The best part of redoing a bathroom is that it is small. This means that you have the freedom to try a new painting technique, or color palate, and if you decide you don't like it, then you haven't blown your budget or wasted to much of your time. The bottom line is that if you're in the mood to be creative design-wise, there's no better room than the bathroom. So before you shut your bathroom door in defeat, here are some tips to give you that designer look you want for not a lot of money.

• Remember that paint is your best friend-When it comes to the bathroom there are a number of ways you can use paint. You can give your bathroom a custom look with paint able wallpaper. If you like the look of old fashioned tin ceilings, then you'll love the new paint able ceiling tiles. The tiles are a textured wallpaper that looks like embossed white plaster, and can be painted any color that you choose. Design experts suggest hat when painting the walls of your bathroom, use bold, deep colors. You should also carry color onto the ceiling to keep it from looking broken up. You may be surprised to learn that if you are tired of your vinyl flooring, you can paint it! However, you should make sure to prime it first with a specialty primer, and then consider creating a tile pattern, or using stencils for a border. You should then follow the painting with four to six coats of polyurethane, which essentially serves as a coat of plastic.


• Be creative with artwork-Many bathroom designers suggest framing prints (from books, magazines or garden catalogues) that won't ruin your budget if they get damp. In a children's bathroom, you can hang your kids' artwork. You can find many affordable bathroom prints online as well. Don't be afraid to be creative and think outside of the box.


• Update your bathroom shower curtains and rugs-Custom-made shower curtains by designers can cost more than $250, but if you pick out the fabric yourself, take your own measurements and hire a local seamstress to do the hemming, (or best yet do it yourself), you can save a lot of money. Sometimes just picking out a matching bathroom rug and shower curtain can be enough to brighten up your bathroom. Watch for sales at local department and specialty stores.


• Don't over look the counters-You may think that you can't possibly resurface your bathroom countertops, so you are out of options. However, if you are tired of your vanity countertop but can't afford to replace it, consider resurfacing the top. There are new materials that have the thickness of a granite bathroom countertop and a fiberglass back. You can find a fabricator to come in, measure your countertop, and cut out a replacement that goes directly over the old top. The price varies from region to region but generally averages about $50 a square foot.