I Can’t Afford a Bathroom Remodel, So Here Are 4 Ways I’m Making It Work

After years and years of living in rentals and apartments, my husband and I finally bought our first home this year. And while there are plenty of little projects to do around the house—painting, updating light fixtures, and landscaping—large-scale renovations are not in our near future.

Luckily, the kitchen and bathroom are in good shape functionally. While neither of them are exactly how I’d decorate, and I’d love to do a full reno on both of them eventually, that’s just not in the budget for us at the moment.

So, we’re making do with what we have. Here’s how we’re living with our bathroom setup, while still making it our own.

Swapping Out Knobs

One of my favorite things to do in a kitchen or bathroom is to update the knobs and pulls. It’s an instant upgrade that’s pretty budget-friendly.

Our current bathroom has boring, builder-grade silver knobs, and I’m more of a brass gal—my dining room light, curtain rod, and mirror are all brass. So I’m swapping all of the knobs in the bathroom for brushed brass ones, which will go nicely with the already white bathroom vanity.

Replacing the Vanity Lighting and Mirror

Again, there’s nothing wrong with the vanity lighting in the bathroom—it’s just a bit boring, and the current one doesn’t feel like it was much of a design choice. It has bare bulbs and a shiny silver backing and casts sort of a harsh light into the room.

Since the vanity light is the only lighting in the bathroom, I figure it is worth upgrading with something more stylish and in line with the rest of my decor.

Similarly, the mirror in the bathroom is very builder-grade and doesn’t even have a frame. I plan on swapping that out with something stylish and pretty—maybe also in brass!—since it takes up so much of the wall space in the room.

Using Colorful Towels and Linens

Other than painting the bathroom, which I don’t want to do right now, there aren’t a ton of options for me adding color to the space. So I’m working with what I have: colorful towels, shower curtain, and bath mat, which will inject a bit of personality into the otherwise very basic space.

And I love having colorful towels in a range of different options, so I can change them depending on the season or my mood. I have towel sets in teal, mustard, and coral that will instantly inject color and personality into the bathroom.

Incorporating Accessories and Greenery

I love houseplants, but I’ve never had a bathroom that had the right light conditions for plants. Thankfully, my new bathroom has a big bright window with a nice ledge, so I plan on incorporating a hanging plant and a few small pots into the space to liven it up. Of course, you can always do this with faux plants too.

Accessories are another great way to add personality to a bathroom without renovating—or if you are renting—and no space is complete without them. Pretty hand soap dispensers, framed wall art, and a decorative storage basket or two to adorn the countertops are easy yet stylish upgrades anyone can do.

While the bathroom isn’t our dream space just yet, these little upgrades will help it look like “us” until we decide to undergo a full reno.