DIY Designer Budget Bathroom Remodel under $400

I transformed this small bathroom on a budget. This looks so high end. Everything I did was easy to do for even a beginner DIYer. I’ll take you everything I did in this bathroom remodel and how I saved money! Labor costs tends to be the biggest cost in a bathroom remodel. If you can tackle the small projects yourself, you’ll stretch your tight budget even further. 

Initially, I designed this bathroom a few years ago, but I hated the design. It’s time to put me out of my misery. This is a windowless bathroom shared by my 2 boys. My vision for the bathroom is to make it mature, organic and look designer, but on a really tight budget. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out my 2024 top bathroom trends article and ideas for master bathroom.

Swap out the builder light fixture

One of the easiest changes I made to this bathroom is swapping the builder grade light fixture. I got this inexpensive vanity light fixture. It’s not hard to change a light fixture. Most new light fixtures come with detailed instructions. However, if you’re not comfortable changing a light fixture, hire an electrician. 

I picked this matte black fixture with frosted glass. I like the modern shape of the fixture. It is simple enough that it won’t look dated in a few years. 

I also changed the boob light that was on the ceiling. Can’t builder’s be a little creative and give us something more interesting than this boob light fixture? I picked up this inexpensive fixture from IKEA. I like that the globe is oversized, so it adds some interest in this small bathroom. 

When you’re changing multiple light fixtures in the same room, pick the same finish. In this case, both light fixtures have frosted glass bowls, and black hardware. They are also both curved, which adds to the cohesion of the space. 

Add an interesting vanity mirror

Builder grade mirrors are always the same. Large, frameless mirrors with no character. Updating your mirror is an easy way to make your bathroom designer. 

I added a simple arch mirror. The black frame matches the other elements in the bathroom like the vanity light fixture and towel hooks.

It might be intimidating to remove a mirror. I was afraid of it shattering into a million pieces too. I’ve replaced 4 bathroom mirrors and it’s easier than you think! Grab your protective gear and follow these steps:

1. Tape the mirror. Just in case it does break, the pieces won’t shatter everywhere
2. Check the edges of the mirror to see if there’s any clips. Pry them loose, or unscrew them
3. Slide shims behind the mirror. If you feel resistance, gently use a hammer to tap them behind the mirror
4. Once you have shims all around, you should feel the mirror loosen from the wall. Pull it off. Most mirrors are attached by an industrial strength sticky tack
5. You may have to remove, and and patch the wall behind the mirror depending on the size and shape of your new mirror

Draw the eye into the bathroom with a wall treatment

One of the easier and budget friendly ways to make a bathroom interesting is by doing something to the wall. You can paint it, add wainscotting, or wallpaper. If you’re me, you’re going to add all 3 elements to a bathroom 😉

The old paint in here reminded me too much of… vomit. There, I said it. I picked a more mature green paint. I used Pewter Green by Sherwin Williams to paint the bathroom. I love this color and have used it on my kids built-in bunk bed, and my board and batten hallway.

I added a simple board and batten in this bathroom to elevate the design. Board and batten is a classic wall treatment. It’s an easy beginner project with no complicated cuts. I have an in-depth tutorial for board and batten.

Since I am going for a designer look in this bathroom, I used this neutral cloud wallpaper. I love peel and stick wallpaper because it’s easy to install. I also used a moody wallpaper in my basement bathroom makeover. 

I’ve never had issues with wallpaper falling down in a bathroom. Just make sure to have good ventilation – use the fan, and leave the door open after a steamy shower. 

Ideas to update your bathroom vanity

I REALLY wanted to paint the bathroom vanity, or add pole wrap, but my husband was against it. We live in a new build home that’s about 5 years old. He said “There’s no reason to max out the credit card when this bathroom vanity is still new”. I see his point. 

If you have an older bathroom, the best way to update your vanity is painting it, following these steps. You can also make small updates like taking off the old hardware and add modern new hardware. Brass knobs and handles are really trending in bathrooms. 

Hang your shower curtain higher!

Most shower curtains are hung too low! Just like how you want to hang bedroom curtains high and wide, the same principle should be applied to bathroom shower curtains. I got a longer shower curtain and liner. I hung the rod as high as I could, and attached the shower curtain so it skims the floor. 

Make a bathroom cozy with a runner

Ditch your old dingy bathmat for a long cozy runner. A long runner is an easy way to add a huge impact to a bathroom on tight budget. These are also really useful if you’re looking to cover up old tiles. Instead of changing ceramic tiles, cover them with a vintage runner.

You could also paint your bathroom floor or add peel and stick tiles. I’ve installed peel and stick tiles in my basement and after 2 years, they still look amazing!

My thoughts on a full gut job bathroom renovation: What to Hire Out

When possible, I try to avoid a full gut job. I worked alongside my brother to completely tear apart his daughters bathroom, and remodel it. To be honest, it was not a project I looked forward to doing again soon. 

A full bathroom remodel requires a large budget, and a lot of patience. There will be unexpected twists and turns that you didn’t think of. It tested my relationship with my brother, and we were both brought up as DIYers

If you’re a beginner DIYer and want to renovate your bathroom, put aside some budget to hire a professional plumber or general contractor. Here’s a list of what I could do myself versus hire a professional for my next bathroom remodel:

• Demolition – this is fun and you can do it yourself. Watch out for any pipes! Ripping out old floor tile is hard, so make sure to rent the right tools. The old tile in the shower came out in large sheets.
• Installing wall tiles – this is a simple DIY project that anyone can do. Using Musselbound will save you time and make the project much easier. Musselbound is like a giant sticker that is used instead of mortar which is messy. 
• Plumbing for a new tub – installing a new bathroom tub is difficult because most often, the pipe configuration will not be the exact same as the old ones. Plus, you also have to get the sloping correct so the water drains out. Once the tub is installed, you can follow youtube videos to install new shower head and faucet yourself to save a bit. 
• New floor tiles- If you’re looking to use small, mosaic or marble tiles, definitely hire this out. We used mosaic tiles in the girls bathroom and there are places you can feel the floor is uneven. This drives me crazy to this day! I’d stay away from laminate flooring in a bathroom since the bathroom tends to get wet. You could easily get water damage. After spending a lot of money in a bathroom, you want the bathroom flooring to last at least 10-20 years.
• New shower tiles – For beginner DIYers, I recommend large scale tiles or zellige tiles. These are the most forgiving when tiling and entire wall. You’ll also need to lay down the appropriate water proofing. 
• Install a new toilet – this is pretty straightforward and can be done by a homeowner
• Install a new vanity – if you’re installing the same size and style of vanity, you can likely use the same plumbing configuration. If you’re adding a double vanity, or a vanity with different sink placement, you’ll need to build new piping. In my opinion, this is best performed by a professional contractor or plumber. 
• Get cozy with heated floor- The coolest addition to my nieces bathroom was heated bathroom floor. Since there was electrical work required, this is definitely a project to outsource. We laid the heated floor mat ourselves though. It was a small additional cost when we gutted the entire bathroom.

DIY Bathroom Remodel is doable!!

I hope this gave you some ideas on the best ways to give your bathroom a fresh look with low effort and cost. A bathroom remodel cost starts at $5000 minimum. I completed this makeover with a fresh coat of paint, new fixtures, wallpaper and a long shower curtain. The total cost was $400. You can use these same ideas in a master bathroom or powder rooms too. Go to Home Depot and get inspired for your next project! If you loved this, make sure to pin it!

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