We would all love to have those gorgeous and relaxing bathrooms you get at five-star hotels or luxury spas. Unfortunately, they’re usually just slightly out of the average household budget. But what if you could get close without having to spend a bundle? The following tips can upgrade your bathroom on a budget, guaranteed.

Change the Lighting

Those 100-watt light bulbs don’t do many favors for creating a serene and lavish ambiance. Invest in bathroom lighting and you’ll see an instant jump in the quality and feel of your bathroom.

It’s extremely cheap to do – you’d be surprised by just how much of a difference it will make and you can do it on a shoestring budget as well.

It’s All About Coordination

All the effort you put into coordinating your outfits should also be applied when it comes to your bathroom. Making sure the accents, such as your mirror frame and outlet covers, match will boost the look in an instant.

It doesn’t even need to be expensive. You can work with budget decorations [to a point, anyway] and still echo a certain sense of style. You can throw money at accents, but if they’re mismatched they simply won’t look good.

Upgrade Your Mirror

The mirror is the centerpiece of the bathroom. It’s what sets the tone for the style of your entire room and it’s important to make sure you invest in getting the right one.

It doesn’t even have to be something grand or expensive. Vintage is going through a revival and you can find fantastic mirrors in second-hand stores. Go for the ones that look a little worse for wear – you can usually get them back to former glory with just a fresh coat of paint or lacquer. You can often find some great deals on eBay.

Refinish Those Fixtures

Before you decide that it’s time for ‘out with the old and in with the new’, consider whether any of the existing elements in your bathroom can be given an extension of life. Reglazing your tub or sink, for example, is a far cheaper way of giving your bathroom a fresh new look. Don’t know how? This article has simple instructions on how to reglaze a bathroom sink.

You can save thousands of dollars doing this on all of your fixtures, from your shower to your toilet, to your bath. Make sure they are still salvageable before investing, however.

A Lick of Paint

Paint is the most versatile remodeling weapon in your arsenal. It can turn a dingy old bathroom into something from a country club in just an afternoon. Use a lighter shade of paint and you can expand the size of your bathroom without having to move the walls – it’s like magic.

You can usually get quality paint for just under 50 bucks. Invest a couple of hours in labor and you’ve got yourself a bathroom you can be proud of.

Keep It Clean

This one doesn’t have to cost you a single cent – many people wonder why their bathrooms look like a hurricane has just gone through it, yet have five different types of shampoo and a range of make-up that would make your average A-list celebrity blush.

It’s time to clean up your act! Remember, the minimalist look works extremely well in a bathroom setting. Get rid of the superfluous items and stick to the essentials. If you can, move a few items away from the bathroom and into another storage area.