Simple Ways to Jazz Up a Bathroom For Under $100

Shannon Quinn - February 17, 2020
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Simple Ways to Jazz Up a Bathroom For Under $100
Photo: Credit: Shutterstock
Artwork can bring an unexpected element of style. Photo Credit: PlusONE/Shutterstock

23. Add Artwork

So many people leave their bathrooms relatively plain compared to the rest of their house. However, it is perfectly acceptable for you to hang artwork in your bathroom. Some people are afraid that the moisture from the shower will potentially cause mold to grow on a hanging picture. However, if you are hanging artwork far enough away from the shower, it’s actually fine. Try to pick art that goes with the theme of your room and matches your color scheme.

This bathroom has a picture on the wall as well as an illustration on the shower curtain. Photo Credit: Elena Elisseeva/Shutterstock

Some people like to choose nautical themed artwork, since the bathroom involves so much water. However, you can really choose anything you want. It might be best to find something that goes with the theme of the room. For example, if you are trying to go with a sultry Hollywood Regency style bathroom, you might want a black and white photograph of a celebrity or a vintage movie poster. The possibilities are endless. Just get creative, and have fun.

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Hanging a robe on the back of the door gives you a cozy cover. Credit: Burst by Shopify

22. Display a Nice Robe

When people go to a fancy hotel, they get excited to see a crisp fluffy white robe hanging for them in the bathroom. This is such a simple thing, and yet it brings a lot of joy to people. You can do this exact same thing for yourself very easily. After a few years, robes get ready. And if you are a woman who colors her hair, you may find that they also get stained with dye. Just like towels, robes need to be switched out every once in awhile to keep things fresh.

Display a nice robe almost like it’s decor. Photo Credit: Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Speaking from personal experience, it is actually more difficult to find a nice robe than you would imagine. During the holidays, it is common to find bathrobes in a gift set, but during other times of the year, it is not as common. I once went to 10 different stores looking for a nice robe to give as a birthday gift to someone. So it would actually make a lot of sense to buy some online.

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A rainfall shower head is a luxurious addition to a bathroom. Photo Credit: MIA Studio/Shutterstock

21. Install a New Shower Head

Something that can make your bathroom feel instantly more luxurious is to replace the shower head. If you have ever gone to a fancy hotel, you know that rainfall showers make you feel as though you are in paradise. These are actually not that expensive to buy at your local Home Depot or Lowe’s, and they are also available online.

It’s possible to switch out your apartment shower head. Photo Credit: ThamKC/Shutterstock

If you are renting an apartment, you are actually allowed to do this in most cases. Ask your landlord or leasing office before you change anything. In most cases, they will allow you to switch out your shower head so long as you keep the original in a box. When you are ready to move out of your apartment, you can remove the shower head that you purchased at Home Depot and put back the one that was there originally. This way, you can bring your fancy expensive shower head to the next place you live.

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Even a small amount of backsplash can help add an element of style to a bathroom. Photo Credit: Ryan C Slimak/Shutterstock

20. Add a Backsplash

So many bathrooms have plain white square tiles on the walls of the bath or shower. There is nothing wrong with this, especially if you want that look. However, with so many options out there, there is a lot that you can do to find alternatives to these square tiles.

This backsplash covers the entire wall. Photo Credit: Artazum/Shutterstock

Adding a fun backsplash behind your sink is quick and easy to do, and it’s possible to achieve this under a $100 budget. There are even peel-and-stick tile backsplashes available online in a lot of different styles and price points.

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These metal waste baskets don’t need to be touched with your hands. Photo Credit: lucky boy studio/Shutterstock

19. Add a Nice Waste Basket

Every bathroom needs a wastebasket for tissues, Q-tips, feminine products, and pretty much anything else that you need to throw away. Most people go for a cheap plastic trash can from Walmart, but the type of waste basket you choose can coordinate with the rest of your bathroom’s decor.

Wicker waste baskets look good in most bathrooms. Photo Credit: TippaPatt/Shutterstock

Consider buying a waste basket made of wicker, wood, metal, or whatever works with your room’s particular color scheme and style. Look at all of the options online, and you will quickly see that there are tons of different waste baskets out there.

