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Step-by-Step: A Guide to Renovating Your Bathroom
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11 Ways to Get the Luxurious Bathroom Look For Less

Your budget bathroom can have a high-end feel with the right tile, stone, vanity and accessories

Shana Ecker
Shana Ecker2 October 2019
Houzz contributor. I'm a flea market obsessed, peanut butter loving designer, and I strive to help everyone fall in love with their homes, one space at a time.
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Although we all love to drool over images of gorgeous designer bathrooms, we may not have the budget to go all-out when the time comes to spruce up our own washrooms. But that doesn’t mean your remodel has to be generic and uninspired. There are many ways to get a high-end look without a hefty price tag. Here are 11 tricks to do just that.
Stacey Kouros Design
1. Grout color
Tiling all or most of your wall surface gives it a nice polished look, but the costs can really add up. White ceramic subway tiles are the most affordable option at most big-box stores, but the finished look can sometimes seem a little flat. Make your installation stand out by using a dark or coloured grout, like in the bathroom shown here. Because guess what? Grey grout costs the same as white.

Find a bathroom designer
Brakefield Design Collective
2. Larger-format tiles
Another idea is to search for an out-of-the-box dimension rather than the typical 3-by-6-inch format. Tile sizes like 2 by 9 inches or 4 by 8 inches will make your bathroom stand out from the rest.
i.d. | interior design
3. Trim accents
Or consider giving your standard tile a punch by splurging a bit on trim pieces as accents. These will give your room an interesting, graphic element, but the small quantity needed won’t break the bank.
ANN SACKS
4. Tile rug
Most bathroom designers will tell you that if you want to splurge on any one part of the renovation, it should be the floor, because it has the biggest impact. Instead of laying a pricey stone mosaic everywhere, you can save by designing a “rug” with just a few square feet of something eye catching, and using large-format field tiles in a coordinating stone around it.
Farmer Payne Architects - Louisiana
5. Upgrade knobs and pulls
If you don’t have the funds to spend on a custom vanity, don’t fret. A simple model can look one-of-a-kind with some pretty hardware, like the pulls seen here. Try a vintage or specialty store to find hardware that is unique.
John TeSelle
6. Furniture vanities
You can repurpose a fabulous piece of furniture you already own or a flea market find into a unique vanity, like this filing cabinet. If you are handy, you can cut holes in the surface for a drop-in sink and faucet, as well as retrofit drawers to make room for the water supply.
7. Choose stone wisely
Nothing beats the warmth and visual beauty of natural stone in the bathroom, but of course it’s not a cheap option. Check your local stone yard for remnants that fit your design and consider less exotic types that are more affordable. For example, Carrara marble is often 25 percent less than other varieties, such as Calacatta or Thassos.

Indian Marble vs Italian Marble: Which Is Better?
Lark Interiors
8. Consider chrome
When it comes to picking a finish for all of your plumbing fittings, there are so many options – nickel, bronze, brass and more. Chrome is usually the least expensive. And on the plus side, it’s the easiest to maintain and keep clean, and it looks great in both modern and traditional spaces.
Beautiful Chaos Interior Design & Styling
9. Don’t write off shower curtains
You can make smart choices when decorating your finished bathroom, too. Instead of commissioning expensive glass doors for your shower, go with a fresh white curtain. You can’t go wrong.
Samantha Moss Color + Design
10. Find your own mirrors
Forgo the cheap “builder’s special” frameless mirrors that are often hung over vanities in favour of styles with a little more flair, like this shapely pair.
Katy Popple Design
11. Don’t forget the details
While high-end apothecary soaps and lotions often have beautiful packaging, these items can really add up. Pick your favourite products from the drugstore and pour them into pretty glass pumps and bottles that look great and will last forever.

Read more:
12 Decorating Tricks to Make Small Bathrooms Work HardChic & Fresh Mirror Design Ideas for Bathrooms
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Have other tricks for a stunning bathroom remodel? Let us know in the Comments.
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