DIY bathroom decor on a budget…
Are you in the market for a bathroom renovation? How about a bathroom remodel on a budget. Maybe even a really, really tight budget? If so, then stick around because today is the reveal day for our DIY bathroom.
A kids’ bathroom reno that we completed for under 2k. Want to check it out?
Happily, our reveal day coincides with Cinco de Mayo, and what a fitting coincidence that seems to be. For we feel we’ve won our own little battle here.
We took on this project over a six-week period. And I think given the time constraints (and budget) we’ve done about all we could do. I’m gonna call it a victory.
I’ve been hearing the “Chariots of Fire” theme song in my head the past 24 hours…
Completing this project has been a marathon. And like Forrest Gump, it feels like we’ve been running for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours.
Since we’re 100% DIY in this household (we’re too cheap to pay anyone for help) things like a bathroom renovation are a big undertaking.
And doing a renovation as a couple can really test a relationship. Luckily, my beloved and I never argue during these projects, since we’re so in love and “happy, happy, joy, joy” ALL the time (insert snarky, eye-rolling emoticon HERE).
In the spirit of this travel-themed bathroom, let’s take a little trip down memory lane and see where exactly we started this DIY bathroom journey, six weeks back.
Even More Bathroom Makeover, Updates and Storage Ideas
- 9 Insane DIY Bathroom Renovation Projects
- French country bathroom Reveal
- Black and White Tile Bathroom for Teens (an update of THIS same bathroom)
- “London on a Cloudy Day” En Suite Bathroom Reveal
- A DIY Powder Room Fit for Royals
- Bathroom Tile Paint
- Genius Under Sink Storage Ideas to Try
- 23 Smart Towel Storage Ideas + DIY Towel Racks To Try
- Our Toilet, the TV Star. Cottage Bathroom Reveal
- DIY and Inexpensive Toilet Paper Holder Ideas
Yup, now I remember. We started in 1989. That was fun (smirk, smirk).
Back to the 21st century. We wanted to spend no more than $2000 on this remodel.
Final tally and source list for this DIY bathroom:
- Faux Wood Tile + supplies: $120 **This tile is only available online**
- Paint (walls & trim): $75
- Antique fluted glass pendant lights over sinks: $80
- Gooseneck barn light: $38
- Recessed lights: $122
- Ikea sinks/vanities/faucets: $740
- Mirrors: $94
- Molding: $400
- Tub/tile refinishing kits: $50
- Vintage license plates: $40
- Shower curtain: $60
- Pocket door kit + Vintage door $60
- Privacy film: $20
TOTAL: $1839
*When possible I link to the exact item used. If an item is no longer available or was a thrift/antique store score, I’ve tried direct you to the most similar items I can find!
Oh yeah, 80’s bathroom! Take that! Victory lap time! We stayed under budget by doing a lot of small things. One being inexpensive decor.
I bought a lot of vintage license plates. It didn’t cost a lot, but add a lot of color and some personality.
See that “magazine rack”? It’s a paint can bucket grid. Costs under $4.
I bought those little “towel hooks” on the clearance rack at Michaels. They cost $1 each. A towel bar in the bath section of a home goods store can set you back more than $25. Stop the insanity!
Bathroom accessories are insanely priced these days! We actually wrote a couple of posts about great, lower-cost options for bathroom towel bars, toilet paper holders, as well as affordable bathroom accessories you can find at Amazon and Target, so be sure to check those out.
The floating sink vanities from IKEA were where a majority of our budget was spent.
This room is very long and narrow, and the original vanity just accentuated that shape.
The floating vanities, and keeping two that are separate, rather than one, long double vanity helps break up the space and keep it from looking quite so long and skinny.
Plus, there’s room underneath for little footstools…which are pretty clutch in a kids bathroom. I embellished ours with pom poms, because, pom poms just make everything in life better.
One of the biggest improvements to this space was the addition of a pocket door between the sinks and toilet areas.
The glass in the door allows some natural light into this otherwise dark spot in the house. And DIY privacy film was easy to install and allows for privacy.
Before there was a traditional swinging door here, which was awkward, intrusive, and a waste of the little precious space we had in here.
The flooring we used is a faux wood porcelain tile. Easy on the eyes AND the budget. We get a lot of comments on it.
They make lots of different styles of this type of tile. If it’s a look you love, then check out this post all about faux wood tile including pricing, durability, and what I think are the prettiest selections currently available!
