Diana Clement: Bathroom makeover

There are improvements that can be made quickly and cheaply to make a bathroom more appealing. Photo / Getty

Nice bathrooms help sell homes. But vendors may not want to or be able to afford to upgrade their bathroom before selling.

None-the-less there are improvements that can be made quickly and cheaply to make a bathroom more appealing, says Karen Warman, marketing manager at Resene.

One, of course, is to paint the bathroom in more up-to-the-moment colours. Sometimes bathrooms look bland simply because of the choice of colours.

Not everyone has an eye for colour and if you didn't get it right last time, then consider getting advice on the colour scheme before investing in paint.

A striking feature wall can help focus attention on the best part of the room and away from areas that are less attractive, says Warman.

She says. "Many bathroom feature walls are tending to deep blues and greys, such as Resene Coast or Resene Fuscous Grey, dressed with accessories in lighter blues and yellows."

Wallpaper is becoming more common in bathrooms and can be used to update the look.

"Most bathrooms only need one or two rolls of wallpaper for a feature wall, so it's a very affordable way to introduce colour and design."

Tired laminates and old tiles can be sealed with a waterborne smooth surface sealer painted over easily, says Warman. "(The sealer) is designed to stick to smooth surfaces and give something for the topcoats to grip onto."

A bath can be rejuvenated easily with specialist paint, says Warman.

Some bathroom cabinetry is just plain ugly. But before replacing it, consider whether you can get away with simply painting the cabinet, or replacing the doors and/or handles.

This can give an instant fresh look, without having to replace all of the cabinetry, says Warman.

Where the dated sink and/or vanity or an old-style toilet does need replacing, it's not going to cost a fortune, although you will need to use a plumber for installation. If you're renovating the bathroom to sell rather than live in, you don't need to choose the cabinetry of your dreams.

Instead you need to look for reasonably priced, but modern looking toilets, baths, and cabinets.

Eye-catching designs at a budget prices can be found at the likes of most any DIY store. There are many smart designs on offer for affordable prices.

Mitre 10 interior stylist Liv Harper says if you're choosing a new vanity consider a wall mounted one, because it makes the floor space feel larger.

"Remember to keep it simple," says Harper. Even if you are updating only parts of the bathroom keep in mind the space available.

Bathroom floors can be very worn. As a result it's worth considering stripping them and varnishing, repainting or recovering with trendy modern vinyl.

One of the best investments you can do for a bathroom if you plan to sell is to clean it to five star hotel standards. White vinegar fixes all manner of bathroom build-ups.