Savvy renter completely transformed her dingy bathroom for just £150 - 'The most expensive part was my picture frames!'

If your budget doesn't allow for a new bathroom, but you're bored with its look, there are ways to update it, whether it's getting bathroom cabinet ideas or working out how to paint bathroom tiles. Of course, cost is usually a factor and if you're renting your home you'll need to check what you can and can't do when it comes to decorating.

That's why we couldn't help but admire the way this mum gave her bathroom a makeover for under £150, despite the challenge of being on a limited budget.

Style-savvy bathroom makeover

As a former hairdresser and busy full-time mum, Anna Forrister needed a space in the house that she could go to and relax – and for her, that was a bathroom escape. 'I just wanted a place I could be "Anna" for two minutes,' she says. 

Living in a rented property and with little budget meant redecorating would be tricky, but being resourceful is something that comes naturally to Anna and she stepped up to the challenge. 'I like to have a nice looking house and give it the wow factor, but needing to stick to a budget makes it a great hobby and keeps me busy,' she told leading bathroom wall panel specialists National Plastics. 'I'm a DIY queen, so my family say!'

Before

Although the dark blue walls of Anna's old bathroom scheme were smart enough, it made the room feel quite dark and dingy – something she was keen to change. 'I didn't necessarily plan the new scheme out, as such,' she admits. 

'I get a vision and start off with the first steps – which in this case was getting rid of the dark blue and painting it white to give me a blank canvas. Then I looked at colours that would be nice and warm and welcoming, as well as a bit different.' 

After

Warm and inviting, the newly revamped bathroom has lots of accessories and personal touches that make it a lovely room to spend time in – not to mention an on-trend terracotta colour scheme.

'I knew I wanted to do a split wall for a long time,' says Anna, 'and this was a prime opportunity to do so. I find a lot of inspiration on Instagram and I’m forever following room makeover accounts and hashtags – it gives me a nudge to follow trends or change things in my own home. I'm also very creative and my mind never really switches off.'

The final stage was to add in decor and textures, like a mirror, candles, prints and plants, along with some sweet hooks for towels. 'A lot of bits and bobs came from Amazon and B&M,' says Anna. 'Believe it or not, the most expensive part was my picture frames! The prints were £10, and then it cost £30 for four frames.'

A combination of striped and colourful towels sit on towel rails, one of which hangs over the radiator, while a round mirror above continues the pale wood used elsewhere in the room. 

'I gave myself a £100 budget, but ended up spending just under £150,' says Anna. 'I'm so pleased with the outcome and I loved how it came out.'