We laid our wood look tile in a chevron pattern. If tile patterns are something you struggle with and want some ideas about, here’s a tile pattern glossary that can help you!
Pssst…remember! Don’t leave here empty handed! Grab a copy of “10 Totally Transformational Home Decorating Solutions – All Under $100” now. Click here or on the image below to grab yours now⤵️
We bought this salvaged door from a local yard sale site and gave it a makeover, including the privacy window film, paint and some vinyl lettering.
And our salvaged suitcase. Now a medicine cabinet, sitting under that gooseneck barn light. Lighting was a BIG part of this renovation since this room has ZERO natural light.
In addition to that barn light, we added a bunch of recessed lights, and then our old school sconces with Edison bulbs over the vanities.
We ran the race, folks. And now, we’ve crossed the finish line….budget intact and all.
It’s time to raise a margarita while we celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and having reached the finish line of this bathroom renovation marathon.
Pin these budget-friendly bathroom ideas for later!
Pssst…before you go, I sure would love to hang out with you again really soon! Sign up now and get a FREE copy of “Builder-Grade To Beautiful: 10 Totally Transformative Home Decorating Solutions, All Under $100!” Click here to enter your email or on the image below. Your copy will be sent right away!
Shelby Pritchard says
What was the brand and color of this tile?
Heather says
Hey Shelby! The tile is linked in the source list in the post above. It’s the first item in the list 🙂 Let me know if you have trouble!
April Driggers says
So…. have you ever done a full blown pull all the tile out of the shower and install a whole new shower pan and retile and all that jazz? Cause…. I’m about to do that and LORD HAVE MERCY I LOVE these floors! Trying to figure out what to put in a shower to go with these is now perplexing me…these… are just FAB! Great job!
Heather says
Yep. Been there. I personally think white or off white subway tiles (not even marble, but a less expensive porcelain variety) would look great w/ this tile. Something simple so that it doesn’t compete. Good luck April!!
Katie says
Any way you can share the image you used to make the shower curtain? Can’t find anything as cool.
Heather says
Hi Katie! I used a bunch of vintage car ads that I found online to make that curtain design. I don’t have the file for it anymore, but if you find some images that are old enough to not be protected by copyright law, you can mimic the look. Sorry I can’t help more :/
RK says
Hi Heather
Amazing bathroom remodeling..I have noticed it’s been almost two since the remodeling. I was wondering if you could give a review on IKEA cabinets. We have been trying to do our kids bathroom too.we have 3 kids so the Ikea sink and cabinet option works for us and also the price.. nobody can beat that price. But I’m hesitant to go ahead with it ..I feel it will crash or worse water damage!!
I would really appreciate any advice you can give us on the cabinets. My heart is set on red Godmorgon Ikea cabinet. We plan to do black penny tiles on floor with white subway or wave tile.
Heather says
Hi there! I have to say we are really happy with how the Ikea cabinets have held up. Now, if kids were to sit on them or something, I’m not sure how they’d react, but ours are still hanging, and really look no different than the day they were installed. No issues (happy to say) whatsoever!No water damage…although my husband, who has plumbed many things did not like working with the supplies he was given by Ikea, so he did use some other plumbing parts. But I really would give them a very positive review!
Ariel says
This is fantastic! I love the theme and how it all came together so nicely!
Well done 🙂
Kelyn Naughton says
I’ve noticed on the Home Depot website that may reviewers used “Earth” colored grout with the floor tile, but it appears you may have used a lighter color. Will you share your grout color? It looks great!!! Thanks!
Heather says
Hey Kelyn, we definitely used a lighter color. I want to say it was Bone White, maybe. Also from Home Depot.
emily says
i love the pendant fixtures! where did you get them, if you don’t mind my asking? thanks!
Heather says
I got them at a local flea market Emily 🙂
kim says
Beautiful.
I love all the white.
It an awesome redo
Gidget says
This all looks so amazing!! We’re getting ready to do our guest bath and I’m dying to know where you picked up those faucets?? They’re just what I’m looking for!
