Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Our $51 Bathroom Makeover

The guest bath = so much cuter. That sweet little space reminds me that even small seemingly “stuck” spaces can shine with a few easy upgrades, like fresh paint, a new window treatment, some art, and a few mixed and matched accessories. Sometimes it’s fun to embrace an old feature like vintage yellow tile (complete with a floor that looks like a scrabble board) instead of hammer-drilling it out of there. So stick a fork in this baby… for around $50, she’s a whole lot easier on the eyes.

our-super-simple-cheap-bathroom-makeover

The room has this casual Anthropologie-ish vibe now, which isn’t usually something I’m very good at pulling off – so all the credit goes to the items that were already there (like the original white sink and that sweet 60’s tile). And it definitely didn’t hurt to add some art and a few accessories to fill the voids. Here’s a before shot taken from the same doorway about a week after we moved into our house:

Bathroom Before

Thank goodness the I-can-see-my-full-body-while-I’m-on-the-toilet mirror is gone, eh?

It’s a tiny room, so please excuse my lack of diverse and all-encompassing shots. The print hanging over the toilet is just a page I tore out of the September issue of Real Simple last year (I keep a flat tupperware box under the bed in the guest room full of “someday art” – so I sifted through it and thought the colors – and the water/fishing thing – was cute for a bathroom). The frame is from Target and came with the mat for $22.

Guest Art After

I like how the softer white frame and art works with the deeper mirror and light fixture. Instead of competing and feeling busy, the art falls back and the charcoal mirror over the sink (which I painted Silhouette by Benjamin Moore) says “look I’m the focal point.” Both of the P hand towels are from West Elm (from two different readers at book signings, which was such a fun surprise). And that lemon tea towel is also from someone at a signing. So glad we found a spot for them :)

Bathroom After Angle

Dag guest bathroom, why you gotta be so sweet? Here’s where I’ll insert John’s terrible third grade joke about how you have to have two monogrammed P towels in a bathroom because that’s where the pee pee goes. Please forgive him.

Bathroom Towels

And for those requesting a shot of the shower opening, it’s a crazy-tight room, so this is the best I could muster. But you can see the art that hangs across from the mirror a little better. That’s just an old fabric remnant (from U-Fab last year) that I slapped in a frame.

Shower Opening

I like that it relates to the brighter yellow tiles in the floor as well as the pops of yellow in the guest room. And here’s a shot of the bottom of the shower, so you can see how that tile lip keeps the curtain from encroaching on the sink. And because it’s polyester (just like a typical fabric shower curtain liner) we just wash it to keep it clean. So far, so good (it’s been in use for 6 months).

Bathroom Shower2

This is the view from the guest room, which is nice and tied in, thanks to everything from the blue window shade and the turkish towel on the door (don’t they look cute next to the polka dot curtains?).

Bethroom Through Door After

It’s so funny how an old yellow bathroom that used to feel like “the weird room” in our house suddenly fits right in.

Guest Bath From Far

Here’s what we did in there to snap it into shape:

  • painted the walls, trim, and ceiling (we did that here)
  • frosted the window for privacy (we did that here)
  • made a window treatment with a bold fabric remnant (we did that here)
  • painted the frame of the mirror so it stands out more
  • hung some art over the toilet and across from the mirror
  • went accessory happy

How you like me now, list? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Bathroom After Fave

And here’s our budget breakdown:

  • fresh white paint for the walls, ceiling, and trim (all Decorators White by Benjamin Moore): $25 (for a quart)
  • paint for the mirror (Silhouette by Benjamin Moore): $0 (already owned)
  • art for above the toilet: $22 (frame: Target, art: a free page torn from Real Simple)
  • coral fabric art that you see in the mirror: $0 (yellow coral fabric remnant + frame we already had)
  • fabric remnant for the window treatment: $4 (from U-Fab by Iman)
  • frosting film for the window: $0 (already owned from other projects like this)
  • hand towels, plant, bath towel, and soap: $0 (all already owned)
  • TOTAL SPENT: $51 (it would probably be around $70 total if you didn’t already have mirror paint, hand towels, & frosting film)

And that’s why I love accessorizing. The end.

Psst- Wanna know where we got something in our house or what paint color we used? Just click on this button: 

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Comments

  2. Henna | HENNA BLOSSOM BLOG says

    NICE! It’s so funny how we forget sometimes…the little details and a bit of color really make ALL the difference. I love the update!! And it’s fun that you didn’t have to do anything huge to get such a great outcome!

    Made me think of fashion…ha, sorry to turn it back to ME (but I guess it’s what we bloggers DO). I started a fashion series (simple, fun outfits for real people). Love for you to SEEEEE: http://hennablossom.com/?p=2248

    (details and pops of color) ;)

    Nice job as always guys!

    xo

    Reply

  3. Sandra F says

    I LOVE how you worked with the tile instead of tearing it all out. My husband and I have some ugly tan/peach tile that I”m trying to figure out how to work with. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  7. Clare says

    Wow – I love this update! and I am enjoying the continual inspiration for me not just frame what’s officially “art” but whatever pretty/cute/applicable/funny? image strikes my fancy. Looks great!!

