Bathroom Makeover on a Budget

 

 

 

Tip 1: Color—in every sense of the word—comes from one-of-a-kind finds. The real room-changers: a funky $200 neon liquor-store sign and a horse rug, nabbed for $10 at Lincoln Auctions in Coxsackie, New York. The other vintage treasures, from stools to artwork, set me back no more than $50 a pop at local stores

 

 

Tip 2: A chandelier lends delightfully unnecessary opulence.Sure, a standard light would serve the required purpose, but this over-the-top Brocade Home pendant positively sparkle.

 

Tip 3: Splurge on the small stuff.

This tub cost only $200 at Kingston, New York's old-fixture emporium Zaborski's. To upgrade it, I forked over around $300 for new chrome supply lines and a European-style hand shower. Worth every cent, these details function like a stunning pair of shoes, elevating the whole outfit. (Zaborski's, 845-338-6465. Supply lines, $58.87 for two; hand shower, $256.24;

 

Total Bathroom Makeover

Just how bad was my master bath? Since I couldn't bear to snap a single "before" photo, you'll have to take my word about the powder-blue tile floor and walls, matching azure toilet, and double-wide stall shower with gold-flecked plastic doors. In fact, the awfulness of it all made saving up for a massive renovation unthinkable. Instead, I chose the expedient, inexpensive route, leaving the basic floor plan (i.e. plumbing lines) intact and scouring secondhand shops for steals. The finished room—my favorite in our upstate New York home—confirms what I've long held true, that pinching pennies often yields the most personal results.