Tips & Advice

Bathing beauties

Tackling one bathroom renovation and keeping costs in check is a challenge. Attempting to remodel a bathroom and create another one in an empty basement space while maintaining some semblance of budgetary sanity is an adventure.

In an attempt to not have the costs come completely off the rails, I decided to take a high/low approach to my project. I figured it made sense to set the boundaries early on and avoid temptation to overspend. Instead of allowing myself to dream about purchasing items I could nary afford for the modest basement bath, I decided to limit my spending and make it a "how low can you go" approach, while I planned to allow myself a bit more leeway for luxury with the main bath.

In reality, my partner in design drama, Tommy Smythe, quickly pointed out that with the limited budget I had allocated to my top-to-bottom reno of a back split bungalow, there was really no such thing as truly "high" in my realm of thinking. I would be permitted a few indulgences here and there, but he knew full well that unlimited spending was not in the cards. I used this high/low approach as an editing tool which facilitated quick and easy decision making and prevented me from wasting time looking at things that weren't going to make the final cut. By deciding to take a thrifty approach to the "low" bath, I immediately knew I need not waste time thinking about a custom vanity, separate shower stall, ornate wall tile scheme or other luxe touches. I needed to concentrate on carving out a space that I thought looked pretty and welcoming, functional and fiscally responsible.

THE LOW BATH: Tub time

I know the quick and dirty way to save in the bathroom is to get a one piece tub/shower unit, but I'm afraid that moulded plastic just isn't in my repertoire for bathroom design. I managed to find a very stylish tub with clean, contemporary lines that also had an integrated front (saving me from the additional cost of tiling the face). For $500 got something that's deep enough for a good soak, yet has a flat bottom and sides so you don't feel as though you're about to wipe out when using it as a shower.

Basic is best
My first approach to money-saving decisions is always to select inexpensive white glazed ceramic tile for the tub/shower area. There's just no beating the economics of under $2 a square foot. Generally speaking, this budget option is available in a few different sizes, so I combined 3-by-6-inch and 6-by-6-inch bands to add some pattern to the installation (it doesn't cost any more, so might as well do whatever you can to increase the decorative value).

Put it on a pedestal
When dollars are dwindling, the only sink solution worth considering is a pedestal. The good news is that you can easily find a good quality option with classic style for terrific value. If you tailor the rest of the room around this vintage look it will look like a design decision, not like a sacrifice.

Simple storage
Since this bathroom is designated to support the guest room there's no real need for ample storage of toiletries (and since the laundry room and storage area are just outside the door, any extra supplies can be stashed close by). Yet another advantage of pursuing a timeless design direction is that you can find ready-made medicine cabinets in stock at the big box stores for about $100. With crown moulding, a mirror and sharp-looking chrome hinges and latch, it's not only functional but attractive, too.

Accent on lighting
I have an aversion to over-the-mirror lighting installations. They hamper the options for a stylish mirror by reducing the amount of available wall space, and they always look like the cheap builder solution. Having the junction box installed on the ceiling instead of the wall costs no more, yet it allows you to select a sparkly decorative halogen pendant. When accompanied by a clean-lined, contemporary mirror it keeps the whole look from feeling too cottage-like.

Invest some of your savings
It can't all be pared down to the bare bones for me. A quick calculation told me I only needed about 35 square feet to tile the bath floor. With this small amount, surely I could splurge for a slightly more high end tile choice with all the money I saved elsewhere. The cheapest marble on the market tends to be Carrera so I nabbed basic 12-by-12-inch squares at the big box and gave them just a bit more oomph by adding a decorative marble border with a black accent. At just under $7 each, this was pretty low-cost wow factor.

Sticker shock
Pleased with my fiscal frugalness, I still wanted to add a little something to bring the walls to life. Without room in the budget for artwork I took a more hands on approach and applied a decorative decal to the wall. The subtle branch design came in small pieces and allowed me to adapt the pattern to my available space. It can easily be removed later on, but for less than $20 it's a high-impact decorative treatment.

THE HIGH BATH: Vanity comes at a (bargain) price

Despite being dubbed the "high" bath of the two, I still didn't let my shopping run wild. It all began when I found an ideal sideboard to be converted into a vanity at my favourite second hand store. It came complete with a marble top and was the perfect height, depth and width to serve as a vanity (ideally about 32-inches high, 20- to 22-inches deep, and 60-inches wide). How could I possibly resist at $345? Would it go with my tile choice? Well since it was the first item selected, I would simply need to make sure that the rest of the scheme complemented it. To save extra dollars, I opted for a countertop vessel sink so that I wouldn't need to pay to have the marble cut and polished to accommodate an under-mount sink option.

Don't get soaked by the tub
I was aiming to make this bath high on style, but it was never going to tip the scales in square footage. Determined to squeeze in a roomy vanity, stand-alone shower and a separate tub, I had to be very clever with my layout. Soaker tubs often hog both too much space in the room and too much of the available budget. I found just the right compromise — a skinny, yet deep freestanding tub for about $2,000 (sounds expensive, but keep in mind that if you opt for a freestanding version you save on building and tiling the surround and covering the deck in tile or marble).

The glass is half full (or the glass tile is half price...)
Always determined to get it all at a price I can afford, I was able to find a collection of glass mosaic tiles that were on sale for about $12 a square foot (less than I'd ever paid in the past). Since this price was only available for one size of tile, I created interest when installing it on the back wall of the shower by using two complimentary colours in 12-inch-wide bands. Since it's sold in 12-by-12-inch sheets, there was no extra work for tillers to install the mosaic in this fashion, yet the visual impact is great.

Let the sun shine in
I used to think skylights were just leaky 70s acrylic domes that were best suited to chalets with brown shag carpet and corduroy sofas. Now I'm jazzed by their ability to bring otherwise dark spaces to life.

The high bath felt a bit dim in its previous incarnation but thanks to the effective placement of a skylight there's now a slice of sky visible from both the tub and the shower, and the room is flooded with heavenly sunlight throughout the day.

It's the closest most of us city dwellers can get to an outdoor shower!

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