6 Easy, Affordable Ways to Refresh Your Bathroom Without Renovating

David Land, styling by Raina Kattelson

It’s time to stop neglecting your bathroom. Just because a full bathroom renovation may be on your “someday” wish list doesn’t mean that you can’t spruce it up in the meantime with a few clever hacks. Here, designers share their top six suggestions for ways to add visual interest and style to your bathroom without the need for any demo—or a big budget. Your weekend project starts here!

Go Big With Paint

Haris Kenjar

In her own home, designer Heidi Caillier painted her paneled bathroom a sophisticated deep lavender that she considers a neutral. “I think the key is getting it muddy enough to work with other colors,” she says.

Recently, designer Jessica Helgerson of Jessica Helgerson Interior Design helped a friend make over her bathroom with “basically no budget,” relying on a vibrant paint color to do the heavy lifting. For the room refresh, she coated the walls and ceilings in “a really fresh bright blue green” (Arsenic by Farrow & Ball). “We left the [existing] wood cabinets, but got cute round wood knobs to replace the old lacquered brass ones and painted them to match the walls,” she says. With the addition of some other small accessories, the room underwent a complete makeover for less than $500.

David A. Land, styling by Jennifer Berno DeCleene for Country Living

If you’re happy with the color of your walls, you can still have fun with paint elsewhere in your bathroom, like by painting the outside of your claw-foot tub, or with the vanity, says designer Meghan Jay of Meghan Jay Design. “It’s a fairly simple update, but suddenly the vanity feels intentional rather than like something you’re just living with until you can renovate,” she says.

RELATED: The 25 Best Bathroom Paint Colors of All Time

Hang Some Art

Dane Tashima for Country Living

Have fun with where you hang your art. In this Cape Cod cottage, the homeowners took advantage of every inch in the small bathroom, hanging a ship drawing above the doorway.

Speaking of small accessories, remember that you can certainly hang works of art in the bathroom—don’t let the fear of moisture stop you. “A thoughtful piece can add so much personality and make the space feel more layered and finished,” says designer Tiffany Skilling of Tiffany Skilling Interiors. And, by no means do you need to spend much in the process; instead, take to the thrift store, hit up some estate sales, or search the aisles of an antiques mall in search of a couple of affordable, charming framed pieces. (Due to a bathroom’s moisture and humidity, you should, however, keep fine works of art out of the space.)

Swap Out Your Existing Lighting

Read McKendree for Country Living

Say goodbye to that bland overhead light fixture (or can light) and install one that is more decorative and has a lot more personality—you can even consider a small chandelier. This type of swap “can make the whole room feel more considered,” says Meghan. “I always think lighting should add something to the design, not just serve a function.”

Don’t forget about lighting by the sink either, says designer Molly Machmer-Wessels of Woodland Design Company. “Swapping a tired light for a pair of great sconces changes how the whole room feels,” she says.

RELATED: Our Best Bathroom Lighting Ideas for All Styles, from Modern to Rustic

Install a New Mirror

Becky Luigart-Stayner for Country Living

In this Mississippi farmhouse, a new vintage bamboo mirror, a pair of iron sconces, and fresh green paint on the trim complements the bathroom’s existing tile, fixtures, and wallpaper for a pretty and just-enough refresh.

If the mirror in your bathroom is also so-so, remove it and hang one that better reflects your desired aesthetic, says Meghan. “I especially love using vintage mirrors,” she says. “They bring a little age and character into a space that can otherwise feel very new and utilitarian.”

Embrace Cozy Vibes

Max Kim-Bee

Here in a New York home, a custom sink skirt, which features roses and ferns, not only brings the small bathroom a big punch of pattern, but it also conceals bathroom clutter.

By no means should a bathroom feel stark, even if it’s primarily a utilitarian space. Consider adding pattern and color through wallpaper (even peel-and-stick for an easy upgrade), window treatments, or even a sink skirt.

Designer Liz Marie Galvan also suggests focusing on making the room feel cozier overall, citing a number of simple suggestions. “Cozy to me is using my five senses, and smell is a big one in a space like this,” she says. “A deep clean, a candle, or an automatic oil diffuser, among many other things, can make the space smell fresh always and be cozy for you and others who use it.”

RELATED: Sink Skirts Are the Nostalgic Trend Everyone’s Loving Right Now

Fill the Walls

David Tsay for Country Living

You don’t need the room itself to be the personality. Instead, make it a one-of-a-kind space by filling the blank walls with a vintage collection. From plates and framed silhouettes to signs and mirrors like in the California bathroom pictured above, anything goes. You can even stack a couple of shelves to hold smaller collectibles such as apothecary bottles or colorful pottery.

Sarah Lyon is a New York City-based freelancer who produces interior design, travel and lifestyle content. Her work is featured in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Country Living. Plus, her personal spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz and more.

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