15+ Budget Friendly Changes To Make Your Bathroom Look Expensive
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Are you looking to give your bathroom a makeover? In this blog post, I’ve rounded up 21 simple yet impactful changes you can make to transform your bathroom in ways you won’t believe! Best of all, these recommendations are budget-friendly, so you won't need to break the bank to achieve a fresh, stylish look. From quick updates to clever design tweaks, these tips will help you create a beautiful bathroom without the hefty price tag.
Let’s begin!
1. Replace Gaudy Shower Curtains and Choose The Right Fabric
If you have dark, overly decorative, or heavily patterned shower curtains, it’s time for a change. Swap them out for simple, neutral-colored shower curtains made from cotton or linen. These natural fabrics add warmth and create a bathroom atmosphere that feels inviting, organic, and calming.
2. Swap Out Funky Bath Mats
In a designer bathroom, you typically won't find bath mats. Instead, runner rugs are often used to elevate the space. However, I believe in balancing functionality with decor, and bath mats are undeniably practical in a bathroom. To incorporate them without compromising style, opt for neutral-colored bath mats with a simple design. Avoid funky shapes or bold patterns, as they can disrupt the cohesive look of your bathroom. By choosing understated bath mats, you maintain the functionality they provide while ensuring they blend seamlessly with the overall decor.
3. Repaint Walls or Add Wallpaper
Wall treatments and color have the most significant impact on the design of any space, particularly bathrooms, where the smaller size and limited footprint make every detail count. If your bathroom walls are dark or in warm neutral tones, consider refreshing them with a new look. While white is a classic choice, you don't have to limit yourself. Explore beautiful wall treatments like moldings, wallpapers, or even a combination of both. These options can add texture, depth, and personality to your bathroom, transforming it into a more inviting and visually appealing space.
4. Replace Builder Grade Features
We all know that builder grade features can be underwhelming, right? Fortunately, there are several easy upgrades you can make in a bathroom to elevate its look and feel. Mirrors, light fixtures, cabinet colors, and hardware are all prime candidates for an upgrade. You'd be amazed at how swapping out just one of these elements can completely transform your bathroom!
For example, consider replacing a standard rectangular mirror with an elegant arched mirror framed in gold or brass. Repaint the cabinets for a fresh new look, and add coordinating brass or gold hardware. Finally, upgrade your light fixtures by installing stunning wall sconces. These simple changes can dramatically enhance the style and sophistication of your bathroom.
5. Replace Tacky Wall Decor
A common design mistake in many bathrooms is the use of tacky wall decor. There's a misconception that adding overly decorative pieces to the walls creates a glamorous or designer look, but this couldn't be further from the truth! If your bathroom lacks that refined, designer feel, your wall decor might be to blame. Instead of using 3-piece art sets, art hung in staggered steps, or other busy wall decor, consider swapping them out for a single, simple painting or even opting for no wall art at all. This minimalist approach allows the space to feel more cohesive, calm, and sophisticated, giving your bathroom the elevated look you're aiming for.
If you love landscape paintings, don’t miss these cost effective and budget friendly framed art.
6. Add Greenery or Foliage
Adding greenery to your bathroom is an absolute must! Not only does it contribute to a designer look, but it also brightens the space and adds a refreshing, natural vibe. And it doesn’t always have to be a typical green plant. You can incorporate dried stems, faux stems, plant foliage, or even florals to bring in that touch of nature. This simple addition can work wonders in softening the space and creating the delicate, calming atmosphere that a bathroom should have.
To achieve this, try placing stems in a vase on the countertop, a small plant on the toilet tank, or shelves above it. You could even hang eucalyptus stems over the shower for a spa-like touch. But remember, less is more. You're adding a subtle design element, not turning your bathroom into a garden! Keep it simple and let these natural touches enhance the overall look and feel.
7. Declutter Countertops and Organize
One of the simplest yet most impactful changes you is managing countertop clutter. Cluttered countertops not only bad for achieving a well-designed space but also make maintenance feel overwhelming. If your bathroom has a vanity, consider investing in high-quality, durable organizers to streamline your daily routine. This way you’ll not only keep your countertops clean and free of unnecessary items, but you'll also elevate the overall aesthetic of your bathroom.
8. Rejar Products
This brings me to my next tip. While many items and cosmetics can be tucked away and organized in the vanity or cabinets, there are some essentials that should stay on the countertop. These typically include handwash dispensers, lotions, cotton swabs, and q-tips. Making small changes in how these items are stored can make a big difference. For instance, I love rejarring handwash and lotion in amber glass bottles and using clear glass jars with beautiful caps for cotton swabs and q-tips. This simple storage change is so impactful that you’ll find yourself constantly admiring the beauty of your countertops!
Here is a beautiful, inexpensive set of amber glass bottles you can use to store all the essentials.
9. Opt For Simple Linens
Similar to choosing shower curtains and bath mats, it's best to select bath linens such as bath towels, hand towels, and face towels in simple patterns and neutral colors. Dark-colored linens can detract from the overall design and make the bathroom appear dingy. Opting for lighter, neutral tones helps maintain a fresh and clean look, enhancing the bathroom's aesthetic appeal.
