Bathroom Makeover Before and After (From Dated to Fresh & Inviting)

Featured

Posted on March 27, 2026 by Roeshel

There’s nothing “wrong” with a dated bathroom…until you start to notice how much it affects the way a space feels.

Save this for later:

Bathroom makeover before and after showing a dated bathroom transformed into a fresh, inviting space

This one had good bones, but it felt tired. The finishes were outdated, the wallpaper peeling, the lighting was flat, and it didn’t reflect the kind of warm, welcoming environment I’m always trying to create, whether for everyday living or for guests.

Instead of a full renovation, we focused on simple, intentional updates that would make the biggest impact.

This bathroom is part of a project I worked on for Suite Retreat BnB & Micro Event Venue, where the goal was to refresh the space while keeping it warm and inviting for guests.

Before

The layout worked. The function was there. But visually, it felt disconnected and a little forgotten.

outdated bathroom with peeling wallpaper and worn fixtures

older finishes that didn’t feel cohesive
lighting that wasn’t being utilized as a complimentary feather
no real sense of style or personality

It wasn’t terrible. It just wasn’t inviting.

striped wallpapered bathroom with window

The Plan

The goal wasn’t to over-design the space.

timeless blush bathroom makeover design — Wall paint: Sherwin Williams White Dogwood

It was to:

warm it up
simplify the look
create a clean, cohesive feel
add subtle touches that make it feel finished

The kind of space that feels timeless… not overdone.

This post may contain affiliate links. I only share sources for items I’ve used or genuinely love.

What Changed

1. Updated Finishes

Small changes here made a big difference.

Swapping out dated elements for cleaner, more timeless finishes instantly modernized the space without a full overhaul.

2. Better Lighting

Lighting changed everything. We kept the original pendants but now they’re a lovely feature.

Warmer, softer lighting helped the room feel more relaxed and flattering instead of harsh and flat.

3. Simple Styling

This is where a space really comes to life.

fresh towels
a small tray for organization
a touch of greenery

Nothing complicated but it makes the room feel complete.

4. Intentional Details

Instead of filling the space, I focused on just enough. Every piece has a purpose, whether it’s functional or adding warmth.

After

The difference isn’t just how it looks, it’s how it feels.

It’s calmer. Warmer. More put together.

blush bathroom with green trim and gold fixtures

And most importantly, it now feels like a space someone actually wants to spend time in…not just pass through. Swapping out the gold pedestal/console sink/vanity and mirror instantly updated the space and gave it a more cohesive, finished look.

It’s the kind of space that feels calm the moment you walk in, simple, but thoughtfully finished.

Short Takeaways

If you’re updating a bathroom without a full renovation:

Focus on lighting first, it changes everything
Keep finishes simple and cohesive
Add just a few intentional accessories, not clutter
Think about how the space feels, not just how it looks

A Note if You’re Refreshing Your Own Space

This is the exact kind of transformation I help with through my Style Thyme refreshes—looking at what you already have and making simple changes that create a big impact.

Sometimes you don’t need a full renovation.
You just need a fresh set of eyes and a clear plan.

What’s Next

Styling! Decorating! I’ll be sharing more details on the finishing touches and styling in an upcoming post!

More Bathroom Makeover Ideas You’ll Love

Simple Bathroom Refresh with Big Impact

Check Out a Fully Renovated Bathroom Makeover

woman unsure how to renovated and decorate a room

Feeling stuck with your own space?

If you’ve ever started a room and then… stalled out, second-guessed everything, or didn’t know what to do next —, you’re not alone.

I created something to help with exactly that.

Decorate Without Doubt: Confident Room Method™ is a simple, step-by-step way to move forward when you feel stuck, whether you’re starting fresh or trying to finish what you already started.

It walks you through:

• actually finishing your space

• getting clear on your vision

• narrowing down choices

• making confident decisions

START HERE: CONFIDENT ROOM METHOD

Bathroom Makeover

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Roeshel

The other day I shared the before and after bathroom transformation. I’ve gone from sitting and staring all day long at our recently finished open pantry (makeover here) to wanting to sleep in my new peaceful bathroom. Since the bathroom had was a nightmare before, ANYTHING would look good after. This is what we got with this old farmhouse…

Before – yikes!

