An essential made elegant

UPDATING a bathroom can be difficult -- and expensive. How can you redecorate a space that’s in constant use, and how can you do it on a limited budget? Plan ahead and prepare to live with chaos, says Sarah Woodward, founder and designer at Wallflower Labs (www.wallflowerlabs.com). Done right, the bathroom can be more than utilitarian, she says, a real soothing environment.

Game plan: Order parts and equipment in advance. “You think you’re going to just slap in a new sink,” says Woodward, “but it’s not always so easy.” Woodward was unable to connect a Crane sink she found at a salvage yard because the antique hardware proved more difficult to find and more expensive than expected. (Completely restored Crane faucets can sell for as much as $1,000.) Not until she found Don Hooper of the online store Vintage Plumbing did the sink become functional. “For three months I was brushing my teeth in the kitchen,” she says.

Cabinetry: The right vanity can make a bathroom. An unconventional choice, such as a credenza, can create an elegant mood in a small space. Cut holes for the sink and plumbing and install a counter on top. “Consider how much storage you might lose because of the sink dropping in,” Woodward says. Relics in the attic or garage can fit the bill. Woodward also recommends yard sales, www.craigslist.com or the Rose Bowl Flea Market for inexpensive vanities. The vanity in the bathroom pictured here is from IKEA. “Pedestals are lovely, but they’re better for a guest bathroom,” she says.

Accessories: Changing a mirror or other accessories and hardware can transform the space. New faucets and shower heads also make a huge difference. Woodward has saved hundreds of dollars on Kohler hardware by buying on EBay.

Towels: Choose hooks for towels. “They take up less space that way,” she says, and they look good. Think hotel towels: soft and absorbent, plush and big. “I like solid-colored towels with textures in the weave as opposed to pattern in the towel,” she says. If the towels are too busy visually, they will make the room feel smaller.

Paint: Woodward is a fan of flat enamel paint, which is durable and easy to wash with a sponge. “It looks muted instead of shiny and glossy,” she says. In addition, it hides imperfections. High gloss can accent drywall lines or spackle jobs. Go for the muted colors. Woodward prefers pale taupe, pictured here. “It’s very elegant,” she says and “accentuates all the other furnishings.”

Materials: Glass? Porcelain? A guiding factor should be the house as a whole, Woodward says. The bathroom design should have some continuity with other rooms. Don’t over-coordinate, but keep the materials, style and architecture similar.

Window: “It’s fairly easy to swap out a window,” Woodward says, “and it’s not that expensive.” She favors simple, clean lines.

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Lisa Boone can be reached at lisa.boone@latimes.com.