11 Unique Toilet Renovation Ideas (& Costs) In Singapore 2023
Renovating your own home is everyone’s dream but let’s face it, not everyone has the right kind of budget to carry out a full-scale renovation. And when it comes to home renovation, toilets are usually the least prioritized space in the house. However, even if you are short on budget, that does not mean you cannot try to transform the look of your toilet and stay updated with the current interior design trends.
If you are planning to furnish your toilet with a new look or undergo a full overhaul, there are several things that you need to consider carefully before embarking on your toilet renovation project. This is so that you can abstain from any unnecessary expenditure and ultimately get the outcome that you desire.
There are several ways and ideas through which you can renovate your toilet while not spending a hefty amount, thereby preventing yourself from going over your proposed budget. Some of these ideas are discussed in detail below.
Plan, Plan, Plan!
Ensure that you have prepared a proper and well-thought-out plan before you start on your toilet renovation journey. If you are living in a HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) or Resale flat, you may need to check with HDB to ensure that you get all the necessary approvals for a smooth renovation without any hiccups along the way.
Choose a recommended interior designer or contractor who will be able to offer you expert advice throughout the whole renovation process. Your contractor should be a fully licensed professional in the field of renovation to ensure that your ideal toilet renovation is on track in terms of schedule, and not overspending on your budget. A specialist in the field can direct you in taking the best steps to ensure that your ideal toilet design materialises.
A Modern Resale HDB Toilet at 607A Edgefield Plains, 4-Room
Toilet Renovation Costs In Singapore in 2021
Once you have a consultation with a specialist for your toilet renovation, they will most likely let you know which are the things you should renovate in your toilet based on your preferences and lifestyle, and your toilet’s current condition. This is an estimation of a breakdown in the costs of a basic toilet renovation package (All prices are in Singapore Dollars):
Hacking: $1200 - $1700
Tiling: $2500 - $4500
Plumbing: $1200 - $1700
Toilet vanity: $800 - $1300
Shower screen: $500 - $900
These prices are relative and only intended for use as a reference. When you take into account the different materials that you will be selecting and the sizes of the different elements in the toilet, the costs can vary even further and may have an impact on your proposed budget.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at our inspirational toilet designs that you can use for your very own home.
Design a Low Maintenance Toilet
In a perfect world, your bathroom would be a self-cleaning sanctuary. Imagine having a clean, fresh smelling, mold-free toilet that is easy to clean! Making your toilet as low maintenance and easy to clean as possible is important and therefore, choosing the right materials from the start is a key factor.
Moisture and humidity are the primary concerns when it comes to bathrooms. Pick the materials for the surfaces of your toilet carefully. Incorporate moisture-resistant, simple to-upkeep materials in your tiles like quartz since they are non-permeable. Stay away from permeable materials like marble or concrete screed.
A Sophisticated Toilet Interior at Santorini, 3 Bedder Condominium
Glass shower doors have the propensity to gather built-up soap and scum. To avoid having this cleaning hassle, go for a more modest shower enclosure that can easily keep out excess splashes. Opt for bathroom hardware accessories such as taps that are easy to wipe down and more averse to gathering grime after some time.
In case you're going for a fully enclosed glass shower area, choose a sliding entryway that requires less room compared to a pivoted one. Ensure that you pick a good quality treated glass that will not break easily. If having glass shower doors is not your style, you can opt to have shower curtains instead. Shower curtains are versatile and add character to the toilet space.
Wall-mounted vanities and toilets will make it easier to clean your bathroom floor due to having it off the ground. This prevents water from accumulating around the bottom edges, leaving no opportunity for mold and dirt to gather.
Change the Paint Colour
One of the most cost-effective ways in which you can renovate your bathroom is to change the paint. You can choose different coloured paint than the previous one to improve its appearance.
You can go a bit bold by painting one wall in a bold and bright colour and keeping the other walls pastel coloured to balance it. Don’t just think of painting your toilet in a single shade of colour. You can explore and experiment with different paint ideas, painting different patterns or designs on the walls to make them appear trendy and stylish.
Consider keeping the palette white and bright. Going for tiles that are white adds to the hallucination of a bigger washroom space since the shading will in general retreat outwardly. Like gleaming surfaces, white reflects light so your washroom will seem more brilliant. If you do not desire to have your space look excessively clinical, infuse pops of other colours or textures for intrigue.