And this is the potential I saw. I’m in love with the soft peaceful ‘after’ results!

Paint: Those walls! Believe me, I did a good scrubbing but is there any better way to really clean up walls than applying a fresh coat of paint? Love this color! Valspar Pale Linen: Depending on light, sometimes it has a soothing blue tint, sometimes more of a gray/white tone but definitely a tranquil light blue color.

Vanity: The gorgeous Huntshire vanity with marble countertop and Talia faucet set from Virtu USA is the luxurious center of attention! Check out the beautiful detail and gorgeous espresso color.

Metallics: Mixing the silver finishes like the brushed nickel faucets, polished nickel sconces, polished nickel vanity knobs, satin nickel curtain rod add just the right amount of bling!

The vanity comes with beautiful antique gold hardware which I’ll re-use on another piece of furniture since I swapped them out for these beautiful polished nickel knobs.

Pottery Barn Bevel Mirror: Go big or go home! {Heavy! Molly bolts included.} The mirror’s beveled mirror frame is the perfect glamorous accessory reflecting light and the illusion of more space into this small bathroom.

Lighting: Drool-worthy. ::sigh:: Thanks to LampsPlus for the stunning lighting! {Hudson Valley Monroe polished nickel adjustable wall lights} These are just the icing on the cake, aren’t they? Definitely my most favorite fixture in my home!

Floor: I did this all by myself! Would you believe they’re vinyl tiles? Easy to install and grout (use grout for vinyl) gives it a look so similar to real marble but without the maintenance or cost and installed in just a few hours! Check back for the tutorial.

The tub and shower will get a makeover later this year. In the meantime, I “framed” the bathtub nook/shower curtain with curtains (difficult to photograph that side of the room!)…

Storage to the left of the bathtub/shower:

Built in storage cabinet to the right…

Floating shelves and baskets provide more storage options.

Because there is no such thing as too many photos:

For those of you asking about the button wall art, they’re about 10 years old and I can’t remember where I got them so I’m pretty sure they’re out of stock (it was probably somewhere like JoAnn’s) but here’s button wall art I spied on Amazon, if you love buttons:

&lt;br /&gt;

I’ve received a lot of questions about some of the accessories and fixtures shown above. Here’s a source list. Click the images for to be redirected.

&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;

Still have a question? Let me know in the comment section and I’ll get right back to you. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Don’t forget to swing by to enter to win the Virtu USA Dream Bathroom giveaway to get started on creating your dream bathroom makeover. Easy to enter, lots of prizes!

Ready for some more bathroom makeover inspiration? Check out these awesome blog friends for more:

Linking up to:

Bathroom Before and After

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Roeshel

Hello DIY friends! Let’s talk bathroom makeovers! Do you have an embarrassment of a bathroom? Outdated? Blah? Boring? Frightening? I know the feeling. Read on, my friend. You just may find yourself in a position to give your bathroom a serious facelift thanks to Virtu USA!

There are two bathrooms upstairs in our home. The master bathroom is the smaller of the two (remember, old farmhouse = bathrooms were not a part of the original house plans) and the bathroom I’m about to show you. One for my hubby (the master) and one for me (this one). I know you’re going to be envious that I have had this gem all to myself for a couple of years. Labeled the “girls’ bathroom”, welcome to my own little private oasis… Gag! Because no one sees the upstairs main bath except those who live here, it hasn’t been at the top of the DIY priority list in the 7 years since we moved in. It was functional and clean even if it was super ugly and outdated. Sort of a hurry up, shower, brush your teeth, throw on some makeup and get the heck out of this room! But a less desirable (to put it nicely) “before” makes for a magical “after”. This girl has a happy ending for sure!When the opportunity to work with Virtu USA came up, it was just the motivation I needed to finally FINALLY rip out the old cheap doorless vanity (will have a new life as storage in the barn). The old medicine cabinet with Hollywood dressing room lights (that’s what those lined up round bulbs remind me of) became a roadside treasure for someone who must have needed it. My heart didn’t break as we tossed the old peeling up vinyl and I think the bathroom cried tears of happiness when I painted those poor sad walls.Tiling the tub and shower surround will have to wait until later this year but that didn’t keep me from putting some blood, sweat, tears and lots of DIY and love into turning my bathroom into a beautiful new peaceful place just for me. There are a couple of things that really make this an OMGosh! reveal. You probably couldn’t help but notice that gorgeous 48 inch Huntshire vanity topped with beautiful Italian Carrara marble…and the Talia faucet…I was immediately drawn to what the Huntshire description calls “straight lines and strong features”. I love the square basin with the traditional beauty, not to mention the size and storage (drawers and doors have soft closing hinges and slides!)…a place for everything and a big bold statement that this bathroom is finally not only truly functional but stunning as well!

