Updating Your Bathroom on A Budget

5 Decor Tips for Updating Your Bathroom on A Budget

Everyone would agree that having a good bathroom can make the biggest difference in your morning routine. It puts you in a better mood when you can get ready in a clean and beautiful space. So, why is it that we often neglect our bathroom’s decor? Perhaps it’s time for a makeover. You would be surprised how a few tweaks here and there can completely transform how your bathroom looks. You’d be even more surprised how little it could cost. Follow these tips to give your bathroom the upgrade it needs.

1. Create a Focal Point

gold oblong mirror above a white sink with a gold faucet
Photo by Amira Aboalnaga on Unsplash​​

An important rule that people often neglect when designing their homes is that you have to create a visual story with your design. Having a focal point in a room that you want the eye to first see is key to creating this story. Direct the eye and dictate what you want it to focus on first. Hang a painting, a pretty shower curtain, or a beautiful mirror that you want your viewer to be drawn to first. You can add any piece that visually strikes, but also fits your color palette. A good focal point can completely transform a space on its own and sets the theme for the rest of the room.

2. Re-do Your Walls

green bathroom with a round, gold mirror and a marble sink
Photo by Watermark Designs on Unsplash​​

Bathrooms are often much smaller than other rooms in your house. It gives you an opportunity to splurge a bit on your walls. Re-tile or re-paint your walls to create an entirely new atmosphere. Retiling can be quite an undertaking, so paint would be the more DIY-friendly and budget-friendly option.


Paint is an inexpensive and fast way to transform your space. It can make a space appear brighter, fresher, and cleaner. Don’t be afraid of repainting your bathroom walls because it is easier than it looks. It’s a project that you can complete in a single afternoon, especially if your bathroom is on the smaller side. Choose a color that is soothing and cool to the eye because bathrooms should be relaxing places. You want to be able to foster an ambiance that will be pleasant when you’re getting ready in the morning and cleaning up before bed. The bathroom is usually the first place you visit when you get up in the morning, so you want the colors you choose to be ones that will put you in a good mood. Typically, blues are used in bathrooms because of their relation to water but don’t feel like you have to be confined to that hue. Try some greens and other neutral, organic tones.

3. Invest in Good Towels

Black jack and jill sink on a wooden counter. There are folded towels stacked in an open shelf
Photo by Sanibell BV on Unsplash​​

Having towels on display is a great opportunity to add some color and texture to your bathroom while also giving it an element of luxury. Having towels that specifically match your bathroom’s color palette can instantly make it look more expensive and custom. You could also opt for crisp, clean, white towels that will go with everything. Don’t forget to have a variety of sizes because each of them serves a separate function. Learn how to fold your towels the way they do in hotels. You can also roll your towels and keep them in a bin or basket for a more rustic, informal look.

4. Organize Using Bins, Baskets, and Bottles

two mason jars with cotton buds and cotton balls inside
Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash​​

Organize using bins, baskets, and bottles. Something that makes a bathroom look instantly ugly and cheap is clutter. There are many products that you need inside a bathroom and that can be hard to organize. Separating your products using different baskets is a game-changer. It also helps make the space look neater and uniform if you remove the plastic packaging your items come in. Woven baskets made of natural materials or clear acrylic bins are great because they match any colors you might have in your bathroom. Make sure to place your products that look messier in opaque bins so you can’t see the mess. It also helps to label these bins so you’re never left wondering where everything is. You can also make use of trays, just to make the placement of your products looks more intentional and cleaner.


Transferring your bath products to matching bottles can completely transform how your shower looks. Everybody has their favorite hair and body products, but they don’t always come in the prettiest packages. Well, fear not, because a simple solution is to transfer these products into uniform bottles. Simply add a pump on top and label them properly to avoid confusion and you have yourself a functional set of bath products that are also aesthetically pleasing.

5. Bring in Some Greenery

white bathroom with black and white tiles and indoor plants
Photo by Phil Hearing on Unsplash​​

Plants simply add life to a room and there isn’t really a substitute for it. Some people are afraid of placing indoor plants in their bathrooms because of the lack of direct sunlight. However, there are many plants that can survive on artificial light or very minimal sunlight. Plants can make your bathroom look more cheerful and it can help it feel less stuffy and suffocating.

6. Add a Good Rug

white bathroom with a red traditional area rug
Photo by Ryan Christodoulou on Unsplash​​

A good rug can instantly make a space feel classier and more expensive. Often times, bathrooms are neglected when it comes to rugs. People don’t want to get their fancy rugs wet or stained so they go for cheap looking bathmats. These can instantly make your bathroom significantly less classy-looking and you don’t want that. You can always get a stain-resistant or washable rug to alleviate yourself of the anxiety of damaging it. Rugs do not only function as a piece of decor, but they also provide comfort and warmth for your feet.

7. Add Some Fragrant Elements

bathroom counter with incense
Photo by Tina Witherspoon on Unsplash​​

A huge part of creating a relaxing environment is ensuring that you’re also indulging your sense of smell. In the bathroom, especially, where the odors aren’t always pleasant, make sure you have things in stock that can help combat the unpleasant smells. You can use scented candles, incense, or oil diffusers to help with your aromatherapy treatment.

8. Upgrade Your Hardware

grey bathroom with matte black sinks and faucets
Photo by R ARCHITECTURE on Unsplash​​

Make sure that you don’t neglect the material your bars and hooks are made from. Instead of settling for the generic plastic and stainless steel you usually find in bathrooms, upgrade your hardware to something more expensive looking. You can either buy new hardware that is made of a more rustic material like copper and brass, or you can simply spray paint your hardware matte black. This will easily transform your space to look classier.

Back to blog