Beautiful Budget Bathroom Update Ideas
April 16, 2020
Budget Remodeling
A bathroom remodel can get expensive quickly, and sometimes that just isn’t in the budget. Yet it drives you crazy to think about living with that hideous bathroom!! Even the ugliest outdated baths can have great style with a these budget-friendly updates. These beautiful budget bathroom remodel ideas are super easy and make a big impact.
Hire out what you can't do
The only professional job we hired out in this bathroom was the tiled shower. We could not do it ourselves and the original surround was in disrepair, so we selected a budget-friendly, white subway tile with dark grey grout. You can see what a big difference several small changes can make in creating a bright and airy space from a dark and dreary bathroom.
Wallpaper
If you have wallpaper or a border you want to remove, it’s going to be a tedious task to remove, but it’s so worth it. There are all sorts of ways to remove it, so find what works best for you.
We had a border in this bathroom we removed before painting our walls Sherwin Williams Light French Grey. It’s a light, very neutral grey and goes with almost everything.
Painting
There’s nothing that can transform a space like a fresh coat of paint. I recommend going with light colors for a small space like a bathroom. Most of the time, natural light is pretty limited and it’s a place you really don’t want to strain to see. If you are just painting on drywall, easy peasy. If you have wall paper, that is a little more of a challenge.
Painting Vanity Cabinets
We had a wood vanity cabinet with gold knobs, and we didn’t plan to replace it initially, so I removed all the doors and hardware (knobs & hinges) to paint it. I used a dark blue-grey chalk paint, so I didn’t have to use primer. Chalk paint is awesome like that. Everything got two coats, and I finished with a coat of varnish. I used a Rustoleum spray paint in a hammered bronze that looks black for the knobs and hinges.
Dirty Tile Grout
If you have tile in your bathroom, you don’t want to miss this trick. This budget bathroom remodel idea might be my favorite. The grout is often the dirtiest looking area. Magic Erasers can do wonders for cleaning floors, but they can’t always get grout perfectly clean. All you need for this project is a bottle of Polyblend GroutRenew from Home Depot. It comes in a variety of colors and I selected Oyster Gray for ours.
Working in small areas, apply it to the grout joints and rub it in with a toothbrush. You can use a rag or paper towel to wipe any excess off the tile. GroutRenew is a colorant and sealer, so it colors your existing grout and seals it at the same time, so it’s easy to clean. It’s also stain and fade resistant. Ours still looks great four years later.
Frame a contractor-grade mirror
You know what I’m talking about. Everyone has seen one of those bathroom mirrors just clipped up on the wall. It really leaves a lot to be desired in terms of style, but don’t worry, this is easy to fix.
I recommend getting trim from Lowe’s or Home Depot to frame your mirror. Measure what you’ll need and purchase the correct amount. They can even cut it for you there. The best thing to do is buy the foam (yes, FOAM!) pre-painted white trim, along with corner pieces. I’ve also done this with wood trim, but it is SO. Much. Heavier and very difficult to keep in place while the glue dries. You just glue the trim pieces on top of the perimeter of the mirror with Liquid Nails and tape them in place with blue painter’s tape. Do the same thing for the corner pieces. Let everything dry for at least 24 hours before removing tape.
You may have to carve out a little of the trim where the mirror clips are, so your boards lay flat, but this is super easy with the foam.
Spray Paint
Get a screwdriver and remove the door handles. Spray them with an oil-rubbed bronze spray paint designed for metal. I just used a Rustoleum brand and did two light coats and they look great. We had older brass knobs and I love how the black pops on our wood doors.
Peel-and-Stick Tile
Peel-and-stick tiles are so easy to use and very inexpensive. I think they have even more styles now, so I need to check those out. I like to put them under our bathroom cabinets, so we have a nice, new clean surface for storage. They are easy to cut and piece together. If you have any water spots to hide or damage in the cabinet, this covers up all evil. Now they even have pretty wood plank styles to choose from.
Other Tips
I like to use a good-quality (think Target) white shower curtain, and hang it high. It adds height to the room, even in a room with 8-foot ceilings and white is a clean canvas for the rest of the room. I love a waffle weave, so it adds a little texture, but overall, I don’t love a busy shower curtain, so skip the patterns here and save them for towels. This is a beautiful white waffle weave curtain by Threshold at Target.
It’s smart to keep artwork and decor simple and clean in the bathroom. No baskets of potpourri and tissues or furry toilet seat covers. Number one, I don’t like to clean around a lot of doo dads in a bathroom. I found this large black and white print at Hobby Lobby on clearance. I also like to change things in here out a lot, so you might find a fun holiday print in here during Christmas time.
Storage Tips
Towels are an easy and inexpensive way to add a pop of color or pattern. Plus, you can switch them out all the time. Feeling pink? Or more of a zen spa day? Change your towels to change the style of your bathroom.
Instead of a towel bar, I just like to use an over-the-door hanging rack. I find my family is more willing to hang up their towels if they don’t have to fold them over a towel bar and they dry easily.
I hope you’ll try some of these beautiful budget bathroom remodel ideas that fit your budget to inject some style into your space without breaking the bank. You know I love a transformation with a lot of bang for your buck. Be sure to check out my whole house makeover with limewash, or tutorial for a faux wood garage door. You won’t want to miss either! Psst, you’ll love the cost!!
Feel free to share photos with #GreySnailDesigns.
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I can't remember the first example of fluted wood furniture I saw, but it was probably either this gorgeous custom wood bathroom vanity from Chris Loves Julia , or the DIY fluted coffee table Fariha shared on Pennies for a Fortune . The custom cabinetry was done professionally using a router for each line, which isn't something I possess the skills to do. This did help inspire the colors I used in our bathroom remodel, though! I really connected to the method Fariha used to build the coffee table--wooden dowels. What a fabulous idea!
I did a little refresh in our daughter's room, and I decided we needed some large-scale art. I actually planned to order a print, but inspiration struck on a trip to HomeGoods when I saw two HUGE framed canvases on clearance for $25 and $9. I grabbed them up and headed home, with my head filled with ideas on what to do with them.
I love peel-and-stick wallpaper so much! It's an easy, DIY fix for any space that just needs a little refresh. Because it's easily removeable, I feel much more confident going ahead and choosing a pattern. I struggle to commit to traditional pasted wallpaper--I think it's because we removed so much of it when we bought our house. It is no easy task. Peel-and-stick is also very economical, so if you decide to change it up a few years down the line, it doesn't feel so bad. I've now put it in four areas of our house. Today, you'll see the kitchen and den. It's the same pattern in different colors. I love how much the simple pattern really just makes each space.
Just for fun, here's a freebie--a digital download for some fall wall art! This quote is from Anne of Green Gables. I still want to read the book, but I was a huge fan of the series Anne with an E on Netflix. Just click on the file, download it and print it at home or send it to a place like Office Depot. Happy October!
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