How to Add Luxury to Your Bath, No Matter Your Budget

Unlike the larger and more open areas of the home, bathrooms are private and self-contained. For that reason, you have a lot of design latitude when it comes to renovating or redecorating the bath since it is not usually in view of the rest of the home.

That means you can create an entirely different theme for a powder room or primary bath – from serene and spa-like to fancifully tropical or delightfully opulent, the choice is yours!

Of course, your budget may dictate what kinds of bathroom updates are within your reach. Let’s take a closer look at how to get affordable luxury for the bath, whether your budget is larger or smaller.

For the Bigger Budget

Some of the big-ticket amenities that homeowners splurge on when they have a bigger budget:

• Marble or exotic woods for vanities
• Rich, textured wallpaper
• High-end flooring
• Major plumbing upgrades

There is one product category that will single-handedly change the visual dynamic of the room — and that is lighting. The key when looking for suitable bath lighting is to narrow your search to fixtures that are “damp-rated.” This is especially important in full bathrooms, where steam from a shower or hot bath can degrade the look of the finish. The “damp-rated” listing means that the lighting fixture can withstand the moisture coming from the steam to continue looking beautiful for years. (For a powder room, the damp rating isn’t as critical.)

High-end lighting upgrades often include the services of an electrician, who creates new wiring for fixtures in new, different configurations. For example, swapping out a single over-the-mirror light in favor of sconces flanking a mirror will require new wiring for the sconces. Deciding to hang pendants flanking a mirror also requires creating new wiring for the pendants.

Bringing in new lighting is an upgrade that will make an incredible, luxurious difference in the look of the room. High-end lighting brands include Hubbardton Forge, Hudson Valley, and Allegri.

For the Smaller Budget

If your wallet is stretched thin, there are smaller-scale upgrades you can do to elevate the look of your bath:

• Replace a builder-basic mirror with one that has a decorative frame
• Purchase low-cost, big-style storage containers to corral your clutter
• Shop sales events to change out old towels for new ones
• Add a touch of greenery with a realistic artificial plant

The most effective upgrade for even the most modest of budgets, though, is lighting. Working with the wiring and fixture placements you have, instead of trying to add new wiring in different places, means a much lower cost!

If you have a bland overhead light, replace it with a new ceiling mount that has decorative trim or details for an instant décor uplift. Switch out the bath vanity light that came with the house and choose a new one in a fresh style that brings flair and personality to the space.

Since powder rooms and baths typically do not have high ceilings, you do not need large fixtures like you would for a dining room, great room, kitchen, or foyer. This alone brings the price of a lighting upgrade into more affordable territory.

Budget-friendly lighting brands include Trade Winds, Craftmade and Maxim Lighting.

No matter your budget, LightsOnline.com has the largest selection of lighting styles in all price points to bring panache to your primary baths and powder rooms!