Budget-Friendly Transformation of a Small 2.9 sqm Bathroom in a Panel Building

Alla renovated her "killed" 2-room apartment in a panel building by herself. The renovation was done seven years ago, but the ideas remain relevant today. Our heroine was determined not to exceed the budget — this led to original ideas that everyone can replicate. There are many cool tricks in the bathroom: we tell you more — take notes!

Custom-made countertop

In the bathroom, a small reconfiguration was done: the area increased at the expense of the corridor. Initially, the sink was on another wall, and the towel rack was under it — this was inconvenient. The sink was moved to another wall: Alla herself built a countertop under it.

The countertop is made of MDF — it costs only 900 rubles, found on sale. To prevent sagging, a leg was designed from a grooved block — it is painted in the color of the walls and decorated with mosaic.

Unusual tile layout

The bathroom is partially tiled. As we mentioned earlier, our heroine wanted to stay within budget: she chose the simplest 20x20 tile from a Russian manufacturer. But how to make the space not look boring? Alla found the answer.

The tiles were laid at a 45-degree angle, and a second color was added — the wall was decorated with a pattern resembling a chevron. The idea is simple, but the space looks much more interesting.

Reinforced walls and reorganized space

The bathroom had very thin walls: according to our heroine, they literally crumbled from tile installation. The owners had to break the walls and build proper ones using grooved blocks.

Because of this, a mini-reconfiguration was also made: the bathtub was slightly recessed (this allowed fitting a standard model 170 cm long), and a small shelf appeared — it was covered with mosaic.

Found a way to dry towels even with poor ventilation

In Alla's house, the ventilation is not very good, so towels didn’t dry at all — this became a problem. But our heroine solved it again: she placed the hooks right above the towel rack.

Yes, the towels slightly cover it, but this minor drawback is far outweighed by the fact that textiles might not dry and emit an unpleasant odor.

Hang two mirrors instead of one

A mirror in the bathroom is a very important interior item. Many want to find a larger model, but finding a suitable option on the market is not always easy. This happened to Alla as well: she wanted a large mirror, but in time she couldn’t find one, and the solution was also out of budget.

The apartment owner found two mirrors in different colors, hung them side by side, and added backlighting above — it turned out very stylish and classy.

Checklist: How to Refresh Bathroom Interior on a Budget

Try building furniture by yourself. Lay tiles in an unusual way. Get rid of unnecessary items and plan storage. Use every centimeter of the space efficiently. Don’t be afraid to experiment with decor.

Budget renovation in panel building by yourself