One of the first rooms in our home that I had an itch to touch up was our beige bathroom and with that, I accepted the challenge to complete a budget bathroom makeover with almond fixtures, since replacing the toilet, sink, and shower is not a priority for us right now. It was a small space bathroom that could benefit from a fresh coat of paint and new accessories. I had planned to finish the bathroom in one to two weeks but our slab leak and my broken foot stalled us (for a long time). I finally finished this bathroom when I was still pregnant with Dennis and I’m excited to finally show you how far it has come!
Before
To refresh, here are some before photos. The yellow walls and the fan had to go.
After
The first thing I did was replace the fan with a simple semi-flush mount fixture I found on clearance at Home Depot, which you can’t see in these photos because the bathroom is just that small. (However, it does make an appearance in this post.) The next thing I did was painted and added some shelves and replaced the faux wood blinds with this cellular shade to help insulate the window, that’s when the bathroom project was stalled. I shared some progress photos in this post and that is the way it stayed for a year even though the space was far from “done”.
Logically, painting the walls made a huge improvement but I wasn’t happy with the first white paint I chose since it was too blue. So, after a few months I repainted the space. The paint I used was Behr Ultra Pure White in an eggshell finish to keep things simple and it was a huge improvement for a bathroom with almond fixtures, don’t you think?
vitamin c serum | hyaluronic acid | mirror | toothbrush holder – DIY | toothbrushes | soap container | marble shelf – DIY
Another huge improvement was adding shelves and a proper mirror to the space. I love the simple diy marble shelves to hold every day small items like our toothbrushes, my earrings, some skin care products, and a print of Girl with a Pearl Earring, of course.
They are tiny but make this small space feel a lot more special. The mirror is from Target and is the perfect size. Before there was a tiny square mirror that I had on hand and although I didn’t mind it then, replacing it was a good decision.
vitamin c serum | hyaluronic acid | mirror | toothbrush holder – DIY | toothbrushes | soap container | marble shelf – DIY
On the opposite wall of the sink and toilet, next to the shower is an annoying and pointless nook in the bathroom (why couldn’t they just install a bigger shower?!). It now serves a purpose with shelves to hold towels and toiletries.
towels | vanity trays (similar) | herbivore rose face mist | herbivore soap bar (pink clay) (charcoal) | wicker baskets | wire baskets (similar) | leather watch | wood comb
These shelves may be my favorite part of the budget bathroom makeover. It was a huge labor of love, since I had to re-drywall this nook after the entire section was town out in order to repipe our plumbing. It was my first go at drywalling and although it wasn’t horrible, it is messy and very time consuming. Ironically, I installed this shelves a year after I broke my foot. I took special care to make sure I didn’t trip off of the step ladder and was super proud when I came out of this nook without any broken bones.
This bathroom had another issue that needed to be resolved: it has no air vent and can get pretty humid. I was tired of our thick bath towels smelling like mildew after one use, so I invested in some thin Turkish towels and am glad I did. They work well and most importantly, hang dry quickly.
During this budget makeover I also replaced the shower curtain with an extra long curtain, which helps the space feel bigger and less crowded. My number one tip for quickly changing the look of a bathroom is to replace a standard sized shower curtain with an extra long one – it makes such a huge difference!
It’s not a huge makeover but it’s a big improvement. We have big dreams for this bathroom that one day may come into fruition but for now I will never tire of a good budget bathroom makeover.
Steps on how to accomplish your own diy budget bathroom makeover
- Paint, paint, paint. Even with a bathroom full of tile, paint can make a huge difference. See this bathroom before and after for proof.
- New towels, towel hooks, shower curtain and toilet paper holder is an inexpensive way to switch things up and make a bathroom feel like new. I always recommend a extra long shower curtain to make any bathroom feel high-end.
- Adding shelves is a perfect way to incorporate stylish storage in a bathroom. Use baskets on the shelves to store things you’d rather keep hidden.
- Finally, if your budget can handle it, replace the light fixture and mirror in your bathroom for the ultimate simple makeover.
DIY Budget Bathroom Makeover Sources
paint – Behr Ultra Pure White
wood shelves – DIY
marble shelves – DIY
toothbrush holder – DIY
vanity trays (similar)
herbivore soap bar (pink clay) (charcoal)
wire baskets (similar)
I absolutely love seeing images of before/after home improvements. Your bathroom remodel looks fabulous. Your new space is clean, fresh, organized and inviting. Just beautiful!
Thank you!
This is so beautiful! I’m such a big fan of decorating with neutrals. Also, I love that you used the Girl with the Pearl Earring painting!! So chic.
Thanks, Megan! We’re big fans of classic art.
I love all the small details in this bathroom, it’s so pretty!
I love this bathroom! So simple, yet pretty!
Very nice! I love the way the shelves pop and the wire baskets. I can’t wait to finish my own bathroom.
Great job with the makeover! It looks so clean and chic!
I really love this. I particularly love The Girl With The Pearl Earring painting. It looks perfect on that shelf! Great makeover.
Lovely improvement!
Would you mind if I offered an idea? In every home we’ve had that had a nook like yours where you built in the shelves, I did the same thing. But then I added some trim molding that framed the shelves. It would look pretty, I think, if you added simple, plain molding just wide enough to cover the side supports for the shelves and framed out the shelving all the way around. If you painted it black semi-gloss to match your hooks and baskets, it would look rather French, I think! Anyway, I love the bathroom, too.
Great idea, Beth!
I’m curious what the dark color is on your diy hand towel ring tutorial is. It is gorgeous!
I quickly stained it with this Danish oil in medium walnut. I barely allowed it to stay on the wood and wiped it within a minute of applying it.