Small Bathroom, Big Ideas: Quick Fix or Bold Renovation

Have a small bathroom that needs a little help? I’ve been there! Small bathrooms present their own unique challenges when it comes to makeovers. After all, they aren’t like bedrooms where you can just move the furniture around for a brand-new (and cost-free) look. And, sometimes it’s hard to envision change when you only have a few square feet to work with. In this post, I’m giving you all the small bathroom ideas! Whether you want to completely renovate or just make small but powerful cosmetic changes using paint or wallpaper, this is the post for you.

How can I make my small bathroom look nice?

I’m so glad you asked! The truth is, there’s no one way to answer this question. A full renovation is a great way to create bespoke storage options and add pocket doors to really make the space exactly what you want. But is this necessary? No! There are lots of small bathroom ideas that don’t take a huge budget or a lot of time to execute: fresh paint, space-saving wall accessories, and (one of my very favourite things) beautiful wallpaper are just some ideas for making your small bathroom look nice and work better for you. Let’s explore all my small bathroom ideas as I take you through some of my favourite small bathroom renos/refreshes that I’ve done over the past few years. 

Small But Powerful Surface Level Makeovers

Let’s start with the easy stuff, shall we? Maybe you’ve been feeling frustrated because you want a new bathroom but can’t afford to gut your whole space right now. And, you’re watching all the latest bathroom trends on Houzz and Pinterest and feeling like you can never achieve them. But that’s simply not true! In the ideas that follow, I’m going to show you how small changes can seriously update and modernize any space (just wait until you see my 1992 camper bathroom makeover!). No matter how small your budget, I can show you how to make a big difference.

Small Bathroom Remodel on a Budget with Statement Wallpaper

Many people shy away from bathroom renos because of the cost and the sheer work required to replace fixtures and install flooring and everything else required with a major renovation. But the thing to remember is that you can make big changes to a bathroom without touching the layout or replacing anything costly! Especially in a small space, little changes go a long way. In this post, I walk you through how I helped my brother and sister-in-law completely transform their small bathroom from dated to ADORABLE with some paint, trim, wallpaper, and some new accessories. Come see how you can completely change the look of your own small bathroom space without replacing a single tile!

Gorgeous Powder Room Makeover on a Budget

Join me as we update the powder room in my parents’ lake house! When we started, the room was fine as it was. It was painted a nice neutral white, and it had a fairly new vanity and classic brushed nickel hardware and fixtures. All it really needed was a face lift rather than anything structural or significant. There are a few things you can do to most small powder rooms to make a dramatic change without too much fuss. So, here’s what we did to add some personality to this space:

• We added DIY board and batten trim work
• We painted the vanity the same colour as the adjoining kitchen island
• We changed the shelves in the vanity to drawers. I love a good drawer in a bathroom! (This is an optional step. We only did it because my dad is handy.)
• We added a beautiful wallpaper above the board and batten
• We finished with some accessories and decor items to pull everything together: a plant and a nickel-coloured hand-held mirror by the sink really made the space look welcoming.

I love it when I get to work with my parents on their spaces! I hope this small bathroom refresh inspires you to change up your own space and make it something you love. 

Easy IKEA Makeover: DIY Painted Bathroom Vanity

Painting a vanity is a fairly easy, budget-friendly way to update a bathroom space. In this post, I show you how to do it! Together, we are going to update an inexpensive IKEA bathroom vanity with paint and custom hardware. This tutorial will take you through the whole thing, including how to choose your paint and what tools and supplies you need. I’m going to share exactly what I did and what paint colour and hardware I chose for my IKEA vanity so that if you want to mimic my project, you’re sure to get the exact same result! I love the power of paint and how easy it is to create the illusion of a brand-new space when you harness it properly. A beautiful new paint colour can add warmth and interest to a small space in just a few easy steps. Come follow along!

Our DIY Camper: RV Bathroom Makeover on a Budget

No post about small bathroom ideas would be complete without a discussion of the bathroom in our DIY camper! The before and afters of this project are truly stunning and while this project was a lot of work, it was totally worth it. This bathroom started out as a 1992 special with honey oak cabinetry, a blush pink countertop, floral wallpapered walls, and a yellowing sink and bathtub. I knew that I couldn’t make BIG changes to this space. While a floating vanity or pedestal sink would look lovely, it was not practical for camping and I did not have the budget for all new everything. So, I started small and cleaned everything with a really good degreasing cleaner.

