Mirror, lighting key updates for bathroom

Bathrooms - master, guest and powder rooms - are the second-best remodeling investment to make, real-estate and remodeling experts say.

Two of the first cosmetic changes to make - ones that won't tax the budget - are removing lights above the vanity and replacing wall-size mirrors above bathroom sinks. These two items, many interior designers agree, date the bathroom.

Hang framed mirrors above the sink and add sconces on either side, designer Greta Gruelich suggests.

Also consider buying easily installed frames for medicine cabinets to provide a more finished look.

These items come in a variety of sizes, styles and prices. (At Pottery Barn, mirrors range in price from $149 to $349 and sconces cost $99 to $229.)

However, Michael Scott, interior-design director at Robb & Stucky, suggests keeping the wall-size mirror and hanging smaller individual mirrors above the sinks over the wall mirror. Lights can be installed on either side of the mirrors - through the mirrored wall - or above the mirror, whichever the preference.

The guest bathroom is a favorite remodeling project to tackle because the rooms are smaller and more manageable, Scott says. Retiling floors and walls in this room can be an easier makeover for the pocketbook. Here's where you can try upholstering the walls with fabric or adding wallpaper because the space is smaller and the wow factor is high. Next to the kitchen, this is one of the most visible rooms in the home.

Furniture items such as antique chests are being retrofitted with vessel sinks (Hollviken, $90, Ikea) and transformed into fashionable alternatives to the bathroom vanity. Ready-made sink consoles from Lowe's ($400 to $600) to Pottery Barn ($1,500 to $2,500) are easily installed bathroom upgrades.

Scott advises not overlooking the transformative qualities of fresh paint and new hardware and faucets. Think brushed nickel and bronze vs. shiny brass and chrome.

Higher-end investments can include shower rooms with seamless glass doors or snail showers, the more showerheads the better.