We just purchased a house with a 90s look and feel in the Master Bath. We can’t afford to renovate.

[Anonymous]

Are there any ideas to make one of those ridiculous garden tubs look better? We could afford a new vanity and plan to change out all the hardware lighting that is brushed stainless/nickel to something. The tile is a ceramic that is “supposed” to look like marble. It has a bit of grayish taupe in it. It is fairly benign.
I guess what I am asking is if you could not pull out garden tub or tile in a bathroom, what would you do to make it look more current? Any ideas or photos?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there any ideas to make one of those ridiculous garden tubs look better? We could afford a new vanity and plan to change out all the hardware lighting that is brushed stainless/nickel to something. The tile is a ceramic that is “supposed” to look like marble. It has a bit of grayish taupe in it. It is fairly benign.
I guess what I am asking is if you could not pull out garden tub or tile in a bathroom, what would you do to make it look more current? Any ideas or photos?

I don't know what a garden tub is, but you can paint the tile so it looks better. There are new products out there and it looks nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any ideas to make one of those ridiculous garden tubs look better? We could afford a new vanity and plan to change out all the hardware lighting that is brushed stainless/nickel to something. The tile is a ceramic that is “supposed” to look like marble. It has a bit of grayish taupe in it. It is fairly benign.
I guess what I am asking is if you could not pull out garden tub or tile in a bathroom, what would you do to make it look more current? Any ideas or photos?

I don't know what a garden tub is, but you can paint the tile so it looks better. There are new products out there and it looks nice.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Home-1-gal-Ultra-White-Interior-Floor-Base-Coating-357671/312987773?mtc=Shopping-B-F_Brand-G-Multi-NA-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Catchall_PLA&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_Brand-G-Multi-NA-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Catchall_PLA-71700000014585962-58700001236285396-92700052972853004&gclid=CjwKCAjwt-L2BRA_EiwAacX32UccTxFJGs_XAKwEnnfXUUMIqan1XqHa3q9QiqQrOTx-rzGvckbGTBoCBC0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

At least until you can afford to remodel.

[Anonymous]

What is a garden tub?

[Anonymous]

Do you mean shower tub combo?

[Anonymous]

OP I feel your pain. I bought a 1990s home 4 years ago. Thankfully the previous homeowners updated most of the stuff to at least late 2000s standard, but there's still elements like the ugly unusable garden tub and hideous tiny dark walk-in shower that I'd love to upgrade but also don't really have the money for right now.

Right now I'm focusing on updating all the big $$ structural stuff like ac/furnace, water heater and roof (just have ac/furnace left to update, will probably replace this year). Once I get that done and paid for, I will focus on updating the interior, like the floors and paint. Next will be a new driveway, mine is full of pebbles and holes with weeds. Will also get new garage doors after that.

So each year I try to find one big item I can replace/update. That's how I'm fitting the house updates into my budget.

[Anonymous]

Painting the grout might brighten the tile. Paint, Hardware and light fixtures will help the most.

[Anonymous]

oof garden tubs are so trashy

[Anonymous]

I hate garden tubs, they are so ugly. I have one myself that I can't wait to get rid of. I feel your pain OP!

[Anonymous]

A garden tub is a corner tub (looks like a triangle in the corner) with jets

[Anonymous]

A garden tub is a free-standing tub. It doesn't need to be triangular or placed in the corner, but it can be.

History and pictures here: https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/what-is-a-garden-tub/

What is a garden tub? Also called a soaking tub, it's a free-standing, oval-shaped tub that's far larger, deeper, and more comfortable than the usual model—and a luxury bathroom amenity that's quickly gaining steam.
...
Garden tubs first came into popularity in 18th-century Europe, and that's where their confusing name originates. ...
In the 1700s, "the wealthy often enjoyed soaking in their tubs in the privacy of their beautifully manicured grounds where they could appreciate the outdoors," explains Ana Cummings, an interior designer at Ana Interiors. "Eventually the tub made its way inside; however, they were still situated in a way where a full view of the landscape was achieved."

Until a few years ago, large shower spaces were a hot bathroom trend, but garden tubs are slowly but surely taking over.
...
A standard garden tub is 42 inches wide, 60 inches long, and 24 inches deep. But they can come in any size and are often much larger—as much as 70 inches wide and twice as deep as a conventional tub.

It can be more challenging to install than a traditional tub, too. "A garden tub is much larger and is often free-standing with no walls around it," says Cummings.

[Anonymous]

OP, we lived with a garden tub for years until we could afford to rip it out, so I feel your pain.

Our bathroom is still beige tiles, but we painted the walls a nice ocean blue and added tropical artwork. We also had lined the back wall of the garden tub with seashells that we had collected over the years. Our vanities are espresso and the hardware is now brushed nickel.

Another option is to get a curtain and curtain off the tub. This depends on the placement of the tub and whether you can close it off. Then you can put a free standing storage piece in front of the tub.

Finally, if there is wall above the garden tub, you could put shelves for storing towels, etc. Basically use the space over the tub.

[Anonymous]

New hardware, new lighting, paint the cabinets. New counters.

Paint the walls a pretty color, new towels, new area rugs.

[Anonymous]

What’s wrong with a garden tub?

[Anonymous]

Can you have the tub and tile reglazed white? Shouldn't be more than a few hundred bucks for a professional job.