Makeover Your Bathroom for Less Than $1,000

HGTV Magazine asked three home influencers to overhaul their bathrooms on a budget. See how they did it — and shop their affordable finds.

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Bathroom With Blue Striped Walls and a Penny Tile Floor

Blue and Green Kid's Bathroom

HGTV Magazine presents this kid's bathroom makeover with striped walls and penny tile decals on the floor.

Photo by: Jess Calzo

Jess Calzo

We love a good bathroom makeover — especially when it's affordable. These DIY no-demo designs prove you can give your bathroom or powder room a totally new look on any budget. Read on to get inspired.

Before + After: A Pretty Patterned Space

“I was really able to stretch the money by reimagining what the space could be using the existing layout and fixtures,” says Wake Forest, North Carolina–based Jess Calzo (@nestwithjess). She fully transformed her kids’ bathroom, coming in nearly $100 under budget! She painted the vanity, door and trim a fresh, neutral green, then layered in patterns with wallpaper and floor decals. “Wallpapering a bathroom is challenging — it was tight in there! — but worth it because the stripes made such a big impact,” says Jess. She painted the footstool for a splash of color, then dressed up the vanity with her best find of all: a $1 scalloped tray from a local thrift store.

Budget Breakdown

  • Art print and frame from Target: $44
  • Peel-and-stick wallpaper from Amazon: $193
  • Roman shade from Target: $38
  • Shower curtain from Laura Park Designs: $152
  • Footstool from Amazon: $25
  • Tile decals from Chasing Paper: $257
  • Tray from a thrift store: $1
  • Hand towels from Pottery Barn Kids: $42
  • Quart of paint from Clare (Fire Sign): $28
  • Gallon of paint and primer from Clare (Dirty Martini): $123
  • TOTAL: $903

Before + After: A Bold, Burgundy Bathroom

Kayla Nelson (@homediyary) wanted to add personality to her small Secaucus, New Jersey, primary bathroom without overwhelming it with stuff. “Color drenching was the answer,” she says. “It makes the room appear bigger, and it’s definitely dramatic!” She used liner paper to cover the wall tiles, then cut and glued on box trim and painted the lower wall a deep burgundy (Chocolate Eclair by Glidden). For the upper walls and ceiling, she used a masonry brush and mixed in a lighter shade of paint to create a limewash look. She splurged on the shower curtain, which is actually two drapery panels from Anthropologie. “I moved the shower rod to the ceiling to have full-length shower curtains,” she says. “It makes the space feel even more chic.”

Budget Breakdown

  • Light from The Home Depot: $60
  • Drapery panels from Anthropologie: $296
  • Roller shade from IKEA: $27
  • Two gallons of paint from Glidden (Chocolate Eclair and Granite Boulder): $64
  • Molding and liner paper from The Home Depot: $159
  • TOTAL: $988

Before + After: A Fresh, Floral Spot

Romeo, Michigan–based Brooke Sickmiller (@heybrookerose) dedicated the bulk of her budget to tile but saved thousands by installing it herself. “I’m not going to lie, tiling is a lot of work,” she says. “But I did my research and watched videos of how the pros do it.” She used an inexpensive white porcelain tile with a marble look for the floors and mixed blue ceramic and white porcelain for the shower. “Being able to do this myself gave me a real DIY high!” she says. She also installed a new tub and gave the whole space a fresh coat of paint. The shower curtain was a Marshalls score.

Budget Breakdown

  • Gallon of paint from Sherwin-Williams (Upward): $33
  • Wall tiles and grout from Lowe's: $325
  • Shower curtain from Marshalls: $17
  • Tub from Facebook Marketplace: $100
  • Floor tiles from Lowe's: $88
  • Toilet from Lowe's: $99
  • TOTAL: $948

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