Then you can get away with lower-cost items elsewhere. If you make the mosaic tile on the shower floor the jewel in the crown, for example, use more economical tile on the shower walls. Similarly, if the sink is the showstopper, then choose a lower-cost countertop. For instant wow without construction, replace a basic mirror with a more dramatic, elaborately framed one.

3. Swap your vanity. Since your cabinet holds such a prominent position in the bathroom, replacing a tired one with a handsome new model is a great value-for-your-money strategy. You can also paint a past-its-prime vanity, add new pulls, a sparkling new countertop and new taps, and presto - your bathroom is reborn.

4. Use contrasting colour. A wall, or floor, of inexpensive tile looks rich in two-tone contrasting or complementary shades. Or be bold with a tiled stripe that travels around the room as a border butting the ceiling. It could also be counter-height too so becomes a casual backsplash above a simple pedestal sink.

5. Pack a punch with paint. In relative terms, paint is an inexpensive way to add drama. So pick a bold colour - it's especially impactful when giving a small powder room a facelift. Stripes also work here for low-cost, high-impact results.

6. Look for deals on faucets. You may love the look of nickel, but chrome offers a similarly modern accent at a much lower cost. And don't get married to one brand; provided you choose faucets in the same finish, you can cherry pick from a number of different lines - and price points.

7. Accessorize. Stacking white towels is an economical way to get that boutique-hotel look, while pillar candles, a few fragrant soaps and fresh-cut flowers lend spa tranquility without the spa price tag. Updating and upgrading low-cost items like towel bars, mirrors and the hardware on drawers and doors can breathe new life into an old bathroom, for a fraction of the cost of a full renovation.

8. Repurpose living room and bedroom furnishings. Nothing says luxury more than a bathroom outfitted with lounge-like furnishings. So consider a chair and side table in the bathroom. If you're space-challenged, an ottoman or bench with storage inside does double duty and is always a wise spend.

9. Build an above-the-door storage shelf. It's ideal for seldom-used bathroom items (extra towels, toilet paper) or for displays (a shell collection, photographs). Putting this little-used space to use frees the rest of the bathroom from clutter.

10. Create budget- and bathroom-friendly artwork by printing favourite photographs in black and white. Frame them and hang them in the bathroom for creative, but low-cost, bathroom art that proves high-impact decorating doesn't have to hurt (the wallet, that is).

Lastly, do your homework to avoid second guesses, costly errors and miscalculations, especially when you're on a strict budget. Sure you can always re-do the flooring (or tiling or grouting), but at a cost. It pays to spend time planning, measuring and consulting before you start your bathroom project. It also pays to consult The Home Depot's invaluable know-how section at homedepot.ca/know-how for help with all of your home-improvement and DIY projects.