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This vanity is made out of an old table. Photo Credit: PlusONE/Shutterstock

18. Make a DIY Vanity Sink

When searching for a bathroom vanity, you might have noticed that they typically go for well over $1,000. So, how could you possibly get this done for $100? If you want to see someone who is so incredibly crafty that she puts everyone else to shame, check out this video by Li Ziqi. In just a few hours, she collects reclaimed wood and logs from fallen trees and creates an epic sink and vanity for her bathroom.

This vanity could have been made by an amateur carpenter. Photo Credit: NavinTar/Shutterstock

Even if you’re not a super woman like Li Ziqi, it’s still possible to make your own vanity sink by repurposing an old piece of furniture. This could be a dresser that you already have in your home, or something affordable that you find at a thrift store. There are so many ways to accomplish this, and the instructions would be different every time. Do a bit of research online, and try to set a plan in motion for creating your own vanity.

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Every woman needs a good makeup display area in her bathroom. Photo Credit: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

17. Create a Fancy Makeup Display

If you are someone who does your makeup on a daily basis, you already know how easy it is to accumulate clutter on your vanity. One way to avoid this is to have a nice makeup organizational system. You can either use cute mugs, containers, or plastic organizational tools that will help you keep everything neat on top of your vanity.

The inside of a bathroom drawer is a great place to put your makeup supplies. Photo Credit: mdbildes/Shutterstock

Other people have opted to buy drawer systems that help keep all of their makeup products in one place. One of the most popular options that people use are the Alex drawers from Ikea. These are tall and narrow drawers that are perfect for makeup products. You could put a different product in each sure, and it’s big enough to accommodate even the largest collections.

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Sometimes you can use leftover tiles to do a DIY project. Photo Credit: DUO Studio/Shutterstock

16. Shop For Project Leftovers

When you are doing a big Home Improvement project, the materials alone can be well over $100. However, you can sometimes get project leftovers for a fraction of the cost. Check out the free section of Craigslist, as well as their “for sale- materials” section. You can also check out Facebook Marketplace, and make a status on social media asking your friends if they have what you are looking for.

The Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store. Photo Credit: Star Tribune

The Habitat for Humanity thrift store is also an amazing place to find cheap materials, which have all been donated from other people’s leftover projects. Most hardware stores also have a clearance section, as well.

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This bathroom has a sky light and multiple windows to bring in the light. Photo Credit: Artazum/Shutterstock

15. Bring in the Natural Light

If at all possible, find a way to bring in the natural light to your bathroom. Sometimes, this might be replacing a heavy curtain with sheer drapes. You could also completely remove the curtains and put a frosty sticker on the window to be sure that your neighbors cannot see in.

This bathroom has large windows to bring in the light. Photo Credit: ImageFlow/Shutterstock

Of course, there will be some cases where it’s not possible to get any more light than you already have, unless you replace a window, and this can be well over $100. In that case, try to go for lighter paint colors, or replace light bulbs to bright white LED bulbs that will help you see better when you are getting ready in the morning.

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This bathroom has wallpaper on certain sections of the wall, rather than the entire room. Photo Credit: alexandre zveiger/Shutterstock

14. Wallpaper Half of the Wall

Adding wallpaper to a bathroom can sometimes feel overwhelming, because a repetitive pattern in a small space is just too much for the eye to handle. However, if you can wallpaper just half of the wall, it can sometimes look incredibly tasteful. This is also good when you’re only on a $100 budget, because it means that you don’t have to buy as much wallpaper as you normally would.

This bathroom is half tile, half wallpaper. Photo Credit: Crystal Alba/Shutterstock

Most people assume that it would be expensive to add wallpaper to a room, but there are plenty of wallpaper options online for $20 to $30 per roll. So it may be possible for you to cover one accent wall or the top half of a wall for $100 or less. Also look for leftover rolls on places like Craigslist and eBay.

