5 Simple Bathroom Upgrades For Your First Home

So you've finally got the keys to your own place - Victorian Plumbing looks at how you can make your new house feel like home.

1. Replace smaller features
2. Consider repurposing
3. Colour code
4. Go for a large mirror
5. Add decoration

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Moving into your first home is a real milestone in your life. You’ve saved up for ages to get that deposit, found the perfect location and discovered the ideal house to begin your future in. So now what? Well, it’s time to put your own stamp on the place! Time to let your creative streak run wild and…wait, hang on, your bank statement says how much?! Maybe you should hold back on that heated marble floor for a while!

Unfortunately, unless you’re one of the lucky ones, money will probably be tight for a while after moving in, which means careful planning when it comes to upgrades. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create something that’s stylish and most importantly unique to you. Here at Victorian Plumbing, we recommend starting with the bathroom (who’d have thought it?) as it’s actually one of the easier rooms to make improvements to.

In this blog we’re going to be looking at 5 key ways your bathroom can make your new house feel like home, without breaking the bank in the process.

1. Replace smaller features

Forget about the big jobs like retiling the walls or fitting a new suite for now (unless the existing fixtures really are tragic!) and instead focus on the smaller details. A good place to start is to replace your basin taps with a set of smart new ones (remember to get matching bath taps too if your bathroom has one). There are plenty of designs to choose from regardless of whether you want an ultra-modern look or something a bit more traditional. They’re a great budget upgrade too!

Besides taps, you should also look at changing the shower head, which will freshen things up a treat and spare you the cost of replacing the whole shower. A new toilet seat can also improve the look of things while keeping costs down. One of the easiest things to replace is the shower curtain, which you can read more about in our previous blog. It always amazes us how something so simple can make such a big difference!

2. Consider repurposing

Chances are you won’t want to splash out on a brand new bathroom furniture set at this point; so what’s the alternative? Upcycling your old stuff of course! Repurposing tired items, turning them into stylish new creations is big news these days, and you can easily find tons of inspirational ideas at the click of a button. We’ve even got a few upcycling bathroom ideas of our own that you should check out!

3. Colour code

It sounds obvious, but a little bit of careful colour coordination can really pull the whole look of the room together. Bathroom sets are inexpensive and are available in a massive range of finishes while towels and bath mats can further continue a theme while remaining subtle. It’s important that you don’t overlook simple upgrades like these, no matter how trivial they might seem.

4. Go for a large mirror

Installing a large mirror in your bathroom can add a dramatic look, keeping things both stylish and practical in the process. They’re also brilliant if you’ve got a small bathroom too as they reflect the light, making the room feel more spacious. There are loads of cool looking mirrors to pick from so just take your time and go for something that’ll provide the wow factor while complementing its surroundings.

5. Add decoration

This last point might seem a little unorthodox but we’re mavericks here at Victorian Plumbing so that’s just how we roll! If you really want to make your bathroom stand out then what you need to do is add some decorative touches. One of the best things to do is add some paintings or posters to the walls (vintage art deco travel posters, for example, can look particularly cool). We’d only add these to bare walls mind as they won’t look quite right hanging on tiled backgrounds!

Framed photographs can also look great, either clustered neatly together or scattered throughout the bathroom.

Introducing plants can also breathe new life into the room, giving it a peaceful, homely feeling. The best plants to go for are things like orchids, peace lilies and Boston ferns. Just remember to not go too overboard on the decorations, because while some items can break up the room a bit you don’t want to recreate the Sistine Chapel or end up with something that resembles the amazon rainforest!

So that pretty much brings us to a close. The only other thing we’d mention is that if you’re moving in as a couple to consider each other’s personal tastes and preferences in order to avoid any arguments further down the line! All that’s left for you to do now is to put these ideas into practice and start creating the home you’ve always wanted!

Don’t forget to send us some shots of your completed bathroom! You can do this either by email or on social media. For more details, take a look at our recent 'snap and share' article.

Rob, Victorian Plumbing