More photos:I know you’re drooling over that lighting too, right? They’re the Monroe Polished Nickel Adjustable Wall Lights from LampsPlus.

See something you like? Check out the source list with more details and pictures here.

Does your blah bathroom have you wanting to borrow your neighbors? Do you have a vision for creating a spa-like oasis? How would YOU like a chance to win a DREAM BATHROOM MAKEOVER? Head over to the Virtu USA Dream Bathroom Contest page for more details on how you can enter to win! Good luck!Ready for some more bathroom makeover inspiration? Check out these awesome blog friends for more:

*This post is sponsored by Virtu USA. As always, opinion, photos, and words are my own.

Bathroom Makeover Before and After

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Roeshel

When Amanda from Mommy is Coocoo shared her bathroom makeover after, I had serious bathroom envy. That doesn’t sound right, does it? But read on, you’ll get it.

And when she shared the ‘before’ pictures, I may have involuntarily shuddered. There’s a reason you’ve never seen our upstairs bathrooms. It’s the stuff nightmares are made of. Amanda understands because she had a nightmare bathroom too…

{see all ‘before’ bathroom pictures here}

This bathroom was HOT STUFF back in the early 1990s. Wallpaper {those are lambs and roosters…are you to be lulled to sleep counting sheep or cock-a-doodle-doo’d wide awake?}, gold fixtures, the Hollywood vanity lighting, and jacuzzi tub. Hubba hubba…luxxxxuuuuuury, baby.

But as time wore on (holy cow! 1990 was 23 years ago? way to feel old.), the wallpaper peeled, the gold wasn’t as classy, the tub broke, tiles cracked, color coordinated metal blinds went out-of-style…

but Amanda had had enough and designed a brand new relaxing, peaceful, functional, beautiful bathroom retreat…and yea, I’m envious.

It’s a bathroom that dreams (no nightmares) are made of now.

Go ahead, visit Amanda at Mommy is Coocoo for the full details on her bathroom reveal. Just walk right into the bathroom. She won’t mind. I’ve already warned her you’ll be stopping by.

And I love it “as is”. Now (not before) but girlfriend looooves color. Evidence here:

{click the pictures below to be redirected to her original posts}

I wonder what she’s up to with adding color to the bathroom. I can’t wait to see!

Apartment DIY progress: tiling the bathroom floor (before & after)

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Roeshel

Apartment Bathroom Floor – before and after

We’re renovating a tiny apartment on a small budget. We decided that the bathroom floor was a ‘must do’. The Atmospheres Tile Collection by Daltile offers a variety of style, color and size options, so you can create your own unique designs with tile. The possibilities are endless! Read more about

our tile shopping experience at The Home Depot

helpful tips and tricks from The Home Depot Tile Specialist

The old bathroom floor (updated by previous owners) wasn’t an ideal choice…

And a leaky valve created a HUGE mess (more about that in another post). The joys of DIY…a major freak out moment with a full out tantrum but no choice but to fix the damage and move forward. Unfortunately it happens and DIY doesn’t always go as planned. Sometimes there are setbacks!

We shut off the water, capped the supply lines, removed the toilet and vanity, removed the flexible rubber/plastic(?) baseboards

{I know…so gross!}

and got to work on removing that old floor…

We prepared the floor for tiling by screwing down Hardibacker. Russ made the cuts. We used newspaper to create a template around the shape of the bathtub. and for the hold for the toilet, using a circular saw for straight cuts and a double sided knife blade (I don’t remember the brand of the one he uses) for rounded cuts.

