Boring Bathroom? 7 Fixes for an Old Medicine Cabinet
2023-05-24

Bathrooms tend to be among the smallest rooms in a home, which means they may become bland and boring over time. With enough creativity and the right inspiration, however, this space can come alive again!

If your bathroom features an outdated medicine cabinet, now may be an opportune time to update its design with something fresh! A brand new medicine cabinet could give your space an exciting makeover!

Before embarking on any cabinet replacement or installation project, there are some things you should keep in mind before beginning.

1. Paint It

If your medicine cabinet features worn paint that clashes with the rest of the bathroom, giving it a fresh coat will breathe new life and enhance your space immensely. Plus, it’s simple!

Start by thoroughly cleaning the cabinet to help the new paint adhere well to its surfaces. Trisodium phosphate cleaner can help get rid of dirt and grease build-up effectively.

Next, it is important to sand all surfaces that will be painted so they look smooth and glossy when painting commences.

Once this step is completed, the next step should be selecting a paint color that best complements your bathroom. Selecting an ideal hue can be one of the most crucial parts of any project, so make sure to do your research prior to starting work on this aspect of it.

When it comes to painting cabinets, taking your time is key if you want the job to come out right! Using painter’s tape to cover areas not intended to be painted will prevent extra coats of paint from being added outside the cabinet and saves both time and effort!

2. Add a Mirror

The addition of a mirror to an older medicine cabinet can quickly transform any bathroom and make it appear brighter and larger. Light will reflect off of it more effectively, creating depth within the space and increasing brightness.

A modern bathroom mirror cabinet offers an attractive and accessible way to store toiletries and essentials in your bathroom. Perfect for hair products, toothpaste, first aid supplies, and anything else needed around the room, mirror medicine cabinets make excellent additions.

Choose between traditional flush-mounted (recessed) or surface-mounted mirrored cabinets before making your decision. Both offer their own advantages and disadvantages, so take time to research which option best meets your needs before settling on one option or another.

Add a mirror that slides from side to side as another option for those who have limited bathroom space. This solution provides ample light while being discreet and cost-effective.

3. Organize It

The organization of your medicine cabinet is vital to protecting the health and wellbeing of you and your family. Not only is it good for physical wellbeing, but it will save both time and money in the long run.

Start by emptying and organizing everything in the cabinet so you have an accurate picture of what lies within. This will allow for easier organization of what’s there.

Once your shelves are full of suitable storage solutions, label each container so that everyone can quickly locate what they need when needed.

4. Add a Drawer

The addition of a drawer can provide extra storage and help keep you organized, giving you space for items such as cotton swabs or Q-tips that don’t fit on shelves.

Before beginning to install your cabinet, take precise measurements of your wall. This will enable you to decide where it will go; if there is an object, such as a ledge in the middle of your wall, that needs accommodating for, extra wiggle room may need to be allowed, according to Rosenthal.

Once you’ve taken measurements of your wall, divide the height of your cabinet (with some room for adjustment) by two and mark where they meet on the wall. Draw plumb lines at these marks using a bubble level before testing the fit of the cabinet to ensure its level and plumb, according to Silberstein.

5. Add a Shelves

One simple way to add functionality and save space in an older medicine cabinet is by adding shelves. Doing this can allow you to store more items within its confines – beneficial for both your bathroom and budget!

Shelves offer you more storage solutions if you have multiple bottles and containers to store. Shelves are ideal for bathrooms without much extra room for storage as they can easily be moved around and fit any style chosen for the room.

No matter your storage needs, cabinets usually include slots with which you can create shelves that meet them perfectly. By doing so, you can adjust their number and placement without fear of damaging the cabinet itself.

6. Add a Light

The addition of lights to your medicine cabinet can be an excellent way to maximize its space. All it requires is some expertise and extra time in order for this process to go smoothly.

LED lighting should be your go-to option when designing your medicine cabinet, though bigger models may provide more illumination. When choosing this form of illumination, make sure the LEDs do not overheat or get caught in wiring; therefore, use a receptacle that facilitates quick connection to a power source for ease of connection.

An efficient strategy when purchasing LED lighting kits is to find a local retailer who specializes in this technology and get a quote. In the long run, this will likely save money and provide a more durable product than off-the-shelf kits. 

7. Add Hardware

Detail is everything when it comes to remodeling a bathroom – from choosing paint colors and lighting choices; there are numerous decisions you must make in order to make sure that your home looks its best.

Consider adding custom features that make the most out of your cabinet space, like additional mirrors and lights, such as adding more mirrors and lights to maximize what little counter space may remain available for other purposes and create an organized appearance in your bathroom.

Once you have an idea of your dream bathroom in mind, the installation process should begin. The first step should be locating all studs within walls that support them – this may take some time, but once complete, you should begin enjoying your finished product!

We have also written this article Top Tips for Adding Cabinets in the Bathroom. You can check out the article for more information about the topic.

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