When Carol emailed us about her budget-friendly bathroom update, we were happy to share the simple changes she made to refresh a guest bath with yellow fixtures. Below is her note describing the project:
I love your website and design boards. Your links to quality, affordable furnishings and accessories from stores like Target, Walmart and JC Penney are fantastic. Here’s what I did to a guest bathroom I lived with for far too long. The before photos show a fishing-themed room with a yellow-and-green plaid curtain that tried to work with the aged yellow floor tile and yellow sinks.
We kept costs low by hiring a handyman to replace the old yellow sinks with classic white sinks and install new nickel faucets from Lowe’s. Peel-and-stick vinyl tiles from Lowe’s were applied directly over the existing yellow floor tile, which made a dramatic difference. I painted the walls Benjamin Moore Philadelphia Cream for a warm, neutral backdrop and added a simple bamboo shade for texture.
Fluffy cream towels and rugs, plus a white waffle-weave shower curtain from Target, help create the spa-like neutral look I wanted. I removed the sliding shower enclosure and installed a curved shower curtain rod from Lowe’s to give the tub more room; the white curtain conceals the original yellow tub that we plan to reglaze later. We’re thrilled with the transformation while staying on a tight budget. Someday we’d like to replace the full-length mirror, but for now we’re saving up. – Carol
Here’s the bathroom before, showing the dated yellow floor tile, yellow sinks, and dark accessories:
And here’s the refreshed, neutral after photo featuring new vinyl floor tiles, white sinks, and brighter accessories:
Thanks for sharing, Carol. The curved shower rod, new floor tile, and bright white sinks make a huge difference. It’s inspiring to see such a noticeable update completed on a modest budget. If anyone else has before-and-after photos of a budget makeover, we’d love to see them—send your photos and we’ll share your work.