Before and After: A “Complete Eyesore Stuck in the ’90s” Bathroom Gets a Stylish $1,000 Redo

Even if you don’t have the budget for a full-on renovation, it’s possible to switch up a few features in a space that will disguise its most dated details — or even make them look new again. (For inspiration, check out these eight kitchen redos that make old counters, cabinets, appliances and more shine again.)

In the case of homeowner Samantha Hannan’s guest bathroom, it wasn’t in the budget to upgrade the beige flooring, but Samantha and her husband wanted to make upgrades that would complement them as opposed to emphasizing their yellow-y beigeness.

Before, the bathroom was “a complete eyesore stuck in the ’90s,” Samantha says. It hadn’t been updated since the home was built in ’95. It had seashell-shaped sinks in a pink countertop, “old dirty cabinets,” and a light fixture and faucet that Samantha wanted to replace.

“We didn’t want to use this bathroom,” Samantha adds.

In a one-week, $1,000 budget project, they made modernizing, room-brightening changes. “It feels incredible to accomplish simple upgrades on a budget without spending a ton of money,” Samantha says.

The couple began by removing the countertop, mirror and light fixture. After those were out, Samantha and her husband painted the existing vanity. “We then took the cabinets apart and painted them. We first had to sand and prime them,” she says.

One of her favorite parts of the redo is the navy paint color they chose for the piece (Behr’s Starless Night) as well as they freshly painted white walls (in Behr’s Vibrant White).

“After we painted and sealed the cabinets, we installed a new vanity top, sink and faucet and then assembled the cabinets back on the vanity,” Samantha says. The large square sink is a major aesthetic upgrade from the rose-colored seashell one before.

If Samantha could change one thing about the project, she’d switch up the shower tile, too. “It’s still dated and doesn’t match the clean new look,” Samantha says, but she’s pleased with some of the other small changes that were made to bring the bathroom into the 2020s, like the chrome finishes.

“We hung a new mirror and light fixture; we also switched out the old shower fixtures for new fixtures,” Samantha says. “Finally we decorated with nautical-themed decor to give it a breezy, whimsical feel for our guests.”

She loves how light and bright the room feels now. “It’s clean and fresh and inviting,” she says.

Inspired? Submit your own project here.