Formula for a Budget Bathroom Makeover

Let’s talk about why I’m doing a budget bathroom makeover. This is a bridge project- it’ll be good enough until I can invest in a full renovation with new tile, drywall, and adding heat in here (it is freezing in the winter). Until then, I have a $500 budget to transform this room.

why do anything?

So why do anything to this room if it isn’t a permanent solution? Because I am tired of this ugly room. Every other room in this house has been worked on, but this one feels sad. Honestly, I don’t know when we’ll find time and the money to completely redo this room, so for the foreseeable future, this budget makeover is the solution.

I figure, for $500 I can make this room pretty and a pleasant place to be. Plus it’s fun to take this challenging space and try to make it beautiful!

how to update a bathroom on a budget? formula for a budget bathroom makeover

If you have a bathroom like me where you don’t want to tear out tile, a vanity, or a tub, well- here’s how I approach it:

brass accessories / shower curtain / mirror / faucet / art

And paint- lots of paint! 

paint

Paint is a key ingredient in my bathroom renovation! Everything was so dark and heavy with the wood paneling and beige tile. For the tile, here’s how I’m painting it-

• TSP heavy duty cleaner $4
• Paint roller tray $14
• 4″ cabinet foam roller $8
• Primer- Kilz Original 1 Quart $9
• Ultra Pure White Paint $29

Start by prepping the surface. Dilute 1 part TSP heavy duty cleaner with 1 part water. Use a scrubbing pad to clean the tile with this mixture. Rinse off any residue from the cleaning mixture with warm water

Prime your tile with Kilz Original primer using a foam roller and the grout lines using a paint brush. After applying the primer over all the tile, allow it to dry for 2 hours. 

Apply 2 coats of Paint over the tile using a foam roller. Allow each coat to dry with the final coat drying overnight. Make sure that you prep well! These steps are crucial to making sure your paint sticks for the long term!

Can I tell you how much the white tile brightened up this room?! All that dark paneling and beige tile is now light and bright!

My favorite update so far is the door that I painted a minty green color! The paint is Frosted Sage by Behr in a satin finish. I bought a $3.00 paint pot and it was the perfect size to do two coats of paint. Plus, I have some left over for touch ups!

now

The last update we did was to switch out the light for this modern linear brass sconce. This is actually the only item that isn’t a budget find. I got all of my lights when we moved in. This light sat in the basement until it was installed today! 

The mirror is propped here until the new one arrives. But if you squint- you can kind of see this room coming together!

light / mirror / planters / shower curtain / soap dispenser / ombre candle holder / plant art / baskets/ terrazzo wallpaper / brass sheet / green hand towels

Alright, I spent a full day painting and caulking. But isn’t it a huge difference?! There’s still lots to do, but we officially have a blank slate! Check back Friday for the next big update on this room! Also, let’s have a moment of silence for paint! It’s made such a difference already!This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.