You don’t have to spend a fortune to make your ensuite look fabulous again!

Tip 1
Clean up
Before you even start thinking about a complete refit, why not try sprucing up what you have already?

Beating limescale: Use a good quality cleaner or soak a wad of kitchen roll in vinegar, wrap it around the tap and leave overnight. The limescale will fall off leaving everything shiny and sparkling again.

Goodbye grout: Tired looking tile grout can drag your bathroom down – give it a new lease of life by scrubbing with an old toothbrush dipped in neat bleach or use a grout whitener.

Tip top tiles: Grotty looking tiles are never a good look. Give tiles a weekly clean using a general bathroom cleaner and specially designed cleaning pads will make the job easier. You’ll be amazed what a difference clean looking tiles makes to your en suite.

Tip 2
A new lick of paint
Re-paint non-tiled areas of the walls and the ceiling using bathroom paint – go for a neutral colour to make the room look bigger and brighter. New flooring makes a difference and need not be expensive. If you’ve got carpet get rid of it – it harbours nasty smells. Replace with laminate flooring recommended for bathroom use, sheet vinyl or vinyl tiles.

Tip 3
Fixtures and fittings
Storage under the basin: Will help to keep your bathroom clutter free and cover up that grim ‘under the sink’ pipe.
Buy a special unit that will fit around the basin, or use a simple tower of wicker baskets or small cabinet alongside. Wall-mounted wire baskets are fantastic for holding shampoo, sponges and there’s no need to drill into the tiles.

Heated towel rail: Adding one is a good investment and electrically heated rails don’t need pipe work. There is a good choice of fashionable designs from around £100 and it will mean lovely warm towels when it’s chilly outside.

Illuminated mirrored cabinet: Put above the sink and it will provide more storage and lighting. There’s a huge choice, many coming in under £100. You must get a qualified electrician to fit though, as regulations don’t allow DIY electrics in the bathroom, for obvious reasons.

Tip 4
Shower power
Ensuites are perfect for a good shower, so a good way to revamp your room is to install a fantastic shower space. Invest in one of the latest models (eco-friendly will waste much less water and save you money in the long run). Don’t even think about a shower curtain. A sleek, smart bath screen keeps water off the floor and looks good. Available from around £100 at DIY stores. If the bath is past its best and needs to be replaced, choose a shower tub with an integral shower screen, as it will save you space too.

Tip 5
Light up
The bathroom needs careful consideration when it comes to lighting, especially an ensuite as often it can be a fairly small space. It needs a combination of task, mood and feature lights to help create a soothing sanctuary. Bare bulbs in nasty pleated shades should be a thing of the past.

Change the standard one light fitting with a 100 watt bulb, to a number of lower wattage downlights to create a similar look over a wider space. A dimmer switch will allow you to choose the brightness depending on the time of day.

Downlights can be used in all locations including the shower while semi-flush and flush fittings will illuminate the ceiling, walls and floor. Flooring can also be highlighted with lighting tiles while bathroom mirrors and cabinets are ideal for task lighting like shaving, with lights above, beside or behind the glass.

Picture kindly from here