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Cleaning grout can be an easy way to make a bathroom look better. Photo Credit: Etaphop photo/Shutterstock

13. Clean or Refresh the Grout

Sometimes, making your bathroom look better is as simple as cleaning the grout. If you noticed that your grout has gotten a bit gross looking, it is still possible to get it back to its original color. Some people like to buy grout cleaning attachments for a power drill, instead of trying to scrub it by hand.

Sometimes, colored grout can add a lot of dimension to a bathroom. Photo Credit: belushi/Shutterstock

If you are feeling tired of your existing grout color, consider updating it with another color. Some people like to choose black or gold, depending on the theme and style of your bathroom. Always make sure to do a small sample area before you commit to doing the entire room.

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You can move objects from one room in a house to another. Photo Credit: New Africa/Shutterstock

12. “Shop Your House”

A blogger named Angela Marie revealed on her blog how she gave her bathroom a mini makeover for just $100. One of the best pieces of advice she gives is to “shop” around your own house. This is absolutely free, and it gives you more options of what you can do with your budget.

Decor items can sometimes look good in a bathroom too. Photo Credit: David Pereiras/Shutterstock

There may be objects and accessories that you already have from other room makeovers. You might even have items in storage that you forgot existed. So go ahead and try to reimagine how you can use artwork, plants, baskets, and jars from other rooms in the house.

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There is an Ikea in every major city. Photo Credit: Ikea

11. Shop at Ikea

One of the best places to go when you are on a budget is Ikea. They have really stylish, affordable light fixtures and decor that will fit into anyone’s budget. And don’t restrict yourself just to the bathroom section of the warehouse, either. You could use any light fixtures, cabinets, baskets, jars, and so much more. If you look on eBay and Facebook Marketplace, you might even find a cheaper price on the Ikea items you want from a reseller.

Always be sure to measure furniture before you commit to buying it. Photo Credit: Label Magazine

However, try to make sure you don’t do your entire bathroom in Ikea. The display bathrooms might look amazing when you are in the store, but it can look tacky when you try to replicate this in your home. Remember to personalize any space in your home.

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Luxury bathroom products can make the bathroom look more stylish. Credit: Pexels

10. Upgrade to Luxury Bath Products When Guests Come Over

Sometimes, the products we use in the bathroom give it just as much of an aesthetic as the decorations. I’m a huge advocate of saving money, especially when you can get the same things at a lower price point. However, bath and body products are one of those things that are actually worth spending a bit more money. Low quality soap and cleansers can sometimes have harmful chemicals, or they can dry out your skin. Alternately, you can buy stylish soap dispensers that can be refilled with inexpensive soap, shampoo, and conditioner.

Putting out fancy soap could be a nice way to treat your guests. Credit: Kaboom Pics

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on bath products on a daily basis, consider buying a few that you put out for guests. When my grandmother was alive, she would put out adorable little soaps shaped like seashells whenever we would come over to spend time at her beach house. On a daily basis, she was using her dollar store soap for herself. But by going that extra mile for her guests, she made us feel welcome, and it became a beautiful memory. I also know a lot of people who buy Bath and Body Works soap, but they only bring it out when guests are over, and switch back to Dollar Tree products later.

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These peel-and-stick subway tiles are only $35 per box online. Credit: Wayfair

9. Peel-and-Stick Tiles

When you live in an apartment, it seems almost impossible to give the bathroom a makeover. Everyone is afraid that they will not get their security deposit back if they do something that’s too drastic and potentially irreversible. Thankfully, peel and stick tiles exist, and they’re renter-friendly. These can be put down on any existing tiles that you have in the bathroom and they can easily be taken off before you move out. It’s a great way to give your floor an instant pop, or you can make the walls more waterproof.

Peel-and-stick tile can help make your bathroom floors waterproof. Credit: Pexels

If you’re looking for inspiration, check out this bathroom makeover video by The Lone Fox. He used peel-and-stick tiles on both the floor and wall of his mom’s bathroom. Each box of tiles was around $50, making it $100 for doing two types of tile in the room. The best part about this DIY project was that he was able to complete this in one weekend, and so can you.

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Matching bathroom accessories makes a big difference. Credit: West Elm

8. Buy a New Set of Matching Accessories

A lot of people have bathroom products and accessories that they collected over the years from their dorm room, inherited from their parents, or picked up at a thrift store. And when you move in together with a partner, both of your items are going to get mixed together. The odds of having everything in the same matching color or aesthetic is slim to none. And yet most people continue to use these accessories, simply because it’s the cheapest option. This can be one of the easiest and most affordable ways to give yourself a quick, cheap bathroom makeover.

It doesn’t need to cost a lot to buy a stylish set of matching accessories. Credit: iDesign

Something as simple as buying a matching set of bathroom accessories can make a huge difference in how the room looks. And the great news is that there are plenty of affordable options for a complete set of bathroom accessories at Walmart, Ikea, and Target. Many of these products look so beautiful, you would never know that they came from. If you go with something neutral like solid black, guests might assume that you bought them at a high-end store like Pottery Barn.

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Try to use biodegradable products whenever possible. Credit: Pexels

7. Switch Over to Biodegradable Products

If you don’t have the budget to do a complete bathroom makeover, consider buying biodegradable products to replace what you already have. Bamboo toothbrushes are cheap and easy to find, even at places like Dollar Tree. These look like something out of a magazine oh, and they work just as well as a plastic toothbrush. There are also a lot of companies out there who are pioneering the industry by creating recycled packaging, like Love Beauty and Planet. Even toilet paper can be more environmentally friendly if you purchase bamboo paper instead of the white bleached rolls that you’re used to.

Bamboo toothbrushes are biodegradable and stylish. Credit: Pexels

When you have been buying the same products all your life, it can be difficult to switch over to something new. As the saying goes, “old habits die hard.” However, it’s important to make adjustments in your lifestyle towards sustainability if you want to help save the planet from climate change. Here at HomeAddict, we already have a full guide on How to Reduce Waste at Home. Be sure to check that out after reading this article.

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In Europe, heated towel racks are in nearly every bathroom. Credit: Pexels

6. Upgrade Your Towel Rack

Throughout my life, I have seen a surprising number of people who live without a proper towel rack in their bathroom. They might make it by with a hook on the back of their door, or by throwing the towel over the shower rod. However, having a proper towel rack in the bathroom makes a huge difference, especially if you want your towels to dry so that you can reuse them one or two more times before washing them. It also helps to eliminate confusion when you have multiple people sharing the same bathroom. And by laying everything out with enough space, you’re reducing the chance that anything wet will grow mildew overnight.

Sometimes, all you need is a really good towel rack. Credit: Pexels

When I visited England, one of my favorite things was their heated towel racks in every bathroom. It just makes so much sense. They get so hot, that they work almost like a radiator to keep the bathroom warm when the door is closed. And if your towels get wet, you know that the heat from the rack will be enough to get it bone-dry by morning. I even used them to dry my clothes on a rainy day. Here in the United States, we would need to buy an electric version of a heated towel rack. They range from $60 to $200 depending on the style and size.

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What is your morning routine like? Credit: Kaboom Pics

5. Figure Out How to Make Your Daily Routine More Streamlined

Sometimes, your bathroom doesn’t need to have a full makeover. It might just be that you’re craving better streamlined set up so that your daily routine is a lot easier to accomplish. Think about all of the things that you do in the morning when you get ready for work. How easy or difficult is it for you to brush your teeth, do your hair, makeup, etc? Can you accomplish all of this in the bathroom, or do you need to have half of it done in the bedroom? If you’re in a relationship, have a conversation with your partner about what you could do to make the bathroom situation better.

Dry brushing is part of some women’s night time routine. Credit: Pexels

For some of you, the solution will become clear right away. Maybe it’s a new medicine cabinet with additional storage, or a vanity two sinks so that both of you can get ready at the same time. With projects like these, your $100 budget will be eating up right away. Just remember that it’s a lot better to have a more streamlined 13 than it is to have a fancy looking bathroom. There’s nothing worse than an aesthetically pleasing bathroom that’s actually terrible for practical use.

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This is a rustic farmhouse themed bathroom. Credit: Apartment Therapy

4. Give the Bathroom a Theme

Sometimes, people are at a loss as to where to start in their bathroom renovation. They might try to choose a color scheme oh, but that is often not enough to make it look really stylish. Some of the best bathroom makeovers I’ve ever seen started out with a theme. It could be 1920s Boudoir, Country Farmhouse, Minimalist, Victorian, Bohemian and the list goes on. Obviously, you should try to choose a theme that goes well with the rest of your home. If you’ve already designed your home in a certain aesthetic, it only makes sense to carry it through into the bathroom.

This is a Little Mermaid themed bathroom. Credit: House Beautiful

With that being said, be careful of buying a bathroom theme that you find in the store. This is fine if you’re decorating a child’s bathroom in their favorite cartoon character products from Walmart. However, when you buy too many products that are matching from the bathroom section of a store, it takes creativity out of the design process. It’s okay to pick a few products from the same store that match, but don’t feel obligated to buy every single matching piece.

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Some people like to drink a glass of wine in the bath. Credit: Pexels

3. Go For a Romantic, Relaxing Mood

You’re either a bath person or a shower person. Bathe people love to lay down and relax in the bathtub with some bubbles, a scented candle, a nice glass of wine, and a book. If this sounds like you, (or something that you aspire to do), try to keep that in mind when you’re redesigning your bathroom. It’s likely that there might be some kind of accessory or piece of furniture out there that would make it easier for you to relax with a bath. For example, you might want an end table that is the same height as the bathtub so that you can put down your wine and book. Or, you might want one of those wooden trays that goes across the bathtub.

A lot of people like to relax with reading a book in the bath tub. Credit: Pexels

Lighting, color scheme, and accessories can all be molded around the mood that you want the room to be in. Darker sultry colors give you a more romantic and relaxed feeling. Obviously, this is perfect if you’re trying to wind down for the night. But if you would rather focus on feeling awake in the morning when you take your shower, it makes more sense to have bright, stimulating colors.

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These shelf covers were made with contact paper and styrofoam boards. Credit: Do It On a Dime

2. Cover Bathroom Pantry Shelves

If you have a bathroom pantry or closet, chances are that it’s not a pretty sight. This is especially true if you move into an apartment building that was built a long time ago. The shelving is usually made of particle board or metal wires, and you might be afraid to put too much on the shelf, for fear of it breaking. Wire shelving is also a huge pain, because it’s difficult to keep products standing upright. A very quick and easy way to upgrade your shelving is to use contact paper on a styrofoam board from the Dollar Tree. This can easily be removed when you’re getting ready to leave. Check out the video on Do It On a Dime to see the step-by-step instructions.

It may look like wood, but these are actually DIY covers with wood contact paper. Credit: The Martin Nest

The hack I just mentioned should only cost $2 to complete. This is perfect for renters who might only need to use those DIY shelves for one or two years. However, it’s not a great permanent solution to the problem. Some people might go the extra mile of upgrading their pantry shelving with real wood if they are the homeowner. This takes some carpentry skills, but it is relatively inexpensive, and totally satisfying once it’s done. And if you’re remodeling your own bathroom, you might also want to consider putting wallpaper in-between the shelves in the bathroom closet. This is a really clever way to sneak in a pop of color.

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This beaded chandelier looks beautiful, and makes a big difference for the design. Credit: Pexels

1. Hang a Statement Light Piece

When you think about statement lighting pieces, the last place you would imagine putting one is in the bathroom. Admittedly, these can be expensive, and it would take up almost your entire $100 budget. Most people take their renovation budget and focus on lighting in the dining room or living room. While it’s true that these are the most important rooms to focus on, you might want to consider it for the bathroom, too. This is especially true if the bathroom has high ceilings, and you feel like there is something missing.

This outrageous light fixture goes well with the beautiful natural setting outside. Credit: Pexels

In the photos we provided, you can see how these statement light pieces really made a huge difference in the vibe of the room. Good lighting can completely make or break your experience when you’re having a bath, or getting ready in the morning. If you have a certain style in mind, take some time to go to discount houseware stores like Home Goods, Wayfair, and Overstock. You might be surprised to find a light fixture for an amazing price, with enough money leftover to do a second project.

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