Tips And Works

The bathroom is, hands down, the easiest room in your pad to redo; you can really go to town with just $500 when it comes to decorating this space.

When redoing your bathroom, take care in selecting your decor -- it’s important to make your bathroom girl-friendly if you want one to spend any time in there with you. Your first purchase should be an arsenal of cleaning products, since a filthy bathroom will help a girl make the quickest decision of her life -- the one that says she's not taking a shower with you. Once that’s out of the way, a fresh coat of paint will breathe new life into your bathroom, and a few pieces of new furniture will further improve the look as well as provide extra storage space so you can clean up in a hurry. Last, but not least, add some accessories and don’t forget to stock up on grooming products -- for you and her (whether or not you actually use them, she’ll be impressed).

Putting in a modest amount of effort to redo your bathroom will reap many rewards for you, and may just make this your new favorite room, after the bedroom.

necessities

Sherwin-Williams Historic Collection Paint

Painting your bathroom is a quick job and unless your bathroom is the size of your bedroom, it’s rather inexpensive to splash on a coat or two. Allot approximately $30 for the task, then get busy transforming your bathroom with Sherwin-Williams’ Loch Blue paint. This lake-inspired hue will add vibrancy to the room and uplift your senses every time you step into the room. Plus, it’s hard to go wrong with blue since almost everyone loves this color.

Cost: $30.00

CBGB Shower Curtain

When you redo your bathroom, add a punk edge to it with a funky shower curtain, like this one from CBGB. Made from vinyl, this curtain features prints of old fliers from shows at CBGB’s in New York. While representing your eclectic taste in music, the black and white palette of this curtain sets the scene for a minimalist but fun theme in your bathroom.

Cost: $26.00

Ikea Kullen Furniture

A killer deal for a set of five pieces, Ikea’s Kullen bathroom furniture will really help keep your bathroom tidy. Also, everything can be wiped clean with a damp cloth, so it’s super easy to care for, and with five pieces to the set, you should have more than enough space to store all your loot. These basic white and silver pieces can also go anywhere you go and will likely fit into your next bathroom beautifully thanks to their modern streamlined design. If you have a small bathroom and you can’t fit all the furniture into it, simply keep what you like and sell the rest.

Cost: $99.99

accessories

Chiasso Mini Push Waste Can

Complement the contemporary look of your bathroom furniture with this equally sleek mini waste can from Chiasso. It fits into the smallest spaces, which is great since the Ikea furniture may end up taking up a good portion of the available space in your bathroom. And the lid swings shut, so it’s also useful for concealing any garbage you wouldn’t want others to see.

Cost: $32

Chiasso Zena Tealight Tray

You probably don’t really care about putting candles all over your bathroom, but trust us: She will find it incredibly romantic. It may look slightly bizarre if you have candles everywhere, not to mention the fact that this idea would be impractical if you don’t actually use them yourself, so when you redo your bathroom invest in just one candle tray that you can display prominently. Chiasso’s Zena Tealight Tray comes as one solid piece, so it won’t look out of place in your masculine bathroom.

Cost: $48

Urban Outfitters Peel Door Hook

Invaluable for keeping your clothes off the floor and avoiding a messy pile of dirty laundry from accumulating, a door hook -- like this one from Urban Outfitters -- requires no assembly and slides easily onto the back of your bathroom door. The nickel color is also in keeping with the other metallic accents you’ve got going on in the room.

Cost: $18.00

Ikea Jondal Mirror

If you have the space, hanging a full-length mirror in your bathroom is a good move. Ikea’s Jondal mirror resists moisture, so it’s a good choice for a room that tends to be a bit damp. You’ll use it to check yourself out, of course, but you’ll realize what a genius you are for installing it once you have some female company.

Cost: $49.99

Target Integrity Towel Set

An important thing to do when you redo your bathroom is to get rid of the old towels your mom gave you when you moved out, and to purchase a set of fluffy towels to complement the colors of your new and improved bathroom. A matching set of two large towels, two hand towels and two face cloths is only $29.99 from Target. You don’t necessarily have to throw out all your old towels, though. Instead, place your new ones in the Kullen rack where everyone can see them and store your other ones in a cabinet where they’re not visible.

Cost: $29.99

Bed Bath and Beyond Waterpik Showerhead

Changing your showerhead is a relatively straightforward procedure. This chrome Waterpik showerhead from Bed Bath & Beyond has eight adjustable settings, including a full-body spray for invigorating solo showers and a massaging pulse for when you’ve got company. You’ll also save on your utility bill since the flow regulator is designed to conserve water without affecting the quality of your shower. Bonus: When she comes over, you can dismount this showerhead from the wall and use it wherever you like.

Cost: $39.99

Casual Home Bath Rug

Add another shot of color to your bathroom with a punchy bathmat to prevent it from looking too black and white. This bath rug from Casual Home is machine washable, so just throw it in the machine once every two weeks to keep it from getting grungy, ensuring it looks new and feels soft.

Cost: $12.99

Body Shop Uplifting Body Wash

The final thing your bathroom needs -- something that’s more for her than for you -- is a girl-friendly body wash. Try something from The Body Shop, like this invigorating aromatherapy body wash, and she’ll be over the moon. It’s also a lot more enjoyable to lather each other up with a product that smells great and comes in nice packaging than to use your regular heavily cologned soap.

Cost: $13.00

the perfect loo

The total cost to redo your bathroom is $399.95, meaning you’ll have $100.00 left over by the time you’re done to contribute to your wining and dining fund. With a bathroom that looks this good, it won’t be long before the shower isn’t the only thing making this room steamy.

Total cost: $399.95