How to Refresh Your Bathroom Without Remodeling

Have you ever had one of those home projects that was really nagging at you to get done, but you were having trouble justifying the cost? Such was the case with one of our guest baths, an en suite bath to a room we call my daughter’s bedroom, but one that hardly gets any use as she hasn’t lived here for years. It was a builder grade bathroom, barely 10 years old, with absolutely no charm or character, but nothing terribly offensive either. It’s not like it had pink tile from another century, but truth be told, I hated it nonetheless. Still, the fact that it was both functional and neutral made me put off a renovation for quite some time.

In fact, I’d taken on the project a few years ago of trying to upgrade the look until I was ready for a remodel. But that was always meant to be just a bandaid solution. With most of our big projects out of the way, I recently started to look at the space again and felt it was time to finally tackle the update. However, convincing my husband was another matter. “Why would we spend the money on a room that no one ever sees?” he’d ask. I did my best to explain that the whole point of having guest rooms was to welcome visitors into an inviting space. Then I underscored the resale value aspect. But ultimately, the argument that worked was the one that promised to keep costs low by limiting the big changes.

In this case, that meant working with the existing vanity and keeping the very bland and commonplace shower/tub combo. I’m a homeowner, so I’m used to making compromises. I could live with that. Once I knew we’d be keeping the vanity and the tub footprint in place, I decided to start slow and get some of the less expensive items out of the way first. I did a design board to work out where we were headed, and used that as my roadmap. The tile would be the biggest and most costly change, so I’d save that for later. With the design style defined, I turned my attention to the mirrors and sconces.

Mirrors and Sconces

I wanted this room to be a bit more modern than our master bath, a space I’m already wanting to update some details. This new bath would be whites and neutrals, like most of our home, with brass accents for a touch of warmth. I selected a 3-light brass sconce with long industrial bulbs and a simple sleek mirror with very clean lines. Next it was time to look at the vanity countertop.

Vanity Countertop

While I agreed to keep the vanity in place, I was less sanguine about the existing granite counter, a speckled mess that veered a bit pink. Replacing that counter was among my 3 most important objectives (along with floor and shower tile). I opted for a white quartz counter with a marble feel and the simplest of white sinks. I had to reconcile the fact that I’d be keeping the off-white tub and commode, but figured with multiple shades of white I could get away with the white sinks. I also reasoned that the warmth of the new brass faucets I had also selected would soften the gap between the varying whites. This worked successfully in our master bath, so I went for it in here as well. I picked a lower silhouette gooseneck for the faucet shape with very modern lines.

Wall Color and Crown Molding

Things were starting to come together at this point. We added crown molding and changed the wall color to Benjamin Moore Soft Chamois, again selected for its ability to bridge the various whites in the room. This was not the first time I’d updated the vanity, but it was nevertheless time to do it again. I’d known all along this would be part of the project, but I waited until I fleshed out all the other components (especially the tile) before choosing a color.

Vanity Update

To my surprise, I decided to go a bit darker, rarely the option I go for, but one which felt absolutely right and pulled the entire project together. I used Pure & Original Classico chalk paint in Soft Taupe, then replaced the knobs with an understated modern brass one. As always, after 2 coats of paint I added a clear wax top coat for durability.

Tile Selection

Despite the fact that the tile was one of the last things to be completed (although it was installed before I painted the vanity), I had decided on my direction early in the project. The one change I made from the original plan was to pick wood-look porcelain tile for the floors instead of the anticipated white mosaic marble that I’ve put in our other baths. This was a bit of a pivot that helped define the character of the room and the one key thing I changed from the design board on a whim while standing in the tile store. I hesitate to show this side of the bathroom, as it’s the only part that’s unfinished, but I will certainly come back and update the photo once it’s done. This gives you a good view of the mix of white marble with off-white porcelain and illuminates why it was so hard to find a paint color that blended the two. I never expected the tones to match, but was adamant that they didn’t clash. There needed to be the right balance of grey to yellow undertones and I think we got there. (Hard to tell with all the shadows, so take my word, in person, it’s okay.) What we’ll be adding is a sleek glass shower door with a brass handle, which will finish off the space.

Accessories and Decor

As you can see, I limited the expense to tile and countertop. All the rest was done with paint and decor accents, which is always the fun part. For bath accessories, I opted for brass again, in a favorite style I’ve used in our other baths, including towel bar, toilet paper holder and robe hook. I had intended to get the matching shelf for some toiletries, but it was out of stock when I placed my order, so instead I kept the existing pewter shelf and towel bar, but painted the metal gold to work with the rest of the space. I wrestled with this one for a while, but it looked SO much better after painting (even though it was too complicated to take it down and so I painted it on the wall!) I enjoyed using natural, organic decor accents to decorate the space, including found wood bowls, a stone mortar, cement vase and the like, to give the space personality. We rehung the gallery wall that was previously in the room as I still love it, and I’m thrilled with the outcome.

I finally have a space that honors my taste, works with the adjoining bedroom, as well as the home it sits within. I had to make some compromises to achieve my goal yet keep the budget low, and most importantly, I’m now thrilled to welcome guests to enjoy this space!

To get the look, check out the products below:

[Product list with links]

I hope this bathroom refresh without remodeling has inspired you to tackle your own outdated bathroom! Remember, you don’t have to gut the entire space to give it a whole new look. With a little creativity and a thoughtful approach, you can transform your bathroom on a budget.