Small Bathroom Remodel Before and After (Our $5,000 Makeover)

Small Bathroom Remodel Before and After: Our $5K Makeover

Our outdated kids’ bathroom had cream fixtures, plain white floor tile and even a hole in the ceiling—but we completely transformed it for just under $5,000, including materials and hired labor.

This small bathroom remodel included a new bathtub, marble-look wall tile, hexagon floor tile, a black vanity, gold hardware and a board-and-batten accent wall that I installed myself. We also added a double shower niche with a subtle “HI” tile design that is still one of my favorite details.

Below, I’m sharing the complete bathroom before and after, what we spent, where we saved, the projects I completed myself and the sources for the tile, vanity, fixtures and finishing touches.

Important cost note: We completed this remodel in 2021. Our total reflects the material and labor prices we paid at that time, so the same renovation may cost more today.

Originally published in April 2021; updated in July 2026 with clearer project details, current sources and a five-year review.

 

 

Originally published in April 2021; updated in July 2026 with clearer project details, sources and long-term reflections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before: Our Outdated Kids’ Bathroom

Before the remodel, this small kids’ bathroom had an outdated cream-colored bathtub, plain white floor tile, an old medicine cabinet and a hole in the ceiling that needed to be repaired. The room felt dated and lacked the storage and polished details we wanted for a bathroom our children would continue using as they grew.

Our goal was to create a brighter, more modern bathroom with durable materials, better shower storage and a mix of black, white, gray and antique gold finishes. We kept the existing toilet to save money but replaced nearly everything else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Much Did Our Small Bathroom Remodel Cost?

We spent just under $5,000 on this bathroom remodel in 2021, including materials and hired labor. We hired someone to complete the main renovation work, including installing the bathtub, shower tile and floor tile.

We estimate that our materials cost approximately $2,000. If we had the skills and time to complete all of the labor ourselves, that would have been our approximate project cost based on the prices we paid in 2021.

We saved money by keeping the existing toilet, selecting ceramic marble-look tile instead of genuine marble, repurposing our existing towel hooks and completing some of the decorative work ourselves—including the board-and-batten accent wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bathroom Remodel Must-Haves

Spruce up your bathroom without breaking the bank!

• 🔧 Power Drill & Tool Set – Every DIYer needs this toolkit staple!
• 🧲 Stud Finder – Don’t risk those wall shelves crashing down 😅
• 🛁 Peel & Stick Backsplash– Easy to install, looks like real tile!
• 🪞 Frameless Vanity Mirror – A chic touch for small spaces
• 🧼 Floating Shelves – Adds style and storage

Bathroom Remodel Paint & Prep Picks

Perfect tools for a smooth, polished finish!

• 🎨 Bathroom-Safe Paint – Mold-resistant and budget-friendly
• 🖌 Angled Paint Brushes – Get those tight edges cleanly
• 🧻 Painter’s Tape – Skip the mess with crisp, clean lines
• 👕 Drop Cloth – Protect floors like a pro – Get a set with all the paint supplies you need here

Bathroom Organizing Essentials

Tidy up with these before-and-after winners!

• 🧺 Woven Storage Baskets – Stylish storage for towels or TP
• 🧴 Under-Sink Drawer Organizer – No more mystery clutter!
• 🪄 Over-the-Toilet Shelf Rack – Instantly adds vertical storage
• 🧼 Soap Dispenser Set – Aesthetic + practical = yes please
• 🧼Shampoo & Conditioner Dispenser Set – Aesthetic + practical = yes please

Bathroom Decor on a Dime

Affordable pieces that make a big impact:

• 🧖‍♀️ Cute Shower Curtain – Instant refresh with patterns or neutrals
• 🪟 Mini Window Treatments – Light-filtering + stylish
• 🖼 Printable Wall Art Frames – Pair with free art downloads
• 💐 Artificial Plants – Fresh look, no watering needed
• 🪴Macrame Plant Hanger – a cozy boho touch to your bathroom

Shop all of my bathroom picks on LTK here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Small Bathroom Design Plan

Before choosing materials, I created a bathroom mood board in Canva so I could see how the colors, finishes and products would work together. This helped us build a cohesive design around black, white and gray with warm antique-gold accents.