Using Locktite and screws, we secured the Hardibacker to the old floor to create a smooth, level surface for tiling. Make sure that screws are flush (or even countersink them a little).

We made the decision of where the tile would end in the door way. I believe the center is the perfect spot. But, we extended it a small bit after shutting the door to see the ideal spot (where wood floors from hallway would not be seen in the bathroom and tile floors would not be seen from the closed bathroom door in the hallway.

Mr. DIY used a saw called a “Fat Max” to under cut the door jamb so that tile would fit neatly underneath…

We used a masonry/tile saw (also called a wet saw) to cut tiles. For this project, we cut and laid out all of the tiles in advance, using spacers during the process to get the best fit.

We laid out our tile, deciding on the best design for the space. We do love creative patterns but given our time frame, the shape of the tub, un-square walls and the fact that not much floor space actually shows when the toilet and vanity are in place, we decided on a basic grid design. We used the same newspaper templates we created for the Hardibacker for cutting tiles to fit the shape of the bathtub and the hole for the toilet plumbing.

The Home Depot Tile Specialist suggested we center the pattern in the door way and work from there but for us, when working with odd cuts near the tub and not wanting cut tile framing one whole tile in the door way, we worked from right to left, starting in front of the tub so that smaller cut tile pieces would be behind the vanity and toilet. I liked the look of one cut tile on the left corner of the room hidden by the vanity/hinged door area better. There is no wrong way…just do what feels right for your space.

We chose a ceramic tile called “Carrara” from the Daltile Atmosphere Collection at the Home Depot. Affordable, stylish and easy to install, Daltile was the perfect choice when selecting tile. I loved the colors, white with a gray veining, the flow and movement it’d bring to the super tiny space and the durability of ceramic tile for a rental bathroom.

I labeled cut tiles using FrogTape so it didn’t feel like we were putting together a jig saw puzzle when moving on to the next step.

Now we won’t be confused when putting it back together…

For this tiling project, we used Omni-Grip as our mortar to secure tiles to the Hardiebacker and 3/16 spacers.

We used a trowel to spread the Omni-Grip and placed the tiles, working our way out of the room. We did our best to get straight lines.

We let this dry for 48 hours while we worked on other things.

We chose a sanded pre-mixed urethane grout called Quartz Lock for it’s features:

Superior stain resistance
Color consistency
Crack resistant flexibility
Mold/mildew protection

Color is “silver gray”.

Materials for grouting:

Apply grout to the float with a putty knife and smooth into the spaces between the tile. “Smoosh” it into the spaces.

Be sure to clean the tiles to remove excess grout with a clean wet sponge along the way.

We did not grout along the tub – we used caulking there. In the event something needs changed in the future, we didn’t want the mess of trying to remove grout from the cast iron tub.

I would have preferred that we created a more uniform grid. But we did our best. If I don’t look right at it, it doesn’t bother me. lol And in the big scheme of this apartment rental, an old building full of imperfections, this looks pretty darn good!

An amazing difference!

gross bathroom floor before…

bathroom floor (and a little sneak peek of the renovated apartment bathroom) now…

The Home Depot is the one-stop-shop for all tiling needs, whether you are an experienced DIYer or a first-time tiler. I’m so happy with our selection. Love the Daltile Carrara and meeting with the Home Depot tile specialist and getting some tips saved us some time and headaches! See the entire Daltile Atmospheres Collection at the Home Depot.

Almost time for the full apartment reveal! Just finishing up the hardwood floors this week then time to decorate and get her moved! I’m trying to hold off on other tutorials and info until after the big reveal…it’s so hard! I want to show you every step as I complete it!

Sharing here:

The Home Depot partnered with bloggers (like me!) to participate in its Daltile program. As a part of the program, I received compensation in the form of a Home Depot gift card to participate in promoting the new Atmospheres Tile Collection by Daltile. Opinion and experiences are my own words. The Home Depot’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social medial engagement recommendations. I am a DIY blogger and I approved this message.

This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

Sharing here:

DIY Show Off ™ – DIY Decorating and Home Improvement Blog

DIYShowOff – Budget Friendly Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement and Decorating blog

Tag Archives: bathroom makeover