Simple Updates You Can Make To Transform an Ugly 50's Bathroom

A couple years ago I helped a friend with some simple updates in her 50's home.   It's really amazing what a little paint can do.  

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10 Ways To Update Your Bathroom On A Budget

Here's a couple before pictures:

The bathroom had carpeting, I've already removed it.  As you can see there's lots of paneling, the tub and toilet are pink, as well as the linoleum countertops.  It's a small space, which I can't do anything about, but we can lighten it up and make it feel a little more spacious.

So, first things first, I removed all the doors/drawers from the cabinetry and gave them a good cleaning, also wiping down the paneling and cabinet itself.  (I also painted the kitchen cabinets in this home, you can see the process and results of that project here: Updating A 50's Kitchen). The floor is getting some vinyl wood laminate so I gave it a good cleaning as well (using a scraper to remove any "bumps" along the way).

Everything got a coat of primer and a couple coats of a nice, creamy paint color.

 The laminate coutertops (except for being pink) are in excellent shape so I gave them a good cleaning and left them alone.  (The kitchen also had great 50's countertops that cleaned up beautifully.  If you like vintage at all then why not keep them and "make them work").  The floor is called TrafficMaster, Allure and is a really easy product to work with (purchased at Home Depot).

 With a few accessories (new window treatments, some towels, a rug and a new toilet seat) the room is complete.

Now, the pink countertop and fixtures are pops of whimsy instead of eye-sores.

For minimal investment you too can drastically change the look of a room by simply painting, taking it from dark and dreary to light and airy.  

Today's postcard: 10 Ways To Update Your Bathroom On A Budget