Latest Homes magazine

Latest Interiors makes a splash

Is your bathroom less than sparkling? A make-over needn’t break the bank – this week, Latest Interiors shows you how to make a splash, without splashing out…

Tiles and grouting

Replacing old tiles will make a huge difference to your bathroom, and needn’t cost a fortune. Simple, white tiles are an inexpensive (prices in DIY stores start at around £4 per m2) way of replacing old, coloured or broken tiles, and will add space and light to your room. Simply cleaning and repairing worn grouting, or replacing old, discoloured grouting will also make a huge difference. If you have plain, light coloured tiles, try a chocolate or off-black grout for a modern look.

Floors

Updating the floors can also transform your bathroom. Although they look great, some wooden floors aren’t suitable for wet areas. If you have your heart set on wood, bamboo is a good water-resistant material, looks just as good as wood, and is relatively inexpensive. It has the added advantage of being very eco-friendly, too, as it is fast growing and sustainable. There are also some reasonable water-resistant laminated floor products.

Tiles are the obvious choice and, as with walls, cleaning and replacing grouting, or using plain, light coloured (and inexpensive) tiles will make a real difference to the space. One of the cheapest and easiest options is vinyl flooring, which comes in all sorts of finishes, from convincing slate or wood effects, to wild and wonderful pinks and patterns. Expect to pay from around £7 per m2 for simple, ceramic floor tiles, and from around £4 per m2 for vinyl.

Bathroom suites

Simple, white bathroom suites don’t have to cost the Earth. If you’ve got an old, coloured suite (Latest Interiors started out with avocado in our first flat), then check out the new year sales and opt for plain white. If you want to keep your existing suite, but the bath is looking tatty, then you can get the bath re-enamelled – there are several specialist companies that provide this service in the South East, and prices start at around £200 for a full re-enamel, and less if
you only want smaller repairs.

Storage & accessories

Adding a large mirror to one wall (we love out-sized, vintage mirrors) will add light and make the room seem larger. If clutter is the problem, spend your money on storage: Under-sink storage, a new linen basket for dirty washing, and a tall, narrow cupboard, will help you to keep surfaces clear.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 5:52 pm and is filed under Interiors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.