We’ve said it before: You must have great photos and videos to get booked. Guests want to see everything before they commit, so what do you do if your bathrooms don’t look so great?
Sure, in a perfect world, you’d remodel those bathrooms and give them the designer treatment, but chances are, it’s not in the cards.
Never fear; there are still plenty of ways to spruce up your space without breaking the bank. These are my favorite budget-friendly vacation rental bathroom decor ideas!
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Table of Contents
Simple Ways to Decorate Your Vacation Rental Bathroom On a Budget
Start with the walls
Get (near) instant gratification with paint
One of the quickest and easiest ways to give your bathroom a facelift or create a specific vibe is by painting the walls. Choose a light and airy color scheme to make the space feel more open, or make a statement with bold color. Either way, choose a color scheme that makes the things that aren’t changing, like tile, floors, and hardware, look their best.
If you’re an advanced DIYer, you can even use paint to create patterns that look like wallpaper without the cost and fuss of installation.
Pro tip: Choose a high-quality paint formulated for bathrooms. It can withstand bathroom humidity and resist mildew even if you choose a low-sheen finish.
Photo: Anthony Masterson | Via: Better Homes & Gardens
Let wallpaper do the heavy lifting
Small spaces like bathrooms are the perfect place to have fun with pattern and texture. Use any kind of wallcovering that can be wiped down in a room without humidity, like a powder bath. For rooms with showers and tubs, choose a high-performance wallcovering like vinyl.
Add texture, color, and class with painted wood paneling
Wainscoting, beadboard, raised panels, and shiplap are different styles of wood paneling that can add instant interest to bathroom walls for far less money than tile. Study examples and choose a style that suits your short-term rental’s aesthetic.
Design & Photo: Wildheart Design
Design & Photo: Hey It’s Jovanna | Via: Spoonflower
Can’t replace it? Cover it up
Take vanities from basic to bespoke
Many a dull vanity has been transformed with the judicious application of paint. If the cabinet is in good shape use color to make it either disappear into the background or stand out as a cheery accent. Just be sure the surfaces are prepped properly and painted with high-quality cabinet paint.
Refresh tired tubs, tile, and sinks
Some DIYers even paint bathtub exteriors, shower enclosures, and even tile! This is definitely an advanced move that requires special products, so do your research before attempting it. Alternately, consult a bathtub reglazing company to refresh tile, shower enclosures, sinks, and tubs.
…oh, and countertops, too
If your countertops are solid surface (not tile), and in good shape, you can have them resurfaced, too! If you’re in the mood for a satisfying DIY project, research resurfacing kits or call one of the reglazing companies mentioned above.
Want to refresh your tile countertops and get rid of that pesky grout? There’s a solution for you, too! Read on.
Photo & Design: House of Posh | Via: Hunker
Photo & Design:Julie Blanner | Via: Hunker
Design: Katie Hodges Design
Microcement over everything
Have you heard of microcement? If not, do a quick search on Instagram or YouTube and be prepared to want to cement over everything.
Microcement is a product that can be applied over most existing surfaces, even tile, for a modern, plaster-like look that can be made waterproof. If DIY isn’t your thing, search for a pro in your area. Just be aware that with labor costs, microcement costs are roughly the same as tile installation.
Peel and stick (with caution)
Another popular DIY solution is peel-and-stick backsplash tile. Since frequent cleanings can damage products like these, I’d limit them to small, hard-to-reach areas, such as behind a mirror, rather than somewhere a curious renter might be tempted to pick at the edges.
Remember that less-than-beautiful floors can also be covered with vinyl tile, whether the peel-and-stick or glue-down variety.
This is mircocement. Via: January Revival
Believe it or not, these are peel and stick tiles!
Design & Photo: my uncommon slice of suburbia
Upgrade the shiny things
Add instant style with new light fixtures
Nothing dates a bathroom like old, cheap light fixtures, so swapping them out can be just the change your bathroom needs.
Even better, if you swap traditional incandescent fixtures for energy-saving LEDs, you’ll save on your electricity bills, too. After all, renters are not great about turning lights off.
Be sure to search for damp-rated fixtures in bathrooms with showers.
Get up to date with an inexpensive mirror
Decorative mirrors are a great way to add style to a blah bathroom, and there are lots to be had for reasonable prices.
Don’t be afraid to replace medicine cabinets with decorative mirrors if your place is a dedicated vacation rental – guests don’t need as much storage space as full-time residents.
But if you’re replacing medicine cabinets or a large plate mirror, be sure to get professional help to do it safely.
Lighted mirrors are also an excellent upgrade to your bathroom decor, and they’re not terribly expensive. Just factor in the cost of hiring an electrician for these.
Countertop lighted makeup mirrors are a welcome amenity
A lighted makeup mirror is a thoughtful addition that provides a hotel-like experience for your guest – or better! After all, I’ve stayed in so many fancy hotels with sexy but impractical bathroom lighting that I’ve started packing a travel makeup mirror!
Assure your guests that they can leave their travel mirrors behind by providing a lighted makeup mirror. That way, you can have both dramatic lighting and happy guests.
Design & Photo: Bless’er House
Design & Photo: Rebecca Hewitt via: Apartment Therapy
Swap out your hardware
Hardware is the jewelry of your vacation rental bathroom, so make it count! For an instant refresh, replace builder-basic cabinet hardware, tissue holders, towel racks, and robe hooks with more stylish versions.
