When it comes to home updates the kitchen and bathroom are the most expensive rooms in the house to update. A nice bathroom reno can cost anywhere in the neighborhood of $10,000 - $15,000. Thankfully if you find that you’re tired of the way your bathroom looks and it’s not in need of a total gut you can DIY it and give it a bit of a refresh or facelift without spending a lot of money.
I recently started the process of refreshing my master bathroom by adding, changing, and updating the finishes. So far I have done about $100 - $200 in updates by painting the walls, adding hardware to the cabinets, upgrading towel rods, and replacing my shower curtain rod, shower head, and bathroom accessories.
What’s left is to add a frame to my mirror, change the light fixtures, and add a pretty white cabinet for extra storage. Those are going to be the most expensive updates and will cost me another $200-$300 at least.
If you want or have to spend less than that you definitely can or if you want to spend more that’s OK as well. Below are 10 different ways you can update and refresh your bathroom while on a budget.
1. Paint
This is kind of a no-brainer as painting is a relatively cheap way to refresh and update any room even though it does take a few hours to complete. Believe me, I know because I recently painted the walls in my master bathroom another color and it changed the whole vibe.In addition to painting the bathroom walls, you can also paint your bathroom vanity. If it’s still in good shape but you're sick of the color you can paint the vanity a fun custom color or classic white.
2. Change the mirrors
Most homes seem to have a large sheet of glass in their bathrooms as mirrors. That seems to be a builder’s go-to. While it gives you a lot of space to look at your reflection, it’s not the most stylish look. Replacing that large mirror with one or two smaller mirrors with a nice frame can be a game-changer. While mirrors can be expensive you can always get a good deal during a sale or at discount stores like HomeGoods or At Home.If you don’t want to wrestle with removing the mirror and fixing the drywall underneath, another option is to make or buy a frame to go around the large builder-grade mirror.
Related read: 5 Ways Homeowners Can Save Money
3. Replace or add hardware
I’m always amazed when I see before and after pictures of cabinets that just had a hardware change. It’s amazing how different something small can make a room look. Plus it doesn’t have to be expensive. You can find nice and modern-looking hardware online at places like Wayfair for just a few dollars apiece.4. Replace the linens
An affordable way to bring new colors and textures into your bathroom is to swap out your current linens with new ones. A new shower curtain, towels, and rugs can be very affordable as they always seem to be on sale somewhere and it also doesn’t take a lot of manual labor either!A little tip, don’t just opt for what you can find in the bathroom section. Instead of a typical shower curtain, you could use window curtains. Instead of the typical bath mat consider using an actual rug or even a runner to go in front of your vanity.
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Here’s your chance to fix that by adding pretty shelving to the walls, a nice floor cabinet, or decorative trays.
5. Use decorative storage
I don’t know why but bathrooms don’t have a lot of storage space yet there are a lot of things that we do or would like to keep stored there. Because of that, we tend to start adding various items for more storage but it’s not always nice to look at nor does it fit the overall decor of the room.Here’s your chance to fix that by adding pretty shelving to the walls, a nice floor cabinet, or decorative trays.
6. Change out the fixtures
If your home has builder-grade futures like mine, they probably are pretty simple and nothing special to look at. Replacing your sink and tub faucets, and showerhead can change that. They can also make a dated vanity or shower look more current especially when you select a new style and finish.
7. Add visual interest to the wall
Some cheap ways to do this are to add a chair rail then paint the top and bottom half of the wall two different colors. You can also add board and batten, shiplap, or do a feature wall with wallpaper.If you’re not looking to do a lot to your walls and don’t want to break out the tools, you can opt for hanging framed photos or prints that fit your color scheme.
8. New lighting
The wrong lighting can make a room look old or basic. The right lighting can bring style to the room. And when it comes to lighting it’s not just the fixture that you can replace, but also the bulbs to either soften or brighten the room light.9. Replace the shower curtain rod
You may not have paid close attention to it but most curtain rods tend to be pretty bland so changing it out for something a bit more upscale can make more of a difference than you’d think.When it comes to curtain rods there are many kinds to choose from but it seems the most popular ones are the straight tension rods with the curved rods growing in popularity.
Personally, I really like the curved rods but after doing some research I found the best ones to get are the ones that screw into the wall and after just painting, I wasn’t ready to put holes in the wall. So I opted for a pretty tension rod.
Personally, I really like the curved rods but after doing some research I found the best ones to get are the ones that screw into the wall and after just painting, I wasn’t ready to put holes in the wall. So I opted for a pretty tension rod.
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10. Upgrade the towel rods
The right towel rods can add an air of elegance and sophistication to a bathroom. When selecting a new towel there are a few things to consider, such as the length, finish, style, double or single rod.Shop towel rods
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