Guest Picks: Beautify a Bathroom on a Budget
Give your bath a coastal-inspired upgrade while keeping costs in check, with affordable furniture, fixtures and accessories
Living in a 1,500-square-foot house is no easy feat when you're a family of four. Three bedrooms, two full baths — it all seemed so spacious when we were just a family of three. But living with two growing kids (one of whom is a tween, oh boy) who share a small bathroom that also serves as our guest bathroom is tough. Never mind our lack of closet space or the fact that our formal dining room has turned into a home office, the small hall bathroom needs an upgrade! After years of talking about it, my husband and I have finally decided to pull the trigger and do the renovation ourselves with a budget that's as small as our house. — Michelle from Stuttering Shell
Lillången Sink Cabinet With 2 Doors and 2 End Units, Aluminum
After spending hours searching online and taking countless cell phone pictures at the local home improvement store, I finally found the perfect vanity for the hall bathroom remodel. The space is small, and this sink will fit right in. It will also look great too.
Ebb & Flow Sand and Surf Porcelain Tile
This mosaic tile is perfection. I love the beachy colors, the soft look of the sea glass and the fact that it will perfectly match the bathroom's new floors.
Pegasus Exhibit Single-Handle Tub and Shower Faucet, Brushed Nickel
Brushed nickel bath and shower fixtures for less than $100? Sold! Plus, I love their straight lines. The only problem now is finding a sink fixture that matches.
ASB Firenze 5-Foot Left-Drain Soaking Tub, White
Shopping for a new tub insert can give you sticker shock. Fortunately, there are some very affordable options out there. This is important when you're renovating a bathroom on a small budget.
Tropical Nautical Starfish Single Wall Towel Hook
Sure, there are a couple of hooks on the back of the bathroom door, but the new hall bathroom will need some more towel hanging space. This starfish hook screams beachy chic, and it will look great in a group of three on the freshly painted walls.
Lillången Mirror Cabinet With 2 doors and 1 End Unit, White
The bathroom currently has a separate mirror and medicine cabinet, and it looks quite dated. Because the new vanity does not offer much counter space, I want to maximize storage. This bathroom cabinet matches the vanity and offers just a bit more space with the shelves.
Sea Coral Trinket Dish
The bathroom cabinet has three small shelves on one side that are screaming for accessories. I love these nautical-inspired trinket dishes from Anthropologie. I'm having a hard time choosing which ones to buy.
Stratos Avorio Tile
The current bathroom floor tile is not my favorite, and after 10 years of living with it, I'm ready for a change. Sure, the previous owner upgraded the floor from linoleum, but still. This porcelain tile looks exactly like wooden white marble. I chose 6-by-24-inch planks for the new bathroom floor.
American Olean 3-by-6-Inch Bright Ice White Ceramic Wall Tile
My current tub/shower is old and dated, and the fiberglass insert has seen better days. Plus, its almond color is not very appealing. My husband plans on laying 3-by-6-inch bright white ceramic subway tiles in the shower. We plan on breaking up the white with a waterfall of the Sand and Surf mosaic tiles and an accent band around the top of the shower.
Behr Premium Plus Silver Screen Interior/Exterior Paint
One wall of my foyer is painted in this color. The hall bathroom is currently a light sea glass blue color, but I think a fresh coat of paint will be necessary once the bathroom renovations are complete. My hubby and I think that this light gray will be perfect.
Sonoma Life + Style Tiburon Shower Curtain
This shower curtain is currently in the hall bathroom. I planned on reusing it after the renovation, but I don't think it will work with the light gray walls. My fingers are crossed, though, because I would love to not have to buy a new shower curtain.
Stripe Shower Curtain, 72"x74", Feather Gray
Here is a second shower curtain option. I love the bold horizontal stripes, and it mimics the look of the glass mosaic tile. It's very gray, but I think it could work.
Hampton Bay 4-Light Bath Bar
I know, I know, you're probably thinking, "Is this really the lighting you picked out for the bathroom?" Yes it is. The bathroom is small, and the added cabinet/mirror unit above the sink won't be recessed into the wall. Therefore, this kind of lighting is perfect. I realize that it screams "Hollywood movie star dressing room, " but it works. Besides, the price tag (less than $15) will allow me to splurge in other areas of the bathroom remodel.
Threshold Oil Can Beach Tall Soap Pump
A new bathroom calls for a new soap dispenser. As much as I love Method hand soaps, I think this beach-inspired pump is perfect for the small space. The color reminds me of sea glass too.
Threshold Chunky Bath Rug, Elephant Gray
This dark gray bath rug will contrast nicely with the floors while complementing the wall color and enhancing the tile accents. It will also fill up the floor space in front of the toilet and shower nicely.
Ogie Bath Rug, White/Aqua
Here is a second bath rug option. I like the design and appreciate that it isn't one color, so it will add a bit of interest to the floor. Decisions, decisions...
Easy-Install Adjustable Curved Metal 1-Inch Space-Saver Shower Rod
One of the best things you can do for a small shower/tub combo is replacing the straight, tension-mounted shower rod with a curved shower rod. It opens up so much space in the shower. My current shower rod, which is curved, is chrome. I would like a brushed nickel finish to match the other fixtures in the bathroom, but if it's not in the budget, then the chrome rod will have to do.
Åfjärden Bath Sheet, Green-Blue
I'm ashamed to admit this, but my bath towels don't match the bathroom's current decor. Over the years, my family has collected a hodgepodge mix of towels, and we use them. So what if the bathroom is light blue and the towels are bright orange? The new bathroom cabinet will have frosted glass panels, which means that you'll be able to see inside the cabinet. I guess it's time to replace the old towels with new ones in a coordinating color.
Sonoma Life + Style Matted 8-by-8 Frame
It seems silly to hang pictures in the bathroom, but I am not a fan of blank walls. I plan to print a few pictures from family time at the beach and hang them in the bathroom for display. I love the look of this frame; it reminds me of driftwood.
Next: 7 Tile Tips for Baths on a Budget
Next: 7 Tile Tips for Baths on a Budget