Heather says
Thanks Gidget! They are from IKEA. Those faucets worked with the IKEA sinks we purchased, so we ran with it 🙂
Danielle Donahue says
Love the bathroom! Love all of your bathroom remodels: and the I Hate My Bath one isn’t even my favorite! (quick side note: we were on I Hate my Bath too) YOu are very talented. How did you learn how to do all this work?? I really want to redo a bathroom myself, and think with some guidance, my husband and I can do it….he does not believe we can. Any pointers on where and how you learned would be appreciated!
Heather says
Hey Danielle! So fun you guys were on that show too!! You know, I think that almost ANYTHING these days can be learned after watching some YouTube tutorials…seriously! Stuff like tiling is not too hard…but figuring out angles for the cuts can be a challenge if you don’t have a mathematical mind (which I don’t, but my hubby does). You guys should give it a go!!
Amanda says
This is one of my very favorite makeovers EVER. Beautiful! That door…those lights…it is all perfect.
minijoe says
Your redo is incredible! The before picture could easily be my current bathroom. I've wanted to redo it for several years now. Your redo has given me the inspiration I need to get started on it. The flooring is beautiful! I love the light and darks, and of course, the pattern just sets it apart from other boring floors. I've noticed many comments about your flooring. Would you mind sharing your info on the floors? Name, style, where you purchased it? Thanks!
Shannan Johsnon says
I love your floors!! They are amazing!! Would you mind sharing where you got them and if they have a brand/style name?
Heather says
Thanks so much Shannan! The tile is one of my favorite parts too. It's linked in the post so that you can get all the info on the exact name, brand, price, etc above in the article. I realized I only linked it once though, so it's hard for people to find. I'm going to go back and put in another link to it, but for now, look under the tally of our costs, and where it says tile…that's the source link 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions!!
My So Called DIY Blog says
All your hard work has paid off!!! It looks amazing. I especially love the pocket door.
Katie @ On the Banks of Squaw Creek says
I haven't been keeping up, and I'm kind of glad, because the reveal was all a surprise! LOVE it!
L Kern says
Love, love, love it. My house is only 5 years old or I would like to try the floor. Maybe I can talk one of my daughters into trying it. Great job!
Jennifer @ Delightfully Noted says
Hard to tell it's the same room! I adore your door!!!
Erin @ the-organized-life says
Wanted to let you know that I featured my favorite spaces from the ORC on the blog today, and your bathroom is on the list. Here's the link if you want to take a look: http://www.the-organized-life.com/one-room-challenge-my-favorite-spaces/
Heather says
That's super high praise. Thanks so much Erin!
jane says
Where did you get the flooring? And what is it called? I LOVE it!!
Vel Criste says
Super cool! That flooring you chose rocks as well as the other little details you added! Great job!
Karen says
There aren't words…this is simply adorable!!! I am particularly interested in the recessed lighting. I couldn't find it in any of the posts; you will probably get to it soon though. Anyway, we are redoing a kitchen without any lights, well, maybe one. We are installing recessed lights and I am trying to find out if there is a way to figure out how many lights you need per square foot of ceiling. How did you decide how many to install? Thanks.
Heather says
Thanks Karen 🙂 You know, we've done recessed lights so many times now that we just kind of know how many we'll need just b/c of trial and error. I think that the # depends a lot on what other sources of light you have, and how much natural light is in your space. For this space, there is NO natural light, so we went pretty heavy on the can lights, but augmented w/ the pendants and the gooseneck fixture as well. We always buy 5"cans. To me, 6" cans look dated, and 4" cans are too wimpy, unless you're using a spot light/eyeball (directed at wall art or something of that nature). Look for dark corners where there may not be light that hits unless you use a can light, and make sure to get those areas covered.
Felechia says
I love it! What a creative and fun space for your kids. I might steal that suitcase/medicine cabinet idea…
Decor To Adore says
What an amazing transformation! A true job well done. I adore the color palette you selected. It feels fresh and fun. The six weeks went by so fast. I completed our entry, living and dining areas in a new to us 30 year old house. So, cheers to us! Have a wonderful weekend.
SHERRY HART says
What a cute space! Love the funny commentary also:) Great job staying on budget too!
Linda {Calling it Home} says
You are so funny. Love the floor and the styling. This looks great. Congratulations for staying on budget. You would never know that you had a budget. It's really good.
Carol says
Amazing job. I love the entire look.
Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says
So cute and love the floor.
Teresa says
This is incredible! I am envious of that door…it is fantastic! I can't believe you did all of this for under $2k.