Then, I sprayed the tub, toilet, sink, and faucets (even the shower head!) with Rustoleum Tub & Tile Epoxy. I used 3 coats and 5 cans. I then spray painted the towel bar and doorknob with Rustoleum Metallics Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint and painted the cabinetry, door, walls, and ceiling with black and white paint, depending on the surface. Do you see how important new paint can be? Peel and stick wallpaper and some new hardware finished off the look. You would never guess from first glance that everything in the bathroom is original except the hardware. And all these products could be used in any small bathroom, not just a camper! 

Big Renovations for Total Transformations

If you have the budget, time, and motivation for a large project like a full and total gut of your current bathroom, I have some big-picture ideas from past DIY projects of my own that might interest you. If you want to make big structural changes or install new tile and flooring, you’ll find inspiration here!

We built a small bathroom wet room from scratch!

Even though I truly believe what I said before about small changes making a huge difference in a small bathroom space, I also believe that sometimes a BIG change is necessary and fun, too! In this post, I’m sharing the final room makeover we did in our Tiny Lake House: a tiny bathroom/wet room! When this little cabin was built, there was no indoor bathroom at all, just an outhouse. Times have changed and we were pretty sure our overnight guests would expect indoor plumbing! So, we moved some walls, added some pipes, and made a fully waterproofed wet room with a sink, walk-in shower, and toilet just off the kitchen. With lots of white to make this small space feel larger with a touch of black in the fixtures and warm wood and brown tones in the accessories, the vibe is just right. I love how this tiny bathroom turned out, and our guests do too! 

Before & After: Basement Storage Closet to Tiny Bathroom!

My friend hired my husband to turn her small basement storage room that was already plumbed for a toilet and sink into…you guessed it, a fully functional small bathroom! I gifted her the design and final styling after Sean was done building. I love the rustic industrial modern vibe she chose. If you have the same style as my friend, you’re sure to find lots of inspiration here for your own refresh. It features soft shades of white with deep blue, black, and wood accents (plus, the cutest DIY toilet paper holder you ever did see). I was so happy with how this bathroom tied into the rest of the new basement space. Come get inspired for your own industrial meets rustic modern space! 

Modern Coastal Bathroom Renovation on a Budget | Our Little Lake House

Those of you who followed our Little Lake House journey know there was SO much work put into that teeny tiny space, and the one little indoor bathroom was no exception! The long-time water damage in the bathroom meant we had to rip the whole thing down to the studs and start fresh. We kept the tub layout and used marble-look tiles we already had in our possession to save money. I used shiplap, a beautiful IKEA vanity painted blue, and interesting honeycomb floor tiles to create a spa-like modern coastal bathroom vibe in whites and blue. A few natural materials like the rattan-covered mirror and the baskets made the space feel warm and inviting. A little texture makes such a world of difference in any room! Hooks are also a small bathroom lifesaver when it comes to towel placement. I love how we built this bathroom from the ground up and really made it our own. 

Before and After: Budget-Friendly Bathroom Makeover with Navy, Blush, and Brass Accents

This next one is a combination of small refresh and big renovation, but since it involves some structural changes I’ve included it here! I think you’ve probably got the idea by now that I love blue in a bathroom (or any room, really). So it won’t shock you that when we decided to remodel my daughters’ bathroom to make it more teen-friendly, this colour immediately came to mind. After many late-night discussions and mood board creation sessions, we finally settled on a color palette that everyone loved: a sophisticated combination of navy blue, blush pink, and white, accented with brass hardware.

We added a pocket door between the toilet/tub area and the sink. Now two people could use the space at the same time. We painted the vanity a deep and moody blue and added a matching mirrored cabinet with lots of shelves and a bold wallpaper to really complete the look. These changes mean an updated aesthetic but also more storage to keep the teenage bathroom clutter to a minimum and to maximize counter space. I think everyone is very happy with how this room turned out. In a house with three teens/tweens, that is a major win! 

That’s it! A whole bunch of small bathroom ideas, big and small. It’s hard for me to pick a favourite, but I DO love my painted blue vanities. Which is your favourite? Which change are you going to try in your own small bathroom? Let me know in the comments or tag me @thediymommy.

Happy DIYing!

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