- calendar_month October 24, 2023
Creating a bathroom from scratch is an expensive enterprise, which might explain why the bathrooms in some of the homes you’ve been touring look as though they pre-date the discovery of electricity. Or maybe it’s why your own bathroom is a ho-hum daily downer that you’ve decided to live with after calculating the cost of even a mid-range remodel. But there’s plenty you can do to update your bathroom on a budget besides hanging a new shower curtain or plunking down some plants. New materials and techniques for transforming walls, floors and old showers and tubs are being developed all the time. So the possibilities for creating a space that you enjoy is limited only by your imagination and willingness to experiment.
Before we explore some of those materials and techniques and the nitty gritties of remodeling a bathroom on a budget, let’s talk briefly about how to generate ideas for a unique space that meets your functional needs and feels amazing to experience.
Finding inspiration: Advice from an interior designer
Artist and interior designer Bailey Li believes everyone has a story to tell. And what better place to tell it than your home, she says.
Li’s own home — a refurbished firehouse in Orange, New Jersey, is a fearless mix of contemporary and traditional elements, filled with bursts of color and surprising details, like a Vespa scooter turned shelving unit. Seeing her home tells you a lot about the person who lives there.
That’s also true of a stunning remodel Li recently completed where she transformed a client’s bland beige bathroom into a lush tropical paradise.
Before the remodel began, Li explored key questions with her client: How did the client want to feel in the space, where had she been and what had she experienced in her life that evoked that feeling?
The client told Li she loved travel and nature, and, after a recent divorce and the departure of her grown children, was ready to refocus her attention and enjoy the kind of deep relaxation she had experienced on vacation. “We wanted to give her a place where she could feel like a goddess in paradise and feel pampered,’’ says Li.
Bringing her client's vision to life
Li, a former real estate agent whose design career evolved from her work staging homes, leaned into her client’s desire for a place of ultimate relaxation. She swapped out the claustrophobic corner tub with a soaker tub, and built a simple arch into the wall behind it to add depth and storage. On the surrounding walls, she painted a mural of tropical flowers and feathery areca palm leaves on top of an emerald green base, making the bath feel as if it was tucked away in a jungle.
The effect is sensational, and it represents the kind of magic you can create, even on a budget.
“Get creative,’’ says Li. “Take a chance on changing your style and changing your life. It’s not as difficult as you think it is.”
The paradise project involved custom finishes. But Li’s approach to designing it offers a blueprint for anyone looking to create a unique space that elevates and inspires on a daily basis.
Check out Li's full before and after reel of her project.
8 tips for designing a special space
Big box stores can offer inexpensive options for cabinets and vanities to help you refresh your bath and give it a showroom look on budget. But the effect can feel impersonal, even sterile if it has no relation to your life. If you want to create a unique bath that feels amazing to spend time in, here are some tips from Li:
Start by asking yourself how you want to feel when you’re in the space
Reflect on experiences or places in your life that made you feel that way. If you have a partner, discuss those questions together.
Don’t rush
If you’re not working with a designer who can offer ideas and track down materials, take time to experience the space. The relaxed timeline could allow you to find the right finishes and buy them when they’re on sale.
Shop at building salvage stores
You’ll be more likely to find high-quality used and sometimes new materials that are usually a fraction of the original cost.
Look for unique pieces that can withstand a moist environment
For example, instead of a standard medicine cabinet, consider an antique mirror or dresser that can be transformed into a vanity.
If you can, spend a little more for beautiful items
A custom-made sink, a stylish faucet, sparkly drawer pulls or a light fixture can serve as a focal point, and bring a flush of pleasure just by looking at them.
Rethink your storage to get rid of clutter
Consider putting shampoo and lotion bottles in deep drawers or baskets. Or install floating shelves to replace the tall stacked shelving units that fit around the toilet.
If you’re painting tile or other glossy surfaces, use a high quality paint designed for that purpose
Li recommends Stix, an acrylic urethane primer sealer for painting tile, finished wood, brick and other surfaces.
Be fearless
It’s your home, after all.
Planning the work
Once you’ve got your design in mind, think through the logistics.
Kenneth Young, founder and owner of K Young Remodeling in San Jose, advises clients to think through even seemingly small remodels. Young, who has worked in kitchen and bath design and construction since 1996, says there are an untold number of surprises that can be waiting behind bathroom walls.
Moving vanities, tubs, showers and lighting fixtures often involves moving plumbing lines and electrical wires — work that typically involves permits and inspections to ensure it meets health and safety codes. In some place, inspectors can order you to upgrade entire systems, he says, turning your small upgrade into a pricy improvement project.
