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The main living spaces have had all the attention in our home, until recently, when I simply couldn’t look at the kids’ bathroom anymore.
This builder-grade bathroom lacked any beauty or charm. With an orangey oak vanity and beige walls, this bathroom was an eyesore.
But with all the other projects and upgrades to our home, it was not a priority to do a big expensive makeover in this bathroom. And truthfully, the current finish and function was in pretty good shape so we really couldn’t justify tearing it all apart.
On top of that, my kiddies can seriously wreck a bathroom so why would I want to spend a ton of money on something that will be a mess?! I’m not sure how they manage to get toothpaste on everything but the actual sink. Does anyone else have this problem or are my kids the only ones that think a splattered mirror and a toothpaste smeared countertop is the way to live? Argh.
Rant over.
The cabinets were an easy fix that turned them from undesirable to a major feature in the space. After lightly sanding, I applied this primer that I had leftover from previous projects. Kilz is magical! Never fails!
I followed that up with 2 coats of Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy. I have a huge crush on this color! It is stunning in any space and lends itself to being both sophisticated and casual. 
I’m obsessed with the depth of color it added to this once very boring and blah bathroom.
I also added these affordable brass utility pulls to the drawers. It was not in the budget to change out the dated brass fixtures so I wanted to match the hardware to those. I even added some to the faux drawer fronts to make the cabinet appear taller. I love the contrast of the brass against the navy!
I had some leftover Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, one of my all time favorite paint colors. I gave the room a quick coat of this to lighten and update the builder’s golden beige color.
I wanted to keep the shower curtain light and bright. I purchased this custom gray ticking shower curtain on Etsy from Southern Ticking Co. Its simplicity and neutral color in this space is perfect.
We have a unique little spot nearby in town that sells old rescued barnwood and other salvaged pieces. I stopped there one day to pick a rustic piece of barnboard for the long wall in this bathroom. With the amount of damp towels, wet bathing suits, and stinky uniforms, I needed something more than the single towel bar that hung here. With Bill’s knowledge and mad hanging-heavy-things-on-the-wall skills, the board was leveled and securely mounted to the wall. He then patiently measured and evenly attached all 10 hooks to the board. He didn’t even complain…he loves when I do a low cost makeover!
Aren’t the rustic imperfections on this board magnificent?
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Or these 3 laundry bags, one for each of the kids, that now have a better place to hang. 
What’s easier than placing some dried flowers in a mason jar for a touch of sweetness?
And about those silly signs hanging in the bathroom? The kiddies helped me with these and you can see how we made them here. They crack me up and couldn’t be more appropriate for the space. A sense of humor is required in our home.
Amazing what a few quick changes can do to a room for the cost of some paint, new hardware and a little creativity with your decor. These improvements didn’t break the bank…
- Quart Benjamin Moore Regal Select Indoor Paint-$20
- 8 Everbuilt Bright Brass Utility Pulls from Home Depot-$23
- 10 Everbuilt Oil-Rubbed Bronze Double Robe Hooks from Home Depot-$37.00
- Southern Ticking Co. Shower Curtain plus shipping-$65
- Salvaged Barnyard-$15
Total $160
Now if I could just do something about that strip of tacky lightbulbs hanging above the mirror. Maybe another time…Do you have budget friendly ideas for improving a builder-grade bathroom?
I love the signs! My girls would totally appreciate the humor!
I bet they would! They are fun little signs and were easy to make.