Our plan included marble-look shower tile, hexagon floor tile, a black vanity, a round gold mirror and gold fixtures. Creating the mood board before purchasing everything made it easier to compare products, stay focused and avoid buying pieces that didn’t fit the finished design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finished bathroom feels brighter, cleaner and much more polished. We repaired the hole in the ceiling and removed the recessed medicine cabinet near the door, which helped give the room a simpler, more updated appearance.

 

 

Marble-Look Shower Tile and Our Custom “HI” Niche

The subtle “HI” message inside the shower niche is one of my favorite details in the entire bathroom. I found a slightly darker coordinating tile at Floor & Decor and used it to create the letters against the lighter marble-look tile. The contrast is intentionally subtle, so you have to look closely to notice the hidden message.

We designed the niche with two shelves to provide more room for shampoo, conditioner and other shower products. Because this is our kids’ bathroom, I wanted the storage to remain practical as they got older and accumulated more products.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIY Board-and-Batten Bathroom Accent Wall

I installed the board-and-batten accent wall behind the bathroom door myself. The wall had just been painted, but I realized the dark color needed more architectural detail—so about a week later, I added the trim.

I painted the accent wall Gray by Benjamin Moore, the same deep gray-black color used on the doors throughout our home. The board-and-batten treatment adds dimension to the small room and creates a dramatic background for the antique-gold towel hooks.

▶️ Watch the quick board-and-batten installation video here.

 

 

Repurposed Towel Hooks and Gold Vanity Hardware

Instead of purchasing new towel hooks, I reused the IKEA hooks that were already in the bathroom. They were originally black, so I updated them with gold spray paint and added Gold Leaf Rub ’n Buff on top to create a warmer antique-gold finish.

I used the same Rub ’n Buff on the vanity handles so the finishes would coordinate throughout the room. The warm gold details stand out beautifully against the black vanity and deep gray board-and-batten wall while tying in with the mirror and other bathroom fixtures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Our Bathroom Remodel Has Held Up After Five Years

Five years later, this bathroom still looks practically brand new. The materials and colors we chose have held up beautifully, and I’m still thrilled with the finished design.

One of our best decisions was using silver-colored grout instead of white grout. It doesn’t visibly show mold and discoloration the way white grout often can. I also prefer it to the black grout we used in another bathroom, which tends to develop a whitish appearance over time.

The larger marble-look tiles on the shower walls have also been much easier to clean because there are fewer grout lines than there would be with smaller tiles. The double shower niche continues to provide plenty of practical storage, and I still love the subtle “HI” design inside it.

The hexagon floor tile remains my favorite part of the room. The combination of the marble-look tile, black vanity, gray accent wall and antique-gold finishes still feels polished and high-end—even though we completed the entire remodel for just under $5,000 in 2021.

 

Shop all of my bathroom picks on LTK here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bathroom Remodel Materials and Sources

Here are the materials, fixtures and decorative details we used in our bathroom remodel. Because this project was completed in 2021, some original items may no longer be available, so I’ve linked similar options where needed.

• Bathroom Floor Tile
• Bathtub Wall Tile
• Grout (color Silver)
• Metal Trim (color white)
• Bathtub
• Round Gold Mirror (similar mirror)
• Shower Curtain (similar curtain) 
• Showerhead
• Bathroom Sink Faucet
• Bathroom Toilet Paper Holder 
• Marble Top Vanity 
• Gold Towel Ring
• Gold Rub -N- Buff
• Boho Artwork (FREE Printables and Dollar Tree DIYs!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Printable Bathroom Remodel Supply List

Use the printable list below to review the materials and supplies from our small bathroom renovation. You can also return to the makeover video near the top of this post to see the complete before-and-after transformation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save This Small Bathroom Makeover for Later

Planning a bathroom renovation? Save this before-and-after makeover so you can return to our budget, materials, sources and five-year update when you’re ready to begin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links or a sponsored post. All opinions are always 100% mine and I don’t partner with any product or company that I don’t use and love. Please see our Full Disclosure for more information.