“It’s called Pandora’s Box,’’ he says. “Once you open it…”
The simplest way to avoid opening that box, he says, is upgrading what’s already in place, things like light fixtures, countertops and wall treatments.
15 budget-friendly improvement project ideas
So what are some things you can do without opening walls or dropping tens of thousands of dollars?
Beginner
Keep the same footprint/layout and find workarounds. Toilets can be swapped out easily, and there are a number of kits that allow you to refinish a tub or sink with chipped or dulled enamel. Read online customer product reviews to make sure your improvements won’t be short-lived or look shoddy after a short time.
Use pipes and fittings for towel holders.
Embellish a plain vanity with eye-catching door and drawer pulls. Add distinct touches with wood cutouts, stencils or appliques. An astonishing variety can be found online, and there are no shortages of DIY videos on decorative painting techniques. Experiment with techniques on a board or cardboard before you try it on the wall or vanity.
Treat the door as a canvas or another wall on which to hang art.
Add character by replacing an outdated medicine cabinet with an antique mirror, and move the contents into drawers or baskets on open shelves.
Paint a pattern or mural on the wall, or use painting glazes or paste to add texture and depth. If you’re not artistic, consider peel and stick wallpaper. Think about decorating the ceiling, too.
Intermediate
Paint the tile with products especially designed for glossy surfaces. Be sure to prepare the surface properly or you’ll end up with peeling paint.
Install peel and stick floor tiles over what’s already there. Be sure whatever floor you’re covering is waterproof.
Use peel and stick tiles for a backsplash. If you’re confident in your tiling skills, install a custom one.
Replace the bathroom countertop. You can buy preformed linoleum, create a mosaic with smooth pebbles on top of the existing one or create a faux concrete countertop with leveling medium.
Replace the sink with a glass one in the shape of a bowl. Replace the faucet with one that looks like a mini waterfall. Look for artists who make one-of-a-kind pieces.
Install corrugated steel panels over shower tile for an industrial or rustic look.
Add depth to the room by creating architectural features, such as an arch. You can build one from wood and drywall, and turn the space between the studs into shelves.
Modify box store cabinets to create a custom vanity. For example, this reddit user bought IKEA kitchen cabinets to create their vanity by cutting the cabinets down to size. If you’re not handy, find someone who can help with the cutting and installation.
Give your bathroom a spa feel with interlocking teak floor tiles, or add warmth with luxury vinyl flooring that has the look of wood.
To get your creative juices flowing, spend time exploring designer pages other people’s projects on Pinterest and Youtube. Remember that the space doesn’t have to look like a showroom to be beautiful and inspiring.
“Do not get caught up in believing that other people will not be inspired by the things that make you special and unique,’’ says Li, the artist and designer. “It’s your home, and you’re the one who’s going to be there the most so you should do what inspires you.”
Avoiding problems and delays: An expert's guide
Timing a project is critical, especially since bathrooms are a central part of a home, says contractor Young. The last thing you want is to be without a toilet or shower for any stretch of time. To avoid problems, Young offers the following tips:
Have everything on hand
“Don’t do the demo until you have all the products on hand,’’ Young says. Mortar and thinset should be readily available at the local hardware store, but other items, including plumbing fixtures, shower enclosures, vanities, sinks and tubs could suffer from supply chain delays.
Pay attention to what’s behind the wall
If you’re buying a home and plan to upgrade the bathroom, have your inspector takes a close look at every aspect of the bathroom to eliminate surprises.
Make sure renovations are up to code and have required permits
If you’re remodeling a bath to help sell it, make sure relevant work has the required permits and is done to code since a wise buyer’s inspector will be looking for hidden problems. “Don’t reuse plumbing,’’ Young says. “The worst thing that can happen to a house is water issues.”
Know your limits
Don’t take on big projects as DIY unless you have some construction skills. The only thing more expensive than paying a pro to install something is having a pro demo the project you just did before they redo it correctly.
Renovations should elevate the experience of living there
Spend money on quality where it matters. Buying cheap materials, especially on something that is likely to be a focal point in the room, can diminish the perception of quality of the home overall and the experience of living there.
More resources
DIY vs Professional: When to Do It Yourself and When to Call a Pro | Zillow
Tool lending libraries, which loan out tools for all kinds of jobs, are a great source for DIYers. Find a local tool library near you at https://localtools.org/find/
Architectural salvage businesses can be a great source of materials at a fraction of the cost. Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores have secondhand and new materials at a discount. Search for “local architectural salvage” to find a local business near you.
