You Don’t Have to be a Narcissist to Update Your Vanity

Bathrooms sure can be deceiving. They rank high in importance, but they also tend to be small when compared to other must-have spaces, like kitchens and bedrooms. That’s why renovating one can be so eye-opening. Who knew such tiny quarters could come with such big price tags? 

According to the Home Depot, remodeling the details of a powder room to a master suite ranges from at least $5,000 to $30,000—depending on its features, of course. If those numbers are making you rethink a bathroom upgrade, don’t turn away from the plans just yet. A budget-friendly vanity can make a statement while conserving costs, and these eight stylish options can prove it. Use them as inspiration, and you can achieve impressive results without too much of a splurge. 

Maybe not every homeowner would want to go as bold as Matthew and Lisa Trzebiatowski did in their Pheonix, Arizona property. But the two extremes of their bathroom design, which is meant to conjure the area’s equally eyebrow-raising heat, features Oriented Strand Board that was sanded and sealed. This engineered material is stronger than plywood and has more character, but can still be just as cost-effective when used as a primary surface in a bathroom. 

Oriented Strand Board was also used in this New Zealand bathroom—and the entire home, actually—and it was paired with industrial hardware and a concrete sink. The red shower and polka curtain add some personality, but in all, this space showcases how budget-friendly materials can ultimately make for a sustainable and unique aesthetic. 

If a small-space bathroom doesn’t have enough square footage for a full-sized vanity, follow in the footsteps of this Northern California remodel and stick to the basics. A teeny-yet-effective wall mounted sink pairs well with two floating shelves, making a slick statement that won’t cost an arm and a leg.

While statement tiles continue to dominate trends, one way to make them work with a budget-friendly finish is to opt for a free-standing vanity. In this Melbourne home, red hues pop against white tiles across the walls and floor, and the stand-alone vanity fits right in without the added costs of an installed version. 

Maybe you already own a console or dresser that could work in your bathroom with a little creativity. If that’s the case, then take notes from this Washington State hideaway. A vessel sink was installed on a wooden base, which can make for a fun do-it-yourself project. Add hardware and a mirror and you’re all set. 

Another vessel-sink option is to build a vanity from reclaimed wood, as was the case for this colorful Australian bungalow. While this version lets the oak shine—and complement the surrounding earthy subway tiles—you can also paint the wood to match your bathroom’s palette. 

Ryan Hanson and Catherine Macleod set out to renovate a 1970s Airstream in British Columbia for their family by primarily using reclaimed materials. In the bathroom, they sourced the sink from eBay and the fixtures from their shed. A simple maple slab was selected for the vanity, creating contrasting texture and color in the midst of all those penny tiles. 

As much as demolition has become a fixture of renovations—at least on television, anyway—that doesn’t mean you have to take a sledge hammer to a vanity. In this Los Angeles bungalow, the original blue vanity from the 1920s may not be modern, but it definitely has character. Preserve historic details in your bathroom whenever possible, and add up-to-date touches instead.  

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