    Reply

  10. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says

    Another victory for you guys! It all looks intentional and not like you were trying to work with what you had, if that makes sense. I have to admit in a weird flash I wondered what that awesome penny tile in your kitchen would look like on the floor. I’ve always liked yellow and gray together.

    I love using calendar pages as art. I love putting big ol’ calendars on my wishlist and have people buy them for me and then I can get it for free! WOO HOO!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh man, I’ve thought about that too! The little scrabble-ish floor tile is my favorite of the vintage tile though (the walls are just subway, but the little squares on the floor make me smile).

      xo
      s

  11. Nikki says

    I love the way the bathroom turned out with the old tile! The tile and shower set up look just like the showers in my college dorms at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN.

    Reply

  12. Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

    It looks beautiful!

    P’s are special to us, as we has a game when I was in labor with Susanna. Each goal word had a P sound: proceed, respirate, push, etc. I don’t remember all of them, but it made us laugh.

    The words ended with our daughter whose middle name is Hope. I still stress the P sound to her and she laughs!

    Reply

  14. Ainhoa says

    I was skeptical of the yellow tile but I have to say, you really pulled it off and made it work! The first shot especially is lovely.

    Reply

  15. Jessica says

    I love that you embraced the vintage rather than tearing out all that adorable yellow tile. That striped hand towel is to die for and I never would have guessed that the art was torn from a magazine page. I can never find art worthy magazine pages. I just can’t believe you guys managed to make that kind of shower stall look cute. I had one once and it always felt very “locker room.” Have you had any guests over since finishing the bathroom?

    Reply

  16. Lorie ~ Ferndale Lane says

    I love the “new” old bathroom! It’s nice to keep something quirky from the original build of the house. The yellow is bright and cheery and pops next to the blue room, love the polka dot curtains!!

    Reply

  17. Brit (House Updated) says

    Looks great. Love the West Elm towels – I have some myself (and also have a “P” last name, haha). With the blue window shade, I thought you might have gone with more blue accents, but I really like the gray ones as I think it modernizes the existing tile well!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yeah, since the guest room itself has all blue walls, we didn’t want to go overboard, so the blue shade in the window was enough for us to say “done” :)

      xo
      s

    • Jennifer Barfield says

      I was going to suggest a white rug/bath mat as well. Sorry, but when I come out of the shower, I like to step on something soft/fluffy and to absorb the extra water that might still be on me (I tend to stand in my shower and dry off as much as I can before stepping out. I hate wet bathroom floors. LOL!

    • Pamela says

      Hi Sherry,

      Just FYI – I found a super cute & soft bathroom rug at Target for my master bathroom’s small shower area after it was conservatively remodeled. After searching for a smaller square shape that was also affordable, Target saved the day – it’s Thomas O’Brien brand & is ~24 x 24. Mine is a creamy color, but I think it may also come in white.

    • Pamela says

      Hi Sherry,

      Just FYI – I found a super cute, soft square rug at Target after completing a conservative master bathroom remodel. After searching for a square, smaller rug that was affordable, Target saved the day – it’s Thomas O’Brien brand and is ~24″ x 24″. Mine is a creamy color, but I think it comes in white, too.

    • Anneliese says

      World Market also has a cute round white bathmat for $12.99 if you want to echo the polka dots in the curtains.

  24. Crystal @ 29 Rue House says

    Very nice guys!! The mirror color is perfect and I love the non-symmetry (in both length and design) in the towels hanging over the toilet. It is probably for the best you didn’t hang the two “P” towels right next to each other. LOL

    Reply

    • Meredith says

      It cracks me up that you specifically call that out as something you like; I was thinking as I read this post that those towels would drive my OCD CRAZY, and if I were a guest there I would undoubtably “fix” them by lining them up and re-folding the fruit one. :) Just goes to show everyone’s got an opinion!

    • Donna says

      I was thinking the same thing as Meredith. I am super OCD and like things to be more symmetrical and lined up. Ha ha, to each her own!

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We just like to eye things to see what looks best (since sometimes in our heads what “should” work ends up looking wonky in person). In our case the towel rod was not centered over the toilet, so we tried looking at the art centered over the towel bar and then tried looking at it centered over the toilet and that was more pleasing to the eye – I think you pick up the toilet placement and the art more in person than the towel bar and the art, if that makes sense :)
      xo
      s

    • Crystal @ 29 Rue House says

      I didn’t even notice that the towel bar was off centered with the toilet! Maybe that is why the asymmetrical design works for me plus I think the plant balances it out a little.

