by Kate Hudson

Created on: February 05, 2008   Last Updated: February 01, 2012

Having your entire bathroom replaced and redone would cost a fortune. Thankfully, there are plenty of much cheaper ways to cheer up your existing bathroom. In fact, the bathroom is probably the easiest room in the house to spruce up since it is mostly fixtures and fittings and there is little or no furniture.

Since we're looking for cheap solutions, the bathroom suite, wall tiles and flooring probably need to stay. If they are in too bad a condition it is possible to pick up cheap replacements second hand, and if you can fit them yourself or get a friend to do you a favour, you can save a lot of money over paying a professional to do the job.

Assuming that your suite, tiles and flooring are in reasonable condition or you have managed to replace them, the first thing you can do to spruce up your bathroom is to give it a good clean. Most of us have nooks and crannies in our bathrooms that get neglected in our usual cleaning routine. Get right into all the corners, all the grout between the tiles, get the whole room to sparkle. It could make a world of difference.

Since the suite, tiles and flooring are already in place, you should take inspiration from them for your colour scheme. If you're lucky enough to have a white bathroom you can go with any color scheme, but if you have coloured tiles for example, it is better to work with them rather than against them. Even the most horrible tiles can look OK if they match the colour scheme of the room.

Since most bathrooms are small, a single can of paint is usually enough for the whole room. Painting the room can help disguise problem walls and ceilings, bring in light or give the illusion of more space. It is best to work with the colours that are already in the room, but take these tips into account if possible: White or pale colours are good for bringing in light, while darker colours can bring the walls in closer. Blue is known for making spaces look larger and reds and earthy tones can bring warmth to a cold room.

Once the room itself is looking good, it's time to work on the accessories. Your shower curtain and towels are biggest items that furnish your room. If they are tired, old or don't match the room, you can give your bathroom an instant new look simply by replacing them. If your shower curtain is fine, you can update it by replacing the hooks with something more modern. Towels can be expensive, so if your budget doesn't stretch that far, try replacing just the hand towels, and keep the bath towels in a

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