Give your small bathroom big style with budget-friendly touches like bright paint, floors with personality, and charming accessories. A few simple updates can give you a space you'll love!
It's time to share the girls' bathroom makeover, which made a small bathroom feel so much bigger, brighter, and more beautiful without ripping anything out!
I always sit down at the start of a project with the end in mind, so I was determined to finish this room before moving on to the next one. This is why I always create a mood board or vision board for my makeovers!
The plan for this small bathroom was to add a punch of personality and as much function as possible without adding bulk. The room is very tight, with no space for extras, so I kept things simple and added personality through a variety of finishes and accessories.
How to Create Big Style in a Small Bathroom
Here are the main ways I added personality to the space:
1. Give the Floor Some Big Personality.
I actually made the floor the star of the show in my bathroom. Because the room is so small, it needed some wow factor, and peel & stick vinyl floor tiles were just the ticket!
You can read all about my experience with the floor tiles, but overall I would definitely use them again. They've held up well over the month they've been down, and I love the look!
Find more budget flooring ideas here.
2. Replace the Lighting.
You can replace the lighting altogether, or do what I did and just swap the light shades on the current fixture. I gathered a bunch of budget-friendly bathroom light fixtures in this post, and I'll probably use one of those to replace the lighting in here eventually.
But I was ready to wrap up this project, so I replaced the dated light shades with new glass globe shades that made the fixture look more modern.
If you look closely, the middle light shade sticks out a bit further than the others, because I measured the width of the shades but not the depth. I've ordered some similar shades that will work, but they haven't arrived yet. So don't be like me, and measure both the width and depth when replacing the shades on your light fixtures.
3. Install Smart Storage.
As with any small bathroom, it's a good idea to add smart storage with hooks, baskets, wall shelves above the toilet, and shower caddies.
There's only so much room to work with in a small bathroom, and you still need a place to hang towels, clothes, or anything else you want off the floor. In a guest bathroom with little counter space, a guest can hang her toiletry bag on a hook for convenience.
My girls are still young, so they can't reach the towel bar above the toilet, but they can reach the hooks we installed on the wall. I added a pop of personality with the colorful board and batten treatment (tutorial here). I could have just put up plain hooks, but where's the fun in that??
I love the idea of adding shelves or a cabinet above the toilet for hygiene or toilet paper storage. I decided to skip that for now since we have plenty of storage in our vanity, but it's a good idea for down the road or if you need more space.
You can also add a basket on top of the toilet for extra storage.
4. Add Charm with Signs and Art.
No makeover is complete until you add finishing touches with accessories like art and architectural decor. I took down the old photos from our bathroom and added personality with graphic signs, art, wooden cutout signs, an architectural window, and a wreath.
I like to mix up the types of accessories I use. For example, I don't want all typographic signs because that can be too much, and I don't want all wreaths because that gets boring. So vary the types of accessories you choose.
Charming accessories I used in my bathroom:
- “Just Be You” Wood Cut-out Sign (25×25 inches)
- Antique Arched Window Frame
- Eucalyptus Wreath
- “Soak Your Troubles All Away” Sign
- Candles (my favorite bathroom scents: Clean Cotton, Lavender & Sweet Lemon)
- Large Floral Art
- Faux boxwood in Galvanized Bucket (no longer available, but I found similar options here and here)
- Pink Towels
- Pink Bath Mats (and here)
I also added a pop of color with the towels and bath mats. I love having that touch of pink for my girls!
5. Brighten the Room with Paint.
A great way to give a small bathroom big style is to paint it a light, airy color so it feels bigger! I went with a very light shade and painted my bathroom walls Simply White by Benjamin Moore, since my bathroom doesn't get any natural light.
Read this post to discover the best white paint for your space.
Even though the ceilings, trim, and mirror frame are also white, I'm so glad I chose white walls. They open up and brighten the space more than anything else.
The white walls are the reason I went with a colorful board and batten treatment, but that's only because I need color in my home, too.
6. Frame the Mirror for a Custom Look
Instead of removing the large builder-grade mirror on the wall, I simply added a frame! It adds so much personality with just a few boards, some glue, and paint!
Read the full custom mirror tutorial.
Before and After Photos of the Bathroom Makeover
It's hard to imagine how the bathroom looked before, but I have photo evidence that it was NOT my style. You can find more before pictures in this post (click here).
I loved the painted cabinets, but I didn't love the walls or the decor.
It just lacked the finishing touches that made it feel like us. You know?
But now? We are so happy with how it turned out!
I'm so happy with how the whole room turned out. I know my girls love that it suits their style better. And it's so much lighter and brighter!
My youngest is 4, and she came into my bathroom the other day and announced that we needed to make it pretty, too!
I guess that will be one of our next projects, since I haven't touched it since we painted when we moved in!
You might also notice how my photography has improved over the past couple of years when you compare this bathroom to the old photos. Ha! It's not easy to photograph a room without any natural light, but I've come a long way.
What's YOUR favorite way to add big style to a small space? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!
If you want to save this post for later, you can pin it here:
More about the process of the girls' (& guest) bathroom refresh (click the title to read the post):
The Mood Board and Vision for the Girls' Bathroom Refresh
Affordable Bathroom Lighting for Every Budget
How to Patch a Hole in the Drywall
The Best Peel and Stick Floor Tile Ideas
Girls' Bathroom Progress (and changing course)
Board & Batten in the Girls' Bathroom
How to Make Grout White Again
DIY Peel and Stick Vinyl Floor Tile
