Before & after: budget bathroom revamp cost under £30 using leftover materials

With time of the essence, a passion for upcycling and a limited budget, Abi Hugo, based in Essex, decided to give her boring bathroom a refresh. And in just 24 hours, it had been transformed into a timeless sanctuary!

Abi used leftover paint and materials from other DIY and decorating projects to not only keep costs next to nothing, but to create a cohesive look throughout her home. Most impressive of all is that Abi's budget bathroom idea cost less than £30!

Bathroom before

The whole transformation only took an impressive 24 hours! Eat your heart out, Changing Rooms!

'When I get hooked on an idea and I see it in my head I just have to get it done,' Abi exclusively told Leader Doors. 'It just started with me painting the radiator, and seeing how it goes, and then one thing led to another and I kinda didn’t go to bed till 2am in the morning.'

Bathroom after

Thanks to Abi's savvy know-how, this speedy reno was basically free! She used leftover stuff from other rooms and items she had upcycled in the house, including leftover wood and paint.

The only thing that Abi bought was a set of peel and stick bathroom flooring tiles from Dunelm, which were £14 a pack.  Two packs later, and the entire revamp costs just under £30. Now that's what we call a bargain!

Design details: £30 budget bathroom makeover

Abi stuck to a palette of soft neutrals throughout. She chose to use wood as an accent to make a feature bathroom mirror idea. Leftover wooden battens fixed vertically behind the existing round mirror was a very quick trick that elevates the area.

'I don’t want to waste anything, so for me, it's always like what have I got to hand,' explains Abi.

Layering textures is something that makes a fantastic impact to a space, so she brought pampas grass from outside to implement character into the room. This is echoed by natural seagrass storage and changing the knobs on the vanity unit.

'I really appreciate organic styles and fibres by adding natural elements within your space to create texture within your home,' Abi says. 'I love to add a modern twist on classic style with my love of neutrals but adding contrast with black accents really elevates the space.'

Her top tips to create your own unique budget bathroom idea is to use Pinterest to create a mood board to help you solidify what look you are going for. It will also help you plan before you dive in.

Research is key, so look into your interior style. If you come across a product you love, like a lamp or something, Abi suggests using Google Reverse Image Search, where Google will reveal all the places the product is found. You might be able to find the product cheaper somewhere else. Genius!