10. Add A Runner Rug
If you’re lucky enough to have a spacious bathroom, consider extending beyond bath mats and adding runner rugs. The shape and style of a runner rug can significantly enhance the room’s aesthetic appeal and create the illusion of a larger space.
Remember to opt for runner rugs which don’t have tassels. The tassels along the edges of the rugs tend to get tangled which makes it look messy and it’s definitely not an easy task to clean & maintain them.
11. Make It All Cohesive
Here are few example of how you can make your bathroom design come together and look cohesive. If you choose shades of blue for your towels and rugs, consider incorporating muted tones of blue and blue accents in your artwork or bath accessories. Select lighting fixtures that complement your bathroom’s style. A modern bathroom benefits from sleek, contemporary lighting, while a classic bathroom might use more traditional fixtures. Consistent lighting design enhances the overall cohesion. Choose artwork and mirrors that match your bathroom’s theme. A vintage bathroom may benefit from ornate framed mirrors and classic prints, while a minimalist space looks best with simple, modern artwork and mirrors.
A cohesive design is crucial for creating a bathroom that feels unified and harmonious.
12. Opt For Wall Scones
When swapping out builder grade light fixtures or adding altogether new light fixtures, remember to look for wall scones. Wall scones are these beautiful light fixtures that are suspended from the wall and are absolutely perfect for a bathroom for multiple reasons. Most of the wall scones come with a dimmable feature, you can create mood lighting if you’re planning to take a long bath! They are not too big in size so you can add multiple wall scones. They look stunning and the designer style aspects take the visual appeal of the bathroom to the next level!
I have these wall scones in my guest bedroom and they would look just as fabulous in a bathroom.
13. Choose Warm Bulb Temperatures
When it comes to ambient lighting in the bathroom, opt for bulbs with warm temperatures. Cold daylight bulbs can be overly bright and lack the soft, inviting atmosphere typical of a designer bathroom. If you don’t want to change light fixtures, simply switching to a warm bulb can make a significant difference. You might worry that a warm bulb will make the space feel too dark, but choosing ‘Natural White’ bulbs won’t let that happen. With a color temperature of 4000K, ‘Natural White’ bulbs strike a balance between ‘Cool White’ and ‘Warm White,’ providing a pleasant, well-balanced light that enhances the ambiance without making the bathroom too warm or dim.
14. Add Floating Shelves Above The Toilet Bowl
If the wall above your toilet bowl is empty, consider adding floating shelves. These shelves are a great way to display bathroom accessories and decor pieces. You can place extra toilet paper rolls, some artwork, a plant, an oil diffuser, etc. Floating shelves are a great alternative to hanging just a wall decor item as they’re both functional and decorative.
15. Opt For Closed Storage Solutions
Not all of us have large bathrooms or ample cabinetry to store our stuff. If you relate to this and have open shelves or are considering buying one, try to find closed storage with doors instead. Unless you are confident of your styling skills and are ready to take on the maintenance duties of an open storage, a closed storage or a floating cabinet is a great way to hide all the essentials and is a beautiful addition to the bathroom.
16. Complete The Shower Curtain & Liner Pair
If your bathroom does not have a walk-in shower, this one’s for you. A lot of times people skip the shower curtain and opt just for the liner. Yes, it’s functional but looks incomplete. A beautiful shower curtain goes a long way in adding sophistication and elegance to the bathroom which a liner alone is incapable of doing. Complete the shower curtain and shower liner pair to meet both function and decor requirements of the bathroom.
17. Declutter Bathtub
For those of you with bathtubs in their bathroom, declutter it! Bath accessories, supplies, pet & kid toys are some of the common clutter items seen in a bathtub. Unless you have a shower curtain that can cover them up, find creative storage and organizing solutions to store them away. This is an easy fix that will make your bathroom feel neat and clean.
18. Window Treatment
If your bathroom has a window, do more than just adding a privacy film. Windows are a great opportunity to add design elements such as drapes or shades which should not be missed. For a bathroom, adding some stunning rattan shades for example can do wonders.
19. Wall Hooks
This is by far the easiest tip for achieving a designer look in your bathroom. Many bathrooms feature towel bars and napkin holders, but swapping out the towel bars for simple wooden wall hooks can make a huge difference. The natural drape of a towel hanging on a hook adds a touch of elegance that’s unique to this style. Plus, wooden wall hooks look attractive even when they’re not holding towels, which you cannot say about traditional towel bars. This simple change can elevate the overall aesthetic of your bathroom effortlessly!
20. Make Sure The Bathroom Smells Nice
Smell is the ultimate factor that affects how you feel about any room. More so bathrooms because of the intimate nature of this space. Beyond the thoughtful design elements you've curated, adding pleasant fragrances is cherry on the cake! To ensure your bathroom smells inviting, add candles, oil diffusers, or room sprays. These simple additions can enhance the overall ambiance and make your bathroom feel even more welcoming.
I promise you’ll be swooning over your bathroom by the end of these changes! There’s always room for improvement and even if you don’t get the ultimate designer look, these changes will help you bring very close to one.
Which one was an aha-moment for you?
