The Best Bathroom Upgrades For Under $100

I recently completed a full bathroom renovation, and dang is that ever expensive. I mean, I love my new bathroom, but I'll still be paying it off for years to come. 

But what if you can't afford a full reno, and at the same time, you can NOT handle that ugly vanity, floor, tile, etc. any longer? Here are some ways you can refresh your space for less than $100 and a bit of grunt work.

1. Spray paint your ugly fixtures.

Sometimes a perfectly decent faucet is just plain fugly. A coat of heavy-duty spray paint can make a big difference. Make sure to sand the original fixtures so the paint has some friction to cling to!

2. Upgrade your lighting.

Your lighting can make a big difference on how a bathroom looks. Replace that old row of globe lights with something modern, or keep an eye on salvage yards for cool vintage pieces that add character.

3. Frame your boring mirror.

If you're saddled with just a flat, uninspired mirror, simply adding a frame can pack a decorative punch — and it only requires a couple lengths of wood and some basic carpentry skills. 

4. Paint that vanity!

A coat of paint, a couple new knobs — and BOOM! It looks just like new.

5. The countertop can be painted too!

Don't let that weird peachy marble keep ruining your mood every morning. 

6. Install some shiplap to give the walls some personality.

Shiplap is rough-sawn pine wood planks that are stacked on top of one another to (usually) form the exterior of sheds or barns. Lately, DIYers have been bringing the outdoors in, as seen in this subtle, painted shiplap bathroom wall. Clean and classy!

7. Just paint over all that ugly tile.

The only potential downside to painting tile is that you're going to end up with matching grout. But that's only a downside if you don't like a pure, pristine look.

8. Dye your dingy grout.

Alternatively, if your tile is fine but the grout has seen better days, you can buy a bottle of dye made specifically for this purpose. Just paint it on and it'll look like new! 

9. You can paint your floor, too!

Paint it a flat color, or stencil it with something like with this fun honeycomb pattern!

10. BEFORE— Just redo it all!

With a good eye for deals and patience, it's possible to completely transform a small bathroom. This one was dark and boring, but for less than $100, it was completely transformed!

AFTER— Tah-dah!

The biggest expense for this project was $30 for the materials to DIY the board and batten walls. Carefully curating the rest of the pieces from thrift stores and yard sales allowed it to become a brand new room!

Have you taken advantage of any cost-saving tips? Or, have you also gone through the nightmare of a full-scale reno?

Share your bathroom reno stories in the COMMENTS!