      Either way, I just happened to pop back here and thought it was funny that my comment illicted some responses! :)

  27. keekee says

    I see the forum link, but no family blog link anymore. I am using the latest version on Internet Explorer (I know, I know…it is all my office will allow!)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hmm, is it version 6? That one is a tough nut to crack. Also, did you try clearing your browser’s cache/cookies/data? That could snap it back into shape :)

      xo
      s

  28. Jenny says

    Oh man, those West Elm towels (which we have, unmonogrammed) totally make me wish my hubby and I had the same last name. I’m generally super happy with the decision to keep my own, but silly monograms make me wish we shared one.

    Reply

  29. Allie ~ This Yellow House says

    Wow! It looks so cute now! Good job guys. You had me cracking up at the P P towels :P I love that you framed a page from a magazine and it looks so cute. I am now on the look out for pictures to frame. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  30. Janelle @ Two Cups of Happy says

    I’m glad I’m not the only one that uses magazine tear outs as art. Haha. I don’t have any up right now but they’re on rotation! The fashion shoots in women’s mags sometimes have pretty set locations so I like to use those.

    Reply

  31. Andrea A says

    I love this bathroom! Probably my favorite “workin’ with whatcha got” post y’all have done. I’ve recently discovered how satisfying it is to take something from outdated and weird to ‘vintage with a little sumpin sumpin’ just by incorporating elements that flatter its character.

    Reply

  32. Stefanie says

    It’s cute! My master bedroom is yellow and gray and I love it.

    BTW, I like this post format. I was beginning to miss your style the past couple weeks.

    Reply

  34. Hemma says

    FYI: I see no ‘Family Blog’ in the header.
    Just cleared all cookies ++.
    From L- R: I see : About us, Housetour, Projects, Our wedding, Our book, Forums.
    I use Safari 6.0.2
    Now on to read your post.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Hemma! I think I remember Safari 6 being the bane of our existence (in the past, the only way for us to fix formatting issues was to ask folks to upgrade to a newer version if they could since it’s an older one that messes with code a lot for some reason). Thanks for all the info though! Would be awesome if we could conquer Safari 6!

      xo
      s

  35. Annabel Vita says

    I’m in love! It looks really fresh but sophisticated at the same time, and it totally looks like that lived in style rather than a sterile guest bathroom. Your guests are very lucky!

    Reply

  36. Alisa says

    I am loving this all over the place! We are finishing up our master bathroom (it’s about as big as this bathroom) and you just gave me a bunch of (cheap) ideas. Thanks!

    Reply

  38. Gayla says

    Hey!
    I always hate messaging you and asking a ton of questions.. but WHERE did you get those towels? Are they the “pashima” type material?
    I am drooling and green, i mean yellow with envy!

    -G

    Reply

  39. Cara D says

    I LOVE it! I hate our guest bathroom but it doesn’t have any retro charm to work with. All 2005 builder grade boring. i plan to do soething with it eventually. Your bath is adorable and so much easier than busting out tile!

    Reply

  40. Casey says

    So cute, and I love the way it looks off the guest room! Such a good fit.

    We have the gray striped West Elm hand towel with the dotted digital monogram (R) in our bathroom, layered on top of two of the yellow striped towels, but in teal. I love them! :)

    Reply

  42. Rebecca @This Nest is Best says

    We have some framed pages of Better Homes & Gardens in our kitchen, so I totally feel you :) They often have beautiful quotes with lovely typography in that magazine!

    And the bathroom looks great! Love how embracing a “feature” instead of trying to cover it up can end up making things look quaint and kitsch-y instead of outdated. I’m a big fan!

    Reply

  43. Taylor says

    I have the same gray/white striped hand towel from West Elm! LOVE IT!!! Guest bath transformation looks great. we did a lot of similar changes in ours & I think ours took on a whole new look. I think our navy to teal hamper makes the room though :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hmm, do you know how to go into your settings in your browser and clear the cache? It’s usually in a dropdown menu at the top (maybe under “preferences”?). I think that could solve it. You also could try upgrading if you’re using a really old version of your browser, which usually snaps everything back into place. And to anyone missing the family tab for now, we added a link in our sidebar under shortcuts as well, so you can get over there that way :)

      xo
      s

  47. Christina says

    John’s P P joke was just what I needed to start my day. Hilarious! Looks like you need number towels in another bathroom. 1 & 2 feels like it will fit right in ;)

    Reply

  49. Melissa @ Loving Here says

    Oh, and the most important part of the comment, which I forgot to say originally is that I love the Real Simple artwork in there! The whole room looks great (I love yellow) but it really adds a nice touch!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think it’s off to Goodwill for that guy. It was a regular length (84″ instead of 95″) so having the bar at that height awkwardly infringed on the opening to the shower (raising the bar to ceiling height allowed us to tuck it behind the header so it’s not hanging into the opening anymore). I hope someone uses it to make pillows or hangs it in their bathroom though. I bet he’ll find a good home :)

      xo
      s

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