Elegant Bathroom Design: Achieving Luxury on a Budget in Dallas, Texas

Designers are often challenged with how to create expensive looking spaces for less. As a Dallas luxury interior designer, many of our clients have just moved to the area and paid a premium for a home that they now need to renovate in order to create a home they love. They are faced with trying to improve their home interiors while keeping to a certain budget. The most common areas to renovate are the kitchen and bathrooms.

With the primary bathroom and the kitchen being the most expensive updates to a home, this can become even more challenging. We are constantly deciding where to splurge and where to save and each project is unique. We really embrace this philosophy in giving our clients the best bang for the buck. Here are some of our tips on how you too can achieve a beautiful bathroom on a very tight budget along with examples from other amazing luxury bathroom designs on a budget. We want to give you real advice beyond just buying new towels or a new faucet - this is for the person who wants to start over in a space and do it well.

key elements in luxury bathroom designs

Today’s homeowners are not only interested in an updated space, they have certain elements that are necessary for a successful bathroom remodel. Let’s look at some of the most important ones.

• An oversized and well-appointed shower experience including:

  • At least a standard spray head and a hand held sprayer, but might also include body jets

  • A bench to sit on and a niche for shampoos and soaps

  • An extended height glass shower enclosure for steam or an integrated steam unit

• A bathtub that commands attention with aspects such as:

  • A beautiful silhouette on the freestanding tub shape

  • A way to enjoy a glass of wine and candle nearby. This could be a spot table or even a built-in niche

  • An elegant chandelier either over the tub or central in the bathroom

• A design scheme that includes statement slabs, natural stone or premium finishes including:

  • Slabs of marble or porcelain used vertically on the walls. Porcelain is an amazing economical choice in this application.

  • Natural stone countertops with dramatic veining and interesting edge profiles

  • Polished Nickel, Brushed Brass or Unlaquered Brass plumbing fixtures and light fixtures

When creating a luxury bathroom on a budget, we will many times incorporate these elements in a creative or unique way. In the above photo, we used porcelain slabs with a book matched pattern to create a stunning niche for our client’s bathtub. We also included LED strip lighting to give a romantic glow at night. LED lighting is a great way to add drama without a large expense.

In this bathroom, we were blessed with high quality bathroom cabinetry, and the layout of the bathroom was nice. So we counted this as a win and kept the cabinetry, giving it a fresh coat of paint, new countertops, new faucets, mirrors and light fixtures. We also used porcelain floor tiles that mimicked marble which looked stunning but were a fraction of the cost of real marble. These are strategies we routinely use to create luxury bathroom designs on a budget.

PRACTICAL WAYS TO Tackle bathroom design On A tight budget

We recently had an unusual project where we updated a master bath using every method we could to save the homeowner some money and still end up with a luxurious feeling space. Here are the specific ways we created this luxury bathroom on a budget.

1. Choose RTA (ready-to-assemble) Cabinetry or Semi-Custom Cabinetry

If you are willing to put in a bit of effort, you can get good quality cabinetry for a fraction of the cost. These cabinets have a beautiful factory applied finish and soft close drawers, but these needed to be assembled, which was very easy for the homeowner to do. They did pay for a cabinet installer to set them in place once they were put together. We were limited on the color choices, but still found a gorgeous option. If you are not a DIY person, just look for Semi-Custom Cabinetry. These will be pre-finished offering durability and will offer a variety of configurations and styles.

2. Go for the Brass Plumbing and Cabinet Hardware

We went for the Champagne Bronze finish within Delta’s amazing plumbing line. It instantly elevated the look of the faucets and gives a bit of a glamourous touch. Important note: do not choose low quality plumbing, especially in a shower. Once you tile it, those valves are in it for the long haul and even if you just want to change out your shower nozzle and temperature lever, you have to use the same brand as the existing valve behind all your tile. By choosing Delta, we know it will last and if down the road they want to change out the look of the nozzle, they can choose from all the amazing Delta designs. You may not know that Delta and Brizo are from the same parent company and so you get the same amazing quality on both!

On the cabinet hardware, we had a VERY limited budget, so we found these beauties on Amazon and they came in contractor packs of 10, saving even more money! We stayed with the 6” pull to keep that stylish feel. If you don’t want to spend money for the longer pulls, choose a beautiful knob. The 3” pulls just look cheap, and we are going for luxury here!

3. Choose Porcelain or Ceramic as your Main Tiles Instead of Natural Stone

We selected a gorgeous porcelain gloss tile for the walls of the shower and it is a wonderful faux marble. I think the softer veining really helps here, if it were very bold, I think it might be more obvious that it isnt the real thing. One thing that we did a tiny splurge on is the flooring, which is an actual marble mosaic. It was fairly reasonable and really elevated the whole space! As a fun touch, we did a ceramic scallop tile above the ledge and it really gave a designer touch. We were able to find this soaking tub at a local seconds store for a steal and were surprised by what a high quality piece it was.

4. Work with Existing Architecture and Plumbing Locations if Possible.

We did have to move a few walls, but tried to keep as much plumbing in existing locations as possible. The toilet, sinks and shower are all in the same spot. Since this house had a skylight in the very center of the area, we couldn’t break it up into a separate tub and shower. We are in the business of making lemonade out of lemons, so we just created a “wet room” for both! It is so luxurious feeling!

5. Choose Sconces Beside a Framed Mirror

Instead of going with the builder grade vanity lighting that sits over a mirror, go for sconces if you have room. They not only make the space feel more expensive, they give you better lighting on your face. Often those vanity lights above will cast shadows on your face. This gives you the chance to add a little “jewelry” to your space! Sconces do not have to be expensive! Just choose wisely.

Working with a Design Team could Save You Money In The Long Run

There are so many more tips to share but we will stop here! I hope this post is helpful for you and that you decide to go ahead and invest in your remodel bathroom project. I would be remiss if I didn’t also say that for many large projects, hiring an interior designer upfront can really save you money in the long run. I can’t tell you how many people come to us after having thrown lots of money toward projects on things that just didn’t work. Sometimes it is better to invest in someone who can help you make wise choices all along the way!

Frequently asked questions:

Q: Can I achieve a luxurious bathroom on a budget?

A: Yes! First, decide what your budget is and then assess. Go to local showrooms to see your options and get pricing information. We love working with Kitchen Design Concepts here in Dallas for cabinetry needs and they have every price point of cabinetry you can imagine.

Many times we will do a Vision Casting Consultation with clients who may not be able to do full-service design with us. We can help you decide how to spend your money in the most cost-effective way to achieve your design goals. Click here to contact us about scheduling a vision casting consultation.

Q: Does the type of tile you choose vary in installation costs?

A: Yes! Generally, a 12 x 24 tile is very inexpensive to install. The larger format tiles that are 36 x 36 or even larger will have a hefty installation fee, so even if the tile is inexpensive, the installation is not. Mosaic tiles will vary in the installation costs, but anything with a larger pattern will be a bit more.

Q: Should I consider wallcovering for my bathroom?

A: Yes! Wallpaper is very hot right now and comes in so many beautiful patterns. This might be one of your splurge items though. Maybe consider wallcovering a smaller area like in a niche of open shelves for linens or on the ceiling. You could also frame it and create artwork with it!

If you need assistance with designing your bathroom remodel, please click here to contact our team and we will be happy to help!