Heather says
Thanks Teresa! I was pretty pumped we were able to do it all within that budget too. Once that was the goal though, aint nothing that was gonna stop me 😉
Laura @ Top This Top That says
what an amazing bath. that floor is so pretty. good for you!
Heather says
THANK YOU Laura!!
Anna says
Great, it's so vintage! The floor is amazing! Well done:)
Erin @ the-organized-life says
I just love everything about this bathroom! The tile, the mirrors, the medicine cabinet, the sinks, the towel hangers, the lights, the license plates, did I miss anything? Great job!!!
Heather says
I'm so happy to hear such nice things about it. THANKS Erin!!!
Dear Emmeline says
The floor The floor. I want I want! Looks awesome. 🙂
Heather says
Thanks friend 😉
Bre @ Average But Inspired says
WOW! Love this makeover! The door is my absolute favorite part, but it's pretty cool that you designed your own shower curtain, too. 🙂 Your kids are LUCKY!
Suz says
I love this too! It doesn’t seem to be lacking light right now. I have two grandsons who would love this vintage car theme. Can you be more specific on how you designed your shower curtain with vintage images of car? It’s just perfect for a all boy bathroom!
The only thing I would choose differently, is the color of the grout. As much as I LOVE the chevron pattern, I’m think more on a simply practical level that a medium brown or tan look for the grout would prevent a visible traffic pattern…..and well, we know about cleaning commodes and the floor around it with two little boys!
Ashley Mayes says
Girl, you have style! Love that door and the flooring!!
Tash @ The Dreamhouse Project says
Love LOVE this bathroom. It's so fresh and bright! Your floors are fantastic and the licence plates are such a fun way to add a pop of colour. Fabulous job!
Traci Hutton says
So fresh and whimsical!! Well done!!
Lauren @ Bless'er House says
Shut. up. This is THE COOLEST bathroom makeover on the planet. Right here. That door is my favorite!!! I'm still majorly crushing on that floor too. I bet your kids are so thrilled about it. You're so freaking talented, Heather!
Cristina Garay says
This whole space is just gorgeous! Love the floor, the lights, the pocket door, oh my, I love it all!
marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says
Oh my word, who would have thought that license plates and an old suitcase could be so perfect in a bathroom. This whole makeover is amazing. I adore that door too.
Emily McCauley says
Heather!!! You guys are amazing! This is such a perfect kids bathroom! I am in love with that pocket door, will you be doing a tutorial for it? Those margaritas are well deserved 🙂
Jesi says
I wonder this as well since a pocket door is quite difficult and as far as I knew it required opening up a wall which isn’5 noted here or added into cost. So mAybe there’s another way!!
Heather says
Hi Jesi – We haven’t done a tutorial on the pocket door yet. It’s still planned. It is a pretty technical job, so definitely not one you want to tackle if not super confident. You can purchase pocket door kits online or in stores. I definitely added into the cost, and it’s linked above in the supply list/source list.
Jen @ Fresh Crush says
Dang! You have a knack for bathrooms… come do mine?? I Love everything about it… fun for the Kids, clean and modern for the Bigs… fantastic job!!
Ashley @ 3 Little Greenwoods says
Get. Out. Of. TOWN!
I'm in love with this bathroom! Wonderful job adding function and amazing pops of color!
{big hugs}
~ Ashley
Katie Alberter says
That door is amazing!! I love how this whole room came together! Great job!
Aimee - The Crazy Craft Lady says
Love, love, love! Great call on the hooks… plus they're easier for the kids to actually hang up towels on anyway. I'm currently obsessing over that pocket door. So jealous! Great job!
Sabrina @ Pink Little Notebook says
Those floors are amazing! What a huge transformation! Way to go!!
making it in the mountains says
LOVE how this all came together!!! That door is SO perfect and all of those little details add so much fun character to the space!
Cindy DIYbeautify says
Love the bathroom! Especially that pocket door!!
The Rozy Home says
It is awesome! Gosh, I love those floors! Kuddos and another stunner at The Heathered Nest! 🙂
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says
i LOVE it, heather! the flooring is amazing and the door turned out so perfectly!!!! stunning work and mad skills.
Heather says
Thanks Cassie! Now, if only I could run as well as I could tile…THEN I'd be #winning
Kim says
Did you seal the floor?
Heather says
Yep! That’s always important with tile. Super easy, inexpensive to do.