7 easy bathroom decor upgrades

Many of us have a mish-mash of unmatched bathroom towels, but when considering the overall aesthetics of the room, a matching bathroom towel set that complements your existing colour scheme is an easy win.

The Truly Lou Quick-Dry Striped Towel Set featuring two bath-, two hand-towels and two washcloths is highly rated by Amazon buyers, with 84% giving it five stars at the time of writing. Generously sized, these towels are made from sustainably sourced materials and come in a range of colours which will work with most existing bathroom decor.

Every bathroom needs at least one mirror and ideally a cabinet of some sort to store toiletries. If you don’t want the installation costs of an electrically wired LED mirror, then this mirror may be just for you. The easily installed, wall-mounted HOMCOM mirror and cabinet combo makes for a highly practical bathroom upgrade.

Measuring 150d x 600w x 750h in millimetres, it’s got loads of storage space featuring three shelves — the top one of which is adjustable for height — and decent-sized mirrored doors. Simple, practical and sensible, it too is highly rated by Amazon purchasers.

Replacing an entire bath usually requires two people and the services of a plumber. But if you have a standard UK-size bath — 1700mm x 700mm — and a little DIY capability, you could seriously smarten up its appearance by replacing damaged or cheap-looking bath panels.

We like the classy-looking Orchard Dulwich stone grey wooden bath panel pack available from Victorian Plum. It’s UK-designed, made from engineered wood and has a timeless look that works in modern or traditional bathroom styles. The pack contains front and end panels, but the front panel can be purchased on its own as well for £165.

Sometimes overlooked, a bathroom waste bin should be considered an essential element of your bathroom furniture. And there’s no reason why it can’t add a dash of colour and style to the set-up, either.

This John Lewis & Partners Block Stripe Bathroom Bin does just that and appears to be popular with the store’s style-conscious customers. Part of its own-brand ANYDAY range, this plastic bin is available in teal, white or grey and features a simple swing lid. For a coordinated look, it can be matched with other accessories in John Lewis’ Block Stripe range.

Read more: 17 stylish bathroom accessories that only look expensive

Sometimes, improving your bathroom decor is less about tapping into your inner interior designer and more about applying a spot of old-fashioned elbow grease. Sealant around bathroom fittings and grout between tiles will, over time, discolour, deteriorate and drag down the appearance of your bathroom. The only solution is to dig out the old and re-apply the new.

For larger tile grout jobs, a Dremel Grout Removal 2 Piece Multi-tool Kit from B&Q will make short work of an otherwise laborious task. Silicone sealant requires a different technique and online reviews suggest the Vitrex SRF005 Silicon Remover & Replace Kit gets a thumbs-up from the vast majority of professionals and DIYers who have used it.

Top tip: warm up the sealant with a hairdryer for easier removal.

Want to both showcase and dry your colour-coordinated towel set? If you don’t have a heated towel rail, drying towels in a bathroom can be a hassle as free-standing towel rails often take up valuable space. The solution is a wall-mounted, combined towel shelf and towel rail that neatly handles both the storage and drying issues.

We like this Accents Options traditional towel shelf available through Victoria Plum. The upper shelf allows towels to be stacked neatly while the two lower rails hold towels ready to be used. Its stainless steel design offers a fresh, polished look that seamlessly works with more bathroom fixtures, too.

Walls, ceilings and floors could be considered among the bigger jobs in any bathroom upgrade, but of the three, walls, especially if just requiring painting, are often within the scope of the DIYer. If painting is an option for you, Dunelm has some great colour choices within their emulsion paint range. These products are perfect for walls, woodwork, radiators and primed metal surfaces. They’re also resistant to mould and steam, making them great for humid bathroom conditions.

Available in matt or eggshell finishes you could go bold with an emerald green or more muted with an ivory that will coordinate with a wider range of complementary colours. That’s one of the beauties of a bathroom upgrade, you can go wherever your own style and imagination take you!