Cheap Bathroom Upgrades That Look Expensive

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Bathrooms are small, which is great news for a budget. A few changes cover a big percentage of the room, and you can do most of them in an afternoon with a screwdriver.

Swap the hardware

Old cabinet knobs, a dated towel bar, and a mismatched toilet paper holder make a bathroom feel tired. Replace them with one finish, like matte black or warm brass, and the whole room looks intentional. Measure the distance between screw holes before you buy so new pulls fit the old holes.

Hang a better shower curtain

The shower curtain is the biggest piece of fabric in the room. A textured or patterned curtain hung higher than usual, close to the ceiling, makes the room look taller. Add a liner so the nice curtain stays nice.

Match your storage

Counters look cluttered when every bottle is a different shape and color. A tray to corral daily items, a couple of matching jars for cotton balls and swabs, and one basket for extra towels look calm and cost very little.

Add something green

A real plant that tolerates low light, like a pothos, or a good faux plant if you've killed every real one. Either way, green makes a bathroom feel fresh.

Finish with a soft rug and towels

A plush bath mat and a set of towels in the same color family pull everything together. White or cream is easy to keep matched and can be bleached.

What we'd skip

Peel-and-stick tile on a shower floor and cheap faucets that leak. Some things are worth waiting and saving for.