20 Bathroom Upgrades Under $20, Can You Afford Not To Try

Saad Iqbal | 🗓️Modified: April 13, 2025 | ⏳Read Time: 8 min | 👁Post Views: 37

Affordable Luxury Bathrooms: Where to Splurge and Where to Save

Creating a luxury bathroom on a budget requires careful planning and consideration of where to spend and where to save. With the right luxury bathroom ideas, you can create a designer bathroom with touches of luxury without breaking the bank. In this article, we will explore our favorite luxury bathroom ideas that won’t break the bank and provide tips on how to prioritize expenses to stay within your budget.

When to Spend and When to Splurge

The key to creating an affordable luxury bathroom is knowing when to spend a little extra money and when to save. One of the best ways to cut down on the costs of your bathroom makeover is to do as much of the labor yourself as possible. With a little planning and the right luxury bathroom ideas, you can create a designer bathroom with touches of luxury while barely opening your wallet.

Big-Ticket Items

If you fall in love with any of the luxury bathroom ideas and essentials on this list, take the time to create a complete bathroom plan and decide which items are the most important to start with. You can use the bulk of your budget on big-ticket items that will make a major impact on your space, such as the professional installation of a whirlpool bathtub or a new, complete shower system.

DIY Projects

Once you’ve earmarked enough money for those larger luxury bathroom ideas, try some of our budget bathroom remodel ideas to tackle yourself, such as installing a new touchless faucet or adding a lighted medicine cabinet. Discover our detailed how-to articles that will guide you through every step of the installation process for many bathroom fixtures.

Affordable Bathroom Luxuries

Make your bathroom look expensive without pulling out a home equity loan by taking advantage of these bathroom ideas on a budget. Not only will these designer home products help to streamline your daily routine, they even help you wash away the stresses of the day.

Touchless Faucets

Minimize the mess on your faucets and handles by bringing a little luxury to your bathroom makeover with a new touch faucet or touchless faucet. Available in styles and finishes to fit any decor, these touchless faucets let you activate the flow of water with a touch or by simply bringing your hands within the sensor’s range. This makes them a fantastic choice for a child’s bathroom or a guest bathroom that sees a lot of use.

Luxury Sinks

Make a splash by introducing luxury sinks to your luxury bath design. Undermount sinks and vessel sinks provide two very different and distinct looks. Something as simple as updating your countertop and trading out your undermount sink for a vessel sink can instantly elevate your bathroom design.

Rain Shower Heads

If you loved standing out in the rain as a kid, a rain shower head may just be the best way to make your bathroom look expensive. Rain shower heads are typically wider than their standard counterparts and distribute water gently through multiple outlets, rather than in a strong, concentrated stream.

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Chandeliers

Bathroom lights can get dated rather quickly and should definitely be part of your budget bathroom remodel. Keep in mind that chandeliers aren’t only for formal dining rooms and grand foyers. You can get smaller, affordable chandeliers that deliver a glamorous bling to the bathroom design.

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Lighted Medicine Cabinets

Putting in contacts, shaving, and applying makeup is easier when you introduce lighted medicine cabinets to your luxury bath design. These cabinets don’t just brighten up your morning and evening routine; they also provide ample concealed storage space for medicine, first aid supplies, and all the other things you don’t want strewn across your countertops.

Shower Systems

Make your shower your favorite part of the morning or evening routine by trading out your traditional shower head for a complete shower system. This transformative bathroom fixture can vary from one design to another, with many combining shower heads with handheld sprayers, body sprays, slide bars, knobs, and everything you need to get the new system installed.

Bidets

A quality toilet is one of those items worth splurging on, because they’ll last you for decades to come, but you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to install a luxury toilet in your space. You haven’t experienced a true clean until you’ve added a bidet to your budget bathroom remodels. A bidet provides a stream of water for a gentle yet thoroughly clean result.

Splurge on Bathroom Indulgences Built to Last

The right time to splurge is when you have luxury items that are designed to hold up to decades of use. Sure, they’ll cost a little bit more upfront, but they’re worth the investment.

Touchless Flush Toilets

One of our favorite luxury bathroom ideas is trading out your traditional toilets with touchless flush toilets to minimize the transfer of germs. The hands-free design allows you to just hold your hand above the sensor to activate the flushing mechanism.

Freestanding Tubs

Make your tub a statement in your bathroom remodel by choosing a budget-friendly freestanding tub that acts as a focal point for the bathroom design. Freestanding tubs can be deeper than tubs that fit into an alcove, making them ideal for soaking.

Whirlpool and Jetted Tubs

After a long day, there are few things as relaxing and restorative as a long soak in the tub. Create a luxury retreat in your bathroom by trading out your existing tub for a whirlpool or jetted tub. This is one of those bathroom remodel ideas that stretches the budget, but they can be a fantastic investment because they’ll last for many years to come.

Save with DIY Projects

One of the best ways to keep costs low is to take on the labor yourself. Limit calling in the professionals for the big plumbing and electrical elements and take on the smaller updates as a weekend project. Consider small, inexpensive DIY updates, such as adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls and cabinets or adding wallpaper with a little texture.

Update Your Hardware

Trade out existing bathroom hardware for more modern designs that help your bathroom look better in a matter of minutes. These luxury bathroom ideas on a budget will make your bathroom look better while keeping the entire bathroom makeover affordable.

Shop All Bathroom Products

Browse our selection of bathroom products, including touchless faucets, luxury sinks, rain shower heads, chandeliers, lighted medicine cabinets, shower systems, bidets, and more.

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A designer bathroom that incorporates touches of luxury without a high cost.

How can DIY projects help in creating an affordable luxury bathroom?
DIY projects reduce labor costs and can transform your bathroom with simple updates.

Which big-ticket items should you consider for a luxurious yet budget-friendly bathroom?
Big-ticket items include professional installation of a whirlpool bathtub or a new, complete shower system.

What are some budget-friendly luxury touches for a bathroom?
Options include touchless faucets, lighted medicine cabinets, and rain shower heads.

Why should you splurge on items that are built to last?
High-quality, durable items offer excellent value over time.

What are some examples of affordable luxury items worth spending more on?
Items like touchless flush toilets, freestanding tubs, and whirlpool or jetted tubs are worthwhile investments.

How can updating hardware improve the look of a bathroom affordably?
Upgrading bathroom hardware with modern designs can refresh the space without major expenses.

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