This 33-Square-Foot Bathroom Makeover Adds So Much Smart Storage (See How!)
An unappealing bathroom finds its way to the top of a to-do list because it’s a space that’s used so often. If it’s not finished the way you’d like it, you’re reminded of that several times a day. That was certainly the case for DIYer Katie Nielsen (@annex.apartment), whose least favorite feature of her rented apartment was her outdated bathroom.
“It looked dirty and felt cold,” Katie says. “Neither the sink, medicine cabinet, nor wall light fixture were aligned — everything seemed to be randomly placed,” she says. Katie had a vision for a retreat of sorts. “I wanted it to be a calming space to shower, take a bath, or get ready in the morning,” she says.
“I also needed more storage space,” Katie adds. By cleverly repurposing budget-friendly home supplies, she was able to turn her bathroom into a personal oasis — with plenty of storage — for $300.
Add creative storage solutions.
“The only storage was a small vanity and a retro medicine cabinet above the sink,” Katie says. She wasn’t able to replace her bathroom’s mirror cabinet, so she made up for her lack of storage by adding shelves to the adjacent wall.
Katie stained two IKEA BEKVAM spice shelves and hung them on the wall next to her medicine cabinet. She likes to store her products with cute packaging in this open shelving. “Not only did it add a lot of extra storage and make it easier to access products, but having nice products in uniform packaging on display also made the bathroom feel like a spa,” Katie says.
She also added a floating shelf above her toilet and a large over-the-door black wire storage rack that holds towels, extra toilet paper, and other bathroom necessities.
Embrace dark color in a small space.
There’s only so much you can do to switch up a space when you’re renting, but Katie got permission to paint. She didn’t shy away from color — something she encourages other DIYers to do as well. “Don’t be afraid to use dark colors to warm up an already small, dark space,” Katie says.
Not worried about a dark hue making the space possibly feel smaller, Katie painted her bathroom a reddish-brown shade using Behr’s Minestrone. “Some rooms are so small that they can’t be made to feel bigger or brighter, and in that case dark colors can accentuate the smallness to make the room feel cozy and warm,” she says.
Sticking with the dark theme, Katie covered her vanity in black vinyl.
Warm up the room with bold accents.
Katie complemented the warm tone of her bathroom walls with black and wood accents. She found a crafty and inexpensive solution to make her medicine cabinet align with her design vision.
“I used some inexpensive decorating wood trim from [the] hardware store, painted [it] black, and secured [it] to the mirror with Velcro to cover the dated chrome frame,” Katie says. “I expected it to be a project, but in the end it only cost about $20 and was super easy to do,” she adds.
A black vanity light imbues the modern organic style of Katie’s home into her bathroom. Textiles also play an important role in this bathroom makeover. “I [chose] a wool rug instead of a bath mat, which added to the organic feel while also accentuating the bathroom’s vintage features,” she says.
Finally, she used a grout pen to brighten up the tile. Now, a room that Katie once avoided is a haven for relaxation and full of handy storage solutions.
“I love how cozy the space is, and I love how all the exposed storage full of color-coordinated products makes it feel like a spa or nice hotel,” she says.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.