Carpenter Project Ideas: Make Up Your Bathroom

A bathroom remodel can add thousands to a home’s value, but it can also cost thousands of dollars to complete. Consider these woodworking projects to renovate your bathroom without spending a lot of money on an expensive remodel:

Independent shelf: Many bathrooms, especially small ones, have little storage space. Take advantage of the often unused vertical space by building a freestanding shelf that leans against the wall behind the toilet. A custom shelf can double the amount of storage space in a bathroom while creating a streamlined look. Building a custom shelf allows you to control the size, number of shelves or cabinets, and color. Consider making the shelf recessed, extending from wall to wall or floor to ceiling.

Open face shadow boxes: Building a shade box is a simple woodworking project that adds modern style and functionality to a bathroom. A shadow box can be stained to match the existing wood tone in the room or painted to match a color scheme. Consider building a set of three, either identical or different sizes. These versatile boxes can be used to hold extra hand towels or washcloths (rolled up for a clean look), or for decorative items like figurines, flowers, or potpourri .

Vanity: building a new vanity is a more complicated project, but it packs a punch in a bathroom. A custom vanity allows you to incorporate shelves and organization options to suit your particular needs. Consider staining the vanity a warm shade or using creative painting techniques to give it a unique, distressed look. Since bathroom vanities are often smaller than other furniture, they present an opportunity to use unusual painting techniques and colors to personalize your home without affecting the main living area.

Mirror frame: Adding a simple frame to an existing mirror is an easy way to update a bathroom. Many bathrooms have standard wall-mounted mirrors without frames that contribute to an outdated look. Adding a frame to the mirror is a simple update that adds personal style to any bathroom.

First aid kit: A medicine cabinet is a useful bathroom feature that is usually built into the wall. The medicine cabinets provide easy-access storage for frequently used items such as toothpaste, medications, deodorant, face wash, and more. They can be adorned with a mirror, stained in a wood tone to match other woods in the room, or painted the wall color for an understated look.

Other bathroom woodworking ideas include custom towel racks or coat racks, decorative window or door trim, and vanity stools. An old-fashioned bathroom is the perfect place to seek inspiration for your next woodworking endeavor!