This change of paint will transform the toilet’s look instantly, and you would be able to bring about some positive change without it getting too heavy on your pocket.
Change the Colour of the Cabinets
Another easy and inexpensive way in which you can change your toilet’s appearance is to change the colour of the cabinets and shelves. Change the original hue for a fresh new appearance to completely transform the overall outlook of the toilet. Select a paint that is able to protect your cabinets from moisture and grime. You can even paint them in different coloured patterns such as zig-zag lines, stripes, geometric shapes, haphazard shapes, and so on.
You can draw inspiration from the following image of an HDB BTO toilet designed and renovated by us. You can see how the cabinets have been painted in a beautiful pattern and used varying shades of brown to create a very soothing and eye-catching design. You can paint the cabinets of your toilet in a similar fashion to change their appearance and transform the bathroom’s look.
Teck Ghee Parkview, Ang Mo Kio Street 44, 5 Room BTO toilet renovation
Change the Tiles of One Wall
If you want to change the tiles of your toilet but don’t have enough budget to cover the cost of tiles for all the walls, you can change the tiles of just one wall.
You can choose patterned tiles or a mix of different colours and geometric shapes on the tiles to decorate one wall of the bathroom. Even if all the remaining walls remain the same, this new wall will completely transform the toilet’s look and make it appear stylish and modern.
This idea is inspired by the following image of a bathroom designed by us. Notice how one wall has been covered with varying tiles of black and white patterns while all the other walls remain white. This creates a perfect balance of beauty and grace, which you can also implement in your toilet.
Tampines Street 21, HDB toilet renovation
Limit the Tiles on the Walls
If the tiles of your bathroom are in deplorable condition and you just need to change them but lack the budget to get suitable tiles for the entire toilet, then you can try to limit the number of tiles that you use on the walls.
You can install tiles on the walls up to a particular height and just paint the area of the walls above the tiles with a fresh coat. In this way, you will be able to save some money on the expensive tiling and still change the appearance of the toilet to a reasonable extent.
In case you're going for tiles, pick ones that have no grout lines or enormous configuration ones that have less of them. With fewer grout lines, this means less area for mold and grime to manifest. This applies to divider tiles as well. With regards to tile flooring, tiles shouldn't be excessively enormous, and they ought to have grout lines for a better grasp. Smaller floor tiles additionally make it simpler to make a slant to the floor channel, averting water amassing.
Upper Serangoon View, Boathouse Residences, 2 Bed Condominium
Purchasing Special Toilet Fixtures
If you do not want to spend too much on a bathroom renovation and you feel that the walls and floor of the toilet are good as they are, then you can just change the bathroom fixtures and lighting to give a completely new look to the toilet. It is a good practice to get familiar with the various types of toilet fixtures available in the market and those that suit your budget and lifestyle. You can replace the shower, faucets, sink, toilet, and bathtub to incorporate modern and trendy fixtures.
It is also important to keep in mind the general layout of the existing toilet. If you know this beforehand, it will help you in your search for buying the most appropriate fixtures for your space.
Blk 659 Chua Chu Kang Crescent, 5 Room Resale HDB Toilet renovation
Consider The Use of Proper Lighting For Toilet Spaces
Ensure there are sufficient overhead lights to cover each zone in your toilet — vanity, shower and toilet. Maintain a strategic distance between each light to avoid them shining awkwardly in the given space. This is to ensure that you do not end up having unflattering lightings. Place all overhead lighting at the appropriate positions to bring out the full desired effect.
Also, changing the lighting to recessed or accent lighting makes a world of difference in enhancing the bathroom’s overall aesthetic. You can install accent lights under the cabinets and sink. You can add spotlights and track lights above the mirror to further enhance the appearance.
Consider the following image of an HDB toilet renovation project completed by us. Notice how adding the accent lighting beneath the cabinets and using a fancy sink and faucet adds a touch of elegance and grace to an otherwise normal-looking bathroom.
Accent Lighting Used To Enhance a Toilet’s Appearance at BLK 788 Woodlands Executive, HDB Maisonette
Consider the storage area
To keep messes from developing after some time in the toilet, consider taking into account having an ample storage area in your renovation. Ensure they are sufficient cupboards that can conceal away any clutter and unattractive things like additional toilet rolls.
