Budget home decor: how to make your own bathroom accessories

Bathrooms are often the last room we think of to decorate. The ideas for decorating them though are nearly unlimited. Making bathroom accessories to match your personal tastes can be a fun and economical way to brighten up such a private space.

Decide on a theme that you will be able to carry throughout the bathroom. Some common, but fun schemes include:

Frogs

Fish

Beach Scenes

Flowers

Tropical

Make a list of items that you will include in your matched theme:

Soap dish

Soap

Drinking cup

Toothbrush holder

Shower curtain

Soap with Dish

Soap dishes with matching soap are the perfect way to get your decorating off to a great start. Purchase a block of glycerin melt-and-pour clear colored soap. Purchase a fragrance that is safe for toiletries at the same time. For a mold, use either a purchased shape, or an empty, clean, plastic container that frozen concentrated juice came in. Thinking of the theme you have chosen, check out the toy or bath aisle at your favorite store for some miniatures that will be embedded in you soap. A common favorite is 'squirter' animal shapes, such as a frog. Follow directions for melting the glycerin, then pour into your chosen mold. If using the recycled juice container, fill the bottom to approximately half of the height of the object to be embedded. Wait until this has started to cool but is not completely hardened, then place object into soap mix, cover with the remaining mixture. Cool completely and remove from mold by either popping out of a purchased mold, or cutting away the juice container's plastic.

Make an accompanying soap friendly dish by recycling the wood from a small tangerine or orange crate. With a pair of heavy-duty craft cutters, cut five ½' strips each approximately three inches long. Cut two more strips each approximately four inches long. Lay the three-inch strips spaced evenly, across the two four-inch strips, staple in place. The wood allows the glycerin soap to dry quicker between uses and prolongs the life of the bar of soap.

Drinking Cup and Toothbrush Holder

A fun and economical way to make these two items is to start with disposable plastic cups or other inexpensive plastic ware. As you will be re-using these, look for strength if going with the disposables. Other items needed include paper punch, paint that is washable once it dries, sponge for cutting out coordinating shapes, and a plastic lid from a concentrated juice container from the freezer section of your grocery. This is going to be the inside of the toothbrush holder. Cut out a shape from the sponge that corresponds with your theme. Dip in paint and blot off excess, stamp both cups with designs. Save sponge for shower curtain, but rinse out well so it does not harden between uses. With paper punch, punch out several holes from the juice lid. Set this down into the cup straight. If you want to use a bit of glue to keep it in place, go ahead, but most times the two plastics make a nice tight fit themselves.

Shower Curtain

Purchase two inexpensive shower curtain liners. One clear and one light color that correspond well with your theme will work best. With the sponge and paint from the cups, stamp a design all over the light colored liner. Be generous with the color and amount of designs. Let your creativity flow if you feel like it and paint freestyle if the design elements call for it. Once dry, lay the clear liner over the decorated one and if desired, sew completely around the edges. Otherwise, just hang together as are.