Amazing things can happen to your dull, dingy bathroom without spending a fortune.

Let us show you how to redecorate, and revitalize, one of the most frequently used rooms in your home for a few hundred dollars -- $1,000 tops.

"It will make a big impact on your space as well as your mood every time you enter the room," says Araya Jensen, a designer at Crystal Kitchen Center in Minneapolis.

Start by getting rid of the clutter. Empty out the medicine cabinet, the vanity and the drawers. Then throw out what is out of date or you don't use. Clear off the counters. Aim for out-of-sight storage to get rid of that crowded look.

That makes it easer to see what you have to work with and decide which of our 10 smart moves will result in the biggest improvement to your home.

Smart Move 1. Repaint.

This is where any makeover should begin.

"The great thing is that colors can be changed easily on the wall, and that's a fun way to express who you are in a personal, yet public way," says Doty Horn, director of color and design, Benjamin Moore & Co.

Bath colors can run the spectrum depending upon the mood and feel that you are trying to achieve. Most people opt for calming and cleaner colors because they make them feel relaxed and refreshed. Blues are expected to be strong this year, while creams and off whites are still popular because of their softer tones.

It's important to remember that when you add color to the walls there is still the ceiling to consider (the fifth wall). Because your bathroom is usually a small space, you can use one color on the wall, an off white on the ceiling, and two different finishes to achieve a great look. Try a flat finish on the ceiling and a semi gloss on the walls.

Expect to spend anywhere from $25 to $42 a gallon, although Benjamin Moore's new Aura super premium paint, which is especially suitable for places where moisture is a problem, retails for $54 a gallon.

Smart Move 2. Add a bath carpet or new rugs.

If the tile on your floor is cracked, or its color doesn't match your new look, cover it with a colorful rug.

J.C. Penney, for example, has cut-to-fit latex-backed carpet in a variety of colors. It's machine washable, easily trimmed to fit around cabinets and fixtures, and costs just $29.98 for a 5-foot-by-6-foot piece.

An alternative is to use one or more bath rugs. Department stores, discount stores and specialty stores offer a wide selection of bath rugs for as little as $30. You can select solid colors or designs that catch your fancy.

Smart Move 3. Replace your shower curtains and towels.

Start by installing a curved shower rod to create more space where you need it most, up around your shoulders. They range in price from $35 to $70.

Then find something new to hang there. A "Hotel Reversible Terry White" curtain costs $49.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Of course you can spend more depending on fabric, style and color.

Finally make sure your bath and hand towels match your new look. Select from 100 percent cotton towels (bath $39.99, hand $19.99); Turkish cotton towels (bath $16.99, hand $12.99) or even skin-friendly organic cotton with no harmful chemicals involved in their production (bath $14.99, hand $10.99).

Smart Move 4. Let your faucet set the style.

These critical plumbing fixtures are something everyone sees and touches. Whether you go ultra contemporary or farmhouse rustic, Tuscan villa or urban industrial, the choices are almost endless and go a long way toward establishing the look you want.

You'll find a nice selection at Plumbing Supply. Prices start as low as about $140 and top out near $380, depending on the fixture and the finish.

Want to go ultra chic? Manufacturer Franz Viegner is a favorite with professional kitchen and bath designers.

"You don't even have to change the sink right away," says Ed Del Grande, master plumber and host of DIY Network's television show Ed the Plumber. "The new trend is accessories to match the faucet, so now your bathroom has a look that ties together, with the same trim on the faucet as with the towel and toilet paper holder."

Smart Move 5. Coordinate your accessories.

You can spend anywhere from $5 to $500 on towel racks, soap dishes and toilet paper holders. It all depends on the style you've chosen and whether you buy them at a big box store such as Target or at a local specialty retailer.

Vanity accessories can be functional and affordable, or more elegant and costly. A floor standing tissue holder with a satin nickel finish costs only $33 at Home Depot while a porcelain and chrome Williamsburg toilet paper holder from American Standard runs $35.

Towel bars can be quite expensive at specialty bath shops or inexpensive at your big box stores. Having enough towel bars is important because they discourage people from dropping used towels in a pile on the floor.

Consider placing towel bars behind the bathroom door and over the toilet. If you don't have room for as many towel bars as you'd like add a few decorative hooks for hanging extra towels or your robe.

A double towel bar for bathrooms with limited space is a perfect choice. A 24-inch Devonshire polished chrome towel bar is $58.91, while a Delta Faucet Victorian Venetian Bronze 24-inch towel bar costs $61.48 at Home Depot.

Towel warming racks are a nice feature to make an ordinary bath luxurious," Jensen says.

Fairmont Designs produces hand-crafted bathroom vanities with coordinating granite and marble tops. Prices begin at $300.

A cost-effective way to create a truly unique look is to modify an antique dresser to fit your bathroom's plumbing and the sink.

The ultimate step is topping a new vanity off with a vessel sink that can cost anywhere from $150 to $600.

"If you want to make a wow factor, you need something people will come out and talk about what they've just seen," says Del Grande. "A vessel sink really is a conversation starter."

But be aware that you'll need a vanity top designed for a vessel sink and to keep costs down, look for a sink that can accommodate a surface-mounted faucet so that you can use existing plumbing.

Smart Move 7. Update the lighting.

Whenever possible, it's best to have direct light from above and from the sides to help eliminate shadows when shaving or putting on makeup.

But most bathrooms have a single electrical box over the mirror or medicine cabinet. A few have wiring on either side of a mirror for a pair of sconces. Only a handful of bathrooms have wiring for both.

For most of us that means a new vanity strip, with several decorative bulbs, placed over the mirror or cabinet. Satin nickel or bronze finishes are currently popular, with three-light strips starting at around $115.

Bellacor and LightingLampStore.com are great places to look.

Smart Move 8. Change out the medicine cabinets and mirrors.

Most big box stores have lovely mirrors in a wide range of sizes and styles for under $100. Lowe's has a selection of medicine cabinets to fit every style and budget, ranging in price from $12 to $321.

Smart Move 9. Replace your shower fixtures.

This is a less visible, but still valuable, step in any bathroom makeover.

You'll find Lowe's is also a good place to shop for inexpensive shower heads and Margaux line of faucets in polished nickel or chrome start at $334 and provide a sleek, modern feel.

Kohler's Bellhaven faucet, priced at $153 and up, blurs the line between antiquity and modern. The chrome faucet has elongated contours and puts a contemporary spin on traditional design.

Smart Move 10. Resurface a bathtub

A new shower curtain might hide a chipped, unattractive bathtub. But a more satisfying fix might be resurfacing your tub.

Although this process will only hold up for a few years, and have to be done again, many companies offer this service and it can cost as little as $200 to $400.

By Vicki Gerson

Interest.com Contributing Editor

Have a question about home remodeling or your finances? Ask us at editors@interest.com