For extra storage interior design ideas, you may also want to consider having a storage unit that is built in over the toilet. This space is often overlooked and with modern store-bought furniture, you can customize a look to store extra toilet rolls and other toiletries or even have a small artificial plant to finish the look.
Blk 828 Yishun, 5 Room Resale HDB Toilet renovation
Having a Well-Ventilated Toilet is Important
Mildew and mould formation from the buildup of dampness and state of mugginess in the restroom can be a major worry in any home. With all things considered, you need to design a toilet space that is kept ventilated all the time.
In the absence of a window, consult your reliable interior designer in Singapore about options such as an extractor/exhaust fan to exhaust the warm moist air created from showering. Some fans can be mounted on the ceiling to draw out the foul smells and odours that emerge from the toilet, improving the air quality in the process.
The choice of paints should also be considered as well. Ensure that the paint is suitable for use in wet areas like your toilets. Most of these paints would have anti-mould properties which would prevent mould growth. The choice of paint to consider for a bathroom space would be Dulux Paint or Nippon Paint as these contain ingredients that work against mould and mildew.
If you are buying a BTO renovation package or Resale HDB renovation package, make sure that the bathroom comes ventilated as well for a safe and healthy environment.
Consider Water Efficiency
As per PUB guidelines, showering and flushing the toilet latrine take up roughly 57% of our water utilisation in our homes. Eliminating excess water utilisation in these areas begins from renovating your toilet. Consider putting resources into water-efficient taps, toilets and shower-heads as these will go a long way in helping you save on your water utility bills for the long run.
Go for hardware that has a 3 tick’s confirmation. They are intended to have a lower stream rate or a lower flush limit.
An Elegant Bathroom at Santorini, 3 Bedder Condominium
Add Decorative Items/Accessories
One of the ways in which you can change the appearance of your toilet without spending too much is to add decorative items to it. You can add wall hangings to spice up the toilet’s image. You can add plants in interior design to bring an element of natural freshness to the space.
You can add a fancy cabinet, which displays all the toiletries and towels in a stylish way. You can also add deluxe toiletries and place them on the cabinet shelves or the sinks.
Invest in good placemats, a good shower curtain, or other accessories that you might think will enhance the overall interior design of the bathroom. All these ideas will cost you much less as compared to a complete renovation but will still be able to transform the bathroom’s appearance for the better.
Consider the following image of an HDB toilet renovation project done by us. The walls have been decorated with simple yet elegant wall hangings. Some fancy toiletries are placed near the sink, and a round mirror has been installed. All of these ideas can be incorporated by anyone to change their toilet appearance with minimum budget.
BLK 115A Alkaff Crescent, 4 Room HDB toilet design
Add Patterns Or Stickers To The Toilet Elements
Another inexpensive way in which you can add some character and personality to your toilet is by using patterns and stickers. These days, you can find a lot of different stickers on various themes for your home. You can apply them to the walls, mirror, cabinets, or other fixtures of the toilet. If you are a bit artistic yourself, you can even paint on the walls, mirrors, or sinks to display your creativity as well as to transform your bathroom.
You can take inspiration from the following image of a bathroom renovated by us in which the mirror has been decorated with stickers of different patterns. You can even try to paint your sink in a similar fashion to what is shown in the image. The end result would be a fun and creative bathroom that has been completely transformed!
BLK 194B Bukit Batok Skyline 3 Room HDB BTO toilet renovation
Conclusion
These are some of the ways in which you can renovate your toilet without spending a lot of money. The main approach is to redo instead of buying new things. The more things which you can transform in some way instead of replacing them, the less you will spend eventually, but the transformation will surely be a good and welcome one.
Overall, try to keep things simple. Try not to limit your ability to shine with twofold sinks or unsupported tubs if you can't bear the cost of the space. They will possibly look decent if you have the additional floor bequest to give a visual parity. Rather, focus on upgrading little subtleties like your equipment to up the luxury factor. Hopefully through this article, we have given you some interesting and fresh toilet renovation ideas that you can use for your own home today.
Swiss Interior is a reliable interior design firm in Singapore that provides interior design, renovation, HDB design, and condo renovation services for homeowners in Singapore. Contact and schedule an appointment with us today!
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