Older bathrooms can be quite small. A new cabinet and sink and an updated framed mirror creates a fresh new look.


If you want to have some fun, this is your chance to go wild and experiment with finishes you couldn’t apply to a large space.


but won’t clash with coloured fixtures or a countertop you can’t change. If you want to have some fun, this is your chance to go wild and experiment with finishes you couldn’t apply to a large space. Blue or green stripes, for example, will pep things up and give the illusion of a bigger room. If you don’t want to paint, wallpaper is


also an economical choice. Trendy wallpa- pers for 2012 have motifs and textures like grasscloth and bamboo drawn from nature. Be sure to choose a paper that wears well and has a protective, wipeable coating. Fresh flooring makes a world of difference


Cork and linoleum are inexpensive picks


for kitchen and bathroom flooring. Both materials are warm and durable, and are available in a vast array of colours and pat- terns. You can also fashion your own design because these products are easy to cut. Pre- finished laminate planks can be laid without nails or glue and can be moved to a differ- ent location if needed. The veneer imitates the look of wood and the tough varnish topcoat adds durability. Certain types of linoleum can are designed to imitate the look of tile.


Update cabinets In a kitchen or bathroom, cabinets have


the biggest visible impact. The quickest budget-friendly way to give them a new lease on life is to paint them. With today’s high adhesion primers, it’s even possible to paint over laminates. For a professional fin- ish, remove the doors and handles, clean the surfaces thoroughly, then sand, prime and


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paint. For a quick bathroom cabinet make- over, you can paint the vanity cabinet and just replace the counter and sink, or replace the cabinet if you have a little more money. Replacing your faucet or taps with updated models also makes a big difference. You’ll find these rules of thumb work equally well for bathrooms and kitchens. Use sculpted mouldings


To re-style flat-faced cabinet doors, add


trim or decorative moulding, or cut open- ings for glass, tin or tile inserts. Another option is to remove some of the upper cabinet doors to create open shelving.There are sculpted designs available in chrome, painted ceramics, as well as handles shaped like twigs, forks, knives, spoons, bamboo, or leaves.If you have solid wood cabinets, you can give the colour more depth and drama by stripping the finish. Apply a new stain and add a couple of drops of yellow or green oil pigment (available at your local craft store). Some older kitchens and bathrooms have


ugly or outdated countertops that look as if they’re dying to be replaced. The good news is you can refinish laminate countertops with paint as a short-term solution. Apply a solid colour or choose a paint finish witha com- bination of colours, such as faux granite or marble, so surface flaws won’t be obvious. You’ll need to sand the surface and then ap- ply a good quality primer and paint. If you want to replace the countertop altogether,a laminate surface such as Arborite is a cost efficient option at $25 to $50 a square foot for material and installation. Some higher priced laminates are even made to look like


quartz or granite. If you don’t have much surface space for work areas, why not install a portable island? This will give your kitchen an open centre.


Update backsplashes For backsplashes, tiles are traditionally


used because they are easy to clean and heat resistant. Stock tiles are quite inexpensive. You can use them as the background and insert a few designer tiles to make the back- splash your own. You can also introduce other materials, such as pressed tin, glass and mirror. If you decide to paint, cover with three or four coats of acrylic varnish in a semi-gloss, so you can wipe the surface clean. For a country kitchen, try using bead- board as a backsplash.


Prefab bathroom utilities If your tub or shower has seen better days,


you can save money by installing prefabricat- ed showers and tubs, or shower-tub combi- nations made of fiberglass or acrylics. A less expensive alternative to tile is a square shower form. Acrylic liners can also be installed over an existing tub or shower wall to give you a beautiful new finish. They don’t last forever, but they’re a popular option for people who only want to stay in their homes for three to five years. If your shower door frame is look- ing nasty, you can replace it with an acces- sorized shower curtain for very little money. Those are just a few of the easy, low-cost changes you can make to instantly upgrade your kitchen or bathroom without major renovations. Be creative, and there’s almost no limit to what you can do with a little money and a lot of imagination.


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