11 Amazing Before and After Bathroom Remodels

If you dream about elegant bathroom remodels that you see in magazines and on home decor sites, you can turn that fantasy into reality. Most luxurious "afters" started with embarrassing "befores." If you have a dark, small, or boring bathroom, see how adding light, color, or small touches can transform it into a refreshing spa retreat.

Here are 11 amazing before and after bathroom remodels.

Before: Dark and Dreary

Kate Arends, the founder of the lifestyle blog Wit & Delight, had a decidedly dreary and uninspiring space in her Tudor-style cottage in St. Paul, Minnesota. See how she turned it around.

After: Bright and Cheery

With the help of quartz countertop maker Cambria and its White Cliff design, Kate turned her bathroom into a charming, attention-worthy space. The colorful walls are Hygge & West Otomi wallpaper in turquoise. The plumbing fixtures are from Delta's Trinsic Collection.

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Before: Bland and Boring

Kristi from the design blog Addicted 2 Decorating had a dull hallway bathroom. She ripped out tile, mortar, wood, and glass, filling 39 contractor bags that went straight to the landfill. The window had originally been an outdoor window, but with a home extension, it now opened to another room.

After: Modern Makeover

With the bathroom walls and floor open, Kristi began this remodel, a case study in DIY. She accomplished 90% of the remodel by herself, only using a plumber's help, and filled in the useless window.

Before: Outdated Art Deco

Alice Dubin's friend claimed it would be “a crime against Los Angeles” to renovate her 1930s art deco-era bathroom. But her friend wasn't dealing with "stinky plumbing and cracked tile," as Alice put it.

After: Vintage-Inspired

Alice gutted the bathroom but did a sensitive remodel. She retained the feel of the original while functionally updating it. The result is a light-filled bathroom with vintage-inspired floor tiles, subway tile, a Caesarstone tub and countertops, a frameless shower, and many other fantastic touches. Alice calls her remodeled bathroom "a respectful upgrade."

Before: Functional but Dated

When Re-Bath of Illinois remodeled this bathroom, they had to transform a fully functioning bathroom from drab and dated to a thing of beauty.

After: Lighter and More Open

Re-Bath of Illinois made the bathroom feel airier and lighter by switching out the old pre-fabricated stall-style shower with a frameless glass shower. Frameless showers allow maximum light to pass through—a bonus for small spaces.

Before: Seventies Style

When TrendMark, Inc. renovated this bathroom, they found a space that was stylistically too busy, cramped, and imposing. This room needed a major style intervention.

After: Bright and White

TrendMark revamped this bathroom from floor to ceiling, installing white subway tiles and a frameless glass shower. One unexpected but welcome spot of color comes from the vintage stained glass window insert. A cheerful paint scheme completes the look.

Before: Too Much White

Jen Pinkston from the decor blog The Effortless Chic thought her bathroom lacked color, to put it mildly. White upon white with gold touches was in fashion during the 1980s and 1990s. She said it was "so much white and not in a good way."

After: Color Upgrade

Jen added much-needed color to her master bath remodel with blue hexagon tile from Fireclay Tile and a runner from Lulu and Georgia.

Before: Old and Outdated

This "before" bathroom in a two-story 1930s row house in San Francisco featured tile with an unusual shade of green. This bathroom needed a redo that wouldn't break the bank.

After: Remodel on a Budget

This remodel cost well under $5,000. One way to do a bathroom remodel cheaply is to purchase stylish yet cost-effective building materials.

Before: Unfinished Basement

A dark, scary basement bathroom needed a lot of help to make it habitable. Homeowner Michael Groman had a couple of things going for him. It was in a large, open area in the basement, and nothing needed demolition.

After: Completed Bathroom

Groman punched windows into the basement walls to add natural light to his new bathroom. A slipper tub turned this utilitarian space into a place to relax and luxuriate.

Before: Not so Pretty in Pink

Classic flamingo-pink tile from the 1950s was not this owner's style, so they hired Sonnenburg Builders to eradicate the pink and update the bathroom.

After: Warm and Contemporary

The bathroom got significant warming touches with light-colored natural wood cabinets, gray countertops, an under-mounted sink, and a large mirror.

Before: Stuck in the 50s

This century-old house had an impressive vintage style. Unfortunately, the bathroom did not match the home's distinctive style.

After: Natural and Traditional

The owner brought in Morris Black Designs, a Pennsylvania design firm. They completely redid the bathroom and added a frameless glass wall shower with multiple showerheads. The natural stone shower wall is a nod to the house's 100-year-old past and its extensive stonework.

Before: Blue and Blah

The time for blue bathrooms has passed. Allison and Jovito Pagkalinawan's century-old Brooklyn brick row house deserved better. Blue didn't feel right for the bathroom, nor was it period-appropriate.

After: Fresh Period Piece

Allison and Jovito's bathroom was small—just 36 square feet. White reflects more light than any other color and makes small spaces feel more abundant, so they chose white as the dominant color. To match their home's period (1910), they opted for subway tiles for the entire bathroom, a clawfoot bathtub, and a pedestal sink. Gleaming chrome towel bars and fixtures reflect light beautifully. The result is a comfortable, fresh bathroom remodel that honors their home's history.