If you’re not replacing your plumbing fixtures, choose new hardware that coordinates with the finishes that are staying. Mixed metals are fine – they’re even trending right now – but think matte black with brushed gold, chrome with black, or dark bronze with gold. In other words, make sure the two finishes are different enough to complement each other. Don’t mix finishes that are similar but not the same, like nickel with chrome or black with dark bronze. Those will look like a lazy choice rather than intentional.
Don’t forget you can also update hardware with spray paint! It works best on fixtures that don’t get a lot of friction. I’ve successfully painted shower door hinges that still look good after a decade of use, but for a towel bar, I’d probably look into getting it powder-coated.
(Powder coating is a process that fuses paint to metal using an electromagnetic charge. It’s inexpensive, but it only works on metal.)
Don’t forget about vintage hardware if you’re going for a classic or eclectic style. It can be just the thing to take your design from good to great.
Upgrade your plumbing fixtures
Replacing plumbing fixtures is less of a quick fix since you’ll likely need a plumber to do it, but new faucets can make a huge difference in updating your Airbnb bathroom on a budget.
New showerheads are usually an easy DIY fix and can be a good opportunity to replace a standard shower with a hand shower, which makes cleaning way easier.
Replacing shower valve trim (the volume and temperature control) can be a little more complicated, however, because the trim must work with the valve that’s installed in the wall. Consult your plumber first.
Accessorize wisely
Find some cute (and affordable) art
Art is great way to add personality to a room without spending a lot of money. Prints or digital downloads can be found at places like Etsy, Minted, or Society 6. Have them printed and pop them in a big-box store frame for instant character.
Note: I usually recommend skipping the framing that comes with prints from the sources listed above. That’s because it’s framed with acrylic rather than glass, which housekeepers tend to scratch.
Choose an un-shower curtain
An easy way to class up your vacation rental bathroom is by using a fabric shower curtain that looks more like regular drapery than plastic. Hang linen shower curtains with a plastic liner on the inside (you can find them on Amazon, of course).
Here’s a designer trick that will make your bathroom look more expensive: Move the curtain rod up a foot and use a 7-foot (84”) shower curtain rather than a 6-foot (72”) curtain for more height and drama.
Add a bathroom rug
Here’s a little secret: when you style your bathroom for photos, you don’t have to do it exactly like you would for guests.
That is to say, a real rug, rather than a bath mat or bath rug, can look great in photos. They’re not great in real life, however, unless 1) they’re non-slip and 2) you can throw them in the washing machine.
Choose your “photo” rug for looks. Your guest rug or mat must be non-slip, easy to wash, and dry quickly.
Dress things up and keep them organized with containers and trays
If you’ve got the counter space, an amenities tray, and a few containers filled with things like Q-tips and cotton balls, elevate your short-term rental bathroom to spa-level luxury. Less is more in a bathroom – after all, your guests need somewhere to put their stuff – but a few accessories finish a room.
Or put it in a basket
Need a place to stash extra toilet paper or towels? If you’ve got a place for them, an interesting basket or two can be just the thing to add that little extra touch of texture and color to your bathroom decor.
Bring in some (fake) life with plants
A cute little faux plant or flowers is often the one thing a bathroom needs to look finished, especially in photos. One is enough. Keep it on the small side, and make sure your housekeeping team keeps it dusted.
Psst…don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest to save all these tips for later!
Design: Emily Rodgers Via: Apartment Therapy
Design & Photo: Sharp & Gray Interiors
Upgrade your amenities
Choose chic, refillable dispensers
If you’re providing shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in your shower (and you should be), buy a set of attractive, refillable bottles and buy products in bulk. This is much more cost-effective and less wasteful than mini bottles and looks more attractive than a big shampoo bottle from Costco.
Upgrade your towels
You don’t have to get fancy with towels in your vacation rental, in fact, white is usually best. They should, however, always look pristine and fluffy (if they’re the fluffy kind.) Inspect quarterly and replace those with stains that won’t come out.
Your towels should look perfect in your listing photos. Fold them to show them off to their best advantage. If you need ideas, look at fancy home goods catalogs or websites.
Have some fun with disposables
Once you’ve purchased those lovely white towels, you want to keep them white! To prevent makeup stains, leave your guests disposable makeup remover cloths. Buy them in cute, individually wrapped packages, and they’ll look just right on your amenities tray.
Add a plug-in nightlight
One of my favorite low-cost bathroom amenities couldn’t be simpler: a plug-in motion-activated nightlight. These are particularly great in en-suite bathrooms, where turning on the light in the middle of the night is likely to wake both the person in the bathroom and the one still in bed. Granted, this one doesn’t do anything for your listing photos (and it shouldn’t appear in them), but it will show your guests that you really did think of everything.
I hope that gave you some ideas for updating your vacation rental bathroom on a budget. With these tips, a little creativity, and maybe some elbow grease, you can take a blah bathroom up a notch, improve your listing photos, and impress your guests! And you can do it without tearing everything out and starting over.
Want more ideas for other rooms in your vacation rental? Here, you’ll find tips on how to add style to your vacation rental on the cheap! And if you need help or just want to brainstorm a few ideas, you can always reach out!
