Decorating Ideas - Bathroom Décor on a Budget

A bathroom should be filled with light. Your bathroom is almost like a place to go to meditate; it’s where you go to cleanse and refresh or relax in a hot bath before retiring for the night. Bathroom remodeling usually surprises people at how expensive they can be, especially given the size of the room. Renovating a bathroom can be very expensive, but redecorating it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of low-cost ways to makeover your bathroom.

Many people associate their bathroom décor with the ocean or beach. A few simple accessories can bring memories of the beach and the ocean to your bathroom, and add a calming feel. Here are a few bathroom décor ideas that can be easy on your pocketbook, followed by some pictures to help inspire.

• Paint is the most cost-effective way of affecting change to a space and the bathroom is no different.  Paint bathroom walls with a simple clean color like lemon yellow or pale blue.
• If you’re replacing or adding tiles, don’t spend extra money on flashy handmade tiles; go neutral and plain so you can save money and end up with a neutral canvas for colorful accessories and towels.
• Update a tired tub by installing new faucets – this touch can go a long way to changing the overall feel of the room.
• If you have enough room above your sink area, hang a large old mirror with a new frame for charm.  If you already have a large mirror there, purchase some inexpensive molding, such as chair rail, and with a few simple miter cuts, frame out your mirror for a dramatic change.
• If you’re looking to change out your bathroom vanity, try to find a dresser at an auction or flea market that has “good bones” and top it with piece of marble to create a unique vanity – this can cost a lot less than some ready-made vanities if you find a piece of furniture at a great price. 

• Real stone flooring can be pricey, but you can achieve the same look with look-alike ceramic tiles, many of which are very affordable – not to mention easier to maintain than real stone.
• Scour salvage yards for vintage sinks; this can save you a bundle versus purchasing a reproduction one.
• To cut down on the time and expense of tile installation, purchase two-inch floor tiles in one-foot square sheets.
• For budget decorating, creative repurposing is the key.  Enlist old gym locker or other baskets as bathroom storage; try hanging them on a wall.
• Brighten a bathroom by hanging multiple mirrors on the walls.
• Bring the outdoors in with a plant, or plants, to infuse color and life to a plain bathroom space.
• In a small or narrow bathroom, hang a small mirror with an interesting frame above the sink and use an old bench or trunk to hold toiletries.
• Create a unique decorative accent with a pretty mobile that you can make yourself using shells; hang it near a window.
• Decorate windowsills with seashells and glass bottles filled with beach sand.
• In summary, painting, replacing old fixtures such as faucets, choosing bright towels and bath rugs, and updating window treatments can go a long way to changing a hum-drum bathroom into a relaxing paradise.

If you liked these tips and want more, check out more budget decorating ideas for these rooms:  bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms.