Makeover a Bathroom for Around $100

• Paint Brushes
• Painter's Tarp
• Paint
• Painter's Tape
• Accessories
• Window Treatments
• Bathroom carpets
• Wall Decoration
• Soft cleaning cloths
• Phillips screwdriver for removing cabinet hardware
• Flat screwdriver for opening paint cans

Remodeling a bathroom can be quite costly. From permanent fixture removal to plumbing, all of these expenses add up to thousands of dollars.

With these six simple and affordable tricks and techniques, you can have a new-to-you bathroom makeover in just one day.

From drab to fab, adding accessories and a splash of color will transform your bathroom to showroom quality.

Next time you are at the hardware store, pick out a couple of free paint swatches.

Review the paint swatches next to your existing bathroom fixtures, wall color, and floor. Determine which color will look best.

Then, once you buy the paint at the hardware store, you can bring the paint swatch to match up to the color of your accessories.

Inspiration for paint color is within your environment. Look around at the walls, floor, and fixtures. What colors pop out at you as you enter the bathroom?

It can be a color in the tile floor or the surface area around your tub.

Also, look at surrounding rooms.

You wouldn't want to start with a neon shade of green when the next room is symphony gray.

Color can vary vastly from one shade to the next. It's important to pick up as many paint swatches as possible to assure that the color you purchase is the appropriate match for your bathroom makeover.

The color we chose for this makeover was Pinecone Path by Behr Paint at Home Depot. Ask for the paint and primer in one with a deep base for this color choice.

Don't forget to pick up your free paint stirring stick when you buy your paint.

Don't be fooled by wet paint. Paint looks different as it dries.

Plastic drop cloth comes on a roll. Roll out a small amount and cut a section off from the whole roll. This will preserve the drop cloth for another paint job. This roll cost $3.

1. Start by taking a clean dry cloth and wiping down the areas you will be painting such as the vanity and wooden trim around the bathroom.
2. Sweep the floor.
3. Prepare to paint by laying down plastic drop cloth.
4. Remove hardware such as drawer pulls and knobs from the vanity.
5. Set your paint up on the plastic drop cloth.
6. Use painter's tape around the floor under the bottom of the vanity and around wall surfaces.
7. Paint settles after it is mixed at the store. Make sure to mix it thoroughly with the free wooden stir stick you receive at the hardware store when you purchase the paint.
8. Begin painting with nice clean strokes with your brush.

Painting a vanity can be done fairly quickly. It took less than 10 minutes to apply the first coat to the front of the vanity. It's helpful to have a cut-in brush to use around the tight areas.

Things to consider when sewing a curtain:

1. Match the sewing thread to the color of the curtain. You don't want glaring white thread to show through a dark curtain or vice versa.
2. Make sure the design on the curtain allows the curtain to be adapted. In this example, the flowers on the curtain look nicely positioned to one side after being adapted to fit the window.

The goal here is to save money. Window treatments can be very costly. Depending on the size of your window, your only choice may be to go with curtains when trying to stay under $100.

Look for curtains on clearance to start. We found this beautiful curtain, originally $29.99 on clearance for $9.99.

The window in this bathroom is longer in width than taller in height. The curtain we found was taller in height and shorter in width. I knew I could adapt the curtain to our window size by sewing it if necessary. I purchased it because the alternative window treatments cost around $80-$100.

We took the paint swatch with us and matched the curtain to the paint color.

Another secret to saving money on window treatments is to look for a shower curtain that matches the décor. Many stores such as Bed, Bath & Beyond or Walmart display shower curtains with matching accessories and towels. Therefore it would be really easy to pick out an entire matching set to go with a bathroom makeover. Just remember if you do go with a shower curtain, it may not have a privacy liner. This issue can be remedied by backing the shower curtain with a plastic liner to assure privacy around your bathroom window. If the shower curtain is too long for the window, it can always be hemmed for height.

I adapted the curtain we purchased for this bathroom makevoer by turning it to the side and sewing a deep hem across one side. It fit perfectly across the window rod.

For this particular project, we decided not to paint the walls. An additional paint color would have cost another $30. For around $150, you can have a freshly painted bathroom as well. Being on a tight budget, that extra $50 may not be available.

The wall color in this bathroom was good enough for this makeover because it matched the color we chose for the vanity.

When accessorizing a bathroom, consider all of the lines, patterns, designs, and colors in the room.

Zesty Apple is a bright green color that is offered by Behr paint. Having the paint swatch in hand for Pinecone Path, I knew that a bright green accent piece would go well with the bathroom.

I found this adorable wall canvas art hanging in green with brown birds painted on it. It was a perfect fit for this makeover. And at the cost of $7, I couldn't go wrong.

New cabinet hardware can be quite costly. You can purchase pre-owned hardware online or find new knobs and drawer pulls at local hardware stores.

For this project, I found a nice silver tone knob for the vanity doors and drawers in a vine pattern. I thought that would tie in the wall art and give the vanity a fresh, updated look.

Finally, picking out accessories is the fun part of any room makeover! Just be sure that you stay within your budget. I tend to go a little overboard and then come to my senses when the cost factors in.

Again, taking the paint swatch to Bed, Bath & Beyond, I was able to find a toothbrush holder and bathroom cup for $15 for the pair. I also found a plush new bathroom rug in deep brown which goes nicely with the new vanity color.

1. Keep pets away from wet paint. Dogs and cats can mistakenly walk on wet paint drippings and smear it through a room.
2. Keep children away from the work space who may try their hand at being Picasso when you aren't looking.
3. Keep paint brushes moist by dipping in paint in between painting breaks.
4. Wash paint brushes thoroughly and pat dry for the next paint job.
5. Close the lid to paint cans easily by hammering the top down. Avoid paint splatters by covering the top with a paper towel before hammering.
6. If paint drips on the floor, wipe immediately with a damp rag.

The old bathroom had a taupe colored vanity, bold striped curtain, crystal old-fashioned cabinet hardware, and lack of matching accessories. The walls lacked decoration.

The new bathroom has been refreshed with a new coat of paint on the vanity and trim throughout the bathroom.

Matching bathroom accessories, cabinet hardware, wall décor, and a new curtain add a refreshed and clean look.

I hope this article inspires you to makeover a bathroom in your home for as little as $100.

This project was completed in less than one day!