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It's so simple, but so effective and can save £100s on a bathroom renovation

Taking on a house renovation often doesn't leave a lot of money in the pot for brand-new kitchens and bathrooms, so learning how to make your bathroom look expensive on a budget is invaluable. 

Luckily, half the fun can be working out how to reclaim, recycle and reuse items to your advantage, which is exactly what this homeowner did when she moved into her period home and took on its dated interior. 

'Last year, I found out I was pregnant and got the keys to a fairly rundown Georgian property on the same day,' says Hannah Isichei from Cumbria. 'We renovated the house ourselves over six months and stayed in it with our new arrival for the first time last May. We didn’t have a huge budget, so we knew we had to save where we could.' 

As the first property that Hannah had renovated, she was keen to get going and the bathroom ideas where just one of the areas that got a much-needed revamp. 'I learnt a lot along the way and made a lot of mistakes, says Hannah who you can find on Instagram @thepheasantlodge (opens in new tab) . 'But having a clear idea of how I wanted the rooms to be beforehand helped a lot.'

One product in particular ensured Hannah could keep costs down, but first let's take a look at what the bathroom looked like before the makeover…

It's hard to know what needed changing more, the blue carpet, the old shower or the wall tiles. Needless to say, Hannah couldn't wait to change up this dated scheme and stamp her style on the room.

This smart new monochrome scheme not only looks heaps better but came in at an amazing £800. So what did Hannah spend and save on?

'We kept the bath suites because they were white, in good condition and that would save us some money,' she says. 'The taps, shower screen and bath panel were all changed, which updated the whole space.'

The best budget-saving idea for us has to be painting the bathroom tiles, though, which was Hannah's secret to keeping costs so incredibly low. 'Once we’d cleaned everywhere well, I painted the tiles bright white,' she says. 

'I hadn’t tried tile paint before, but actually it was brilliant. You need to follow the instructions, like sanding them first, but we’re nearly a year on now and they look as good as they did that first week.'

The smart black-and-white scheme has also had some new accessories added, like this Art Deco-style mirror, which adds a decorative touch. 'We added some faux plants and used a green paint on the walls, which we’d also used in other areas of the house,' says Hannah. 

You might have spotted the new striking floor too, but don't be fooled into thinking it has been tiled. 'We chose vinyl flooring in monochrome, which has made everywhere look much cleaner,' says Hannah. 'This wasn’t a huge cost and it was easy to roll out – plus it was much cheaper than tiles and so easy to keep clean.'

Like the look of this bathroom and keen to see more of Hannah's home? You can actually rent her house The Pheasant Lodge (opens in new tab) , for a holiday near the Lake District, and take a look at her savvy renovation ideas.

Laurie Davidson is a professional stylist, writer and content creator, who lives and breathes interiors. Having worked for some of the UK’s leading interior magazines, styled homes up and down the country and produced sets for TV shows, adverts and top brands, it’s safe to say Laurie has had a pretty exciting career. Find her on Instagram at @lifeofaninteriorstylist or over at lauriedavidson.co.uk 

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