10 Bathroom Improvements That Only Took Paint

There’s no way around it: Bathroom renovations are expensive. The average cost for a bathroom redo is around $10,000, but it can easily set you back $25,000 or more if you’re moving pipes, replacing tile, or adding high-end fixtures. If you desperately want to change up your tired bathroom but don’t have that kind of cash on hand (and really, who does?), you’d be amazed at what you can do with a simple can of paint. For a little low-cost inspiration, check out these 10 bathroom transformations that required just paint, along with a smattering of creativity and a fair amount of determination.

Paint played a role in nearly every element of this DIY bathroom rejuvenation from The Painted Hive, in which an outdated and lifeless 1990s bath became a modern, magazine-worthy oasis. As part of the transformation, the bathtub paneling was coated in a deep blue, the vanity and tile were painted bright white, and the vinyl floor got a cheerful chalk paint stencil in Coastal Blue by Rustoleum. The blue-and-white color scheme strikes an appealing contrast and brings much-needed light into the space.

Related: 18 Bathroom Updates You Can Do in a Day

Don’t have the time or the cash to completely retile your bathroom floor? Don’t worry! You can give the floor an entirely new look without laying a single tile. All you need is a stencil, some paint, and a little bit of patience. The bloggers at Young House Love revamped their boring beige bathroom floor by applying a base coat of gray chalk paint and then creating a playful white pattern with a foam roller and a stencil bought on Etsy. Thanks to creativity, careful measuring, and extreme attention to detail, the floor now radiates major wow factor.

Replacing a sink is a time-consuming and expensive proposition. But if yours is worn or discolored, try freshening it up with a coat of epoxy paint, as did the blogger at It All Started with Paint. Though the project requires a fair amount of prep work,  the results are well worth the elbow grease. 

Related: 9 Ways to Make Your Old Bathroom New Again

It can take a lot of work to undo a previous homeowner’s poor choice in bathroom tile, but without too much fuss you can at least update the color. The blogger at Domestic Imperfection covered up an expanse of big, outdated blue tiles with crisp white paint, a project that required merely cleaning products, some tub and tile paint, and wet/dry sandpaper to rough up the surface before painting. 

Sometimes it seems like no matter how much bleach or how many Magic Erasers you use on your tub, you just can’t get it clean. Instead of endlessly scouring, take a note from this blogger, who created a sparkling new surface for her tub by thoroughly scrubbing and sanding it, then painting it with a tub and tile refinishing kit.

Who says bathroom tile has to be timid beige or bland white? The blogger from House Mix took the idea of painting tile and ran with it, creating a fun pink ombré pattern for her tub. To achieve each of the lighter shades, she mixed increasing amounts of white paint into the original pink, and voilà—the perfect ombré.

Related: 7 Ways to Open Up a Windowless Bathroom

Wallpaper may be having a bit of a comeback, but the quirky blue-striped paper that covered the walls of this blogger’s bathroom simply had to go. Instead of giving the freshly un-papered walls a coat of white and moving on, the homeowners covered the top of the walls and the ceiling in a pretty sky blue to give the room a little more color and personality.

Most bathrooms are fairly small, which makes them ideal for bold design choices. Case in point: This bathroom makeover from A Beautiful Mess features a painted eye design that’s a sure attention-grabber. Best of all, the project required just one can of paint and a little planning, although a certain amount of artistry helps.

A builder-grade vanity—typically stark white or plain oak—is never terribly exciting. But you can really perk things up if you slap on a vibrant color. In a relatively simple project with a big payoff, the blogger at Angela Marie Made painted her white vanity in a classic, classy blue (Evening Dove by Benjamin Moore). She notes, however, that it’s best to pick a satin finish over an eggshell, as the glossier finish is more durable and easier to clean. 

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If you’ve got the time, the commitment, and the steadiest hand in the galaxy, you, too, can have an out-of-this-world bathroom makeover. To re-create this beautiful painted constellation design from A Beautiful Mess, you’ll need a printed chart of a few constellations, a couple of star stencils (made of cardboard scraps), a little paint, and the ability to draw some seriously straight lines.

A fresh coat of paint can transform a room.