Honestly, when we first bought our house, the bathroom was stuck in 1972. Pink tiles everywhere. Pink sink, pink toilet, pink floor. It clashed with everything we owned. But we had zero budget for a full gut renovation. That’s when we decided to tackle a small bathroom tile before and after ourselves, using affordable materials and a weekend of sheer determination. This bathroom tile transformation is proof you don’t need a huge budget for a dramatic change. We swapped out the old pink tiles for classic white subway with dark grout, and added hexagon floors. It’s like a whole new room! Took us a weekend and some patience. Save this for your own tiling project.
Why we ditched the pink (and why you should too)
Not gonna lie, I almost kept the pink. It’s retro, right? But here’s the thing: that shade of dusty rose made the tiny room feel darker and smaller. Every reflection in the mirror had a weird pink glow. My husband called it the “Pepto-Bismol room.” That settled it.
We stripped the walls and floor. The worst part? Demolition dust gets everywhere. I found pink dust in my coffee mug for a week. Totally worth it though. Removing old tile is messy but cathartic. Just wear a mask and goggles. And maybe earplugs, because that hammer drill is loud.
Choosing classic white subway tiles for small bathrooms
Subway tile is famous for a reason. It’s timeless, cheap, and easy to install yourself. We paid about $1.50 per square foot for basic white 3×6 subway tile from a big box store. That’s not crazy expensive. We used bright white with a slightly beveled edge (not flat, because flat shows every smudge).
I really wanted to try vertical stacking instead of the usual brick pattern. So we laid them vertically, like long columns. It makes the ceiling feel higher. In a room that’s barely 5 feet wide, that trick helps a ton. If you have a tiny bathroom, avoid horizontal patterns. They widen the room visually, but you want height, not width.
Another option if you’re on an even tighter budget: look for remnant tiles at flooring stores. People sell leftovers for pennies. Just make sure you buy enough (plus 10% extra for cuts and mistakes). I learned that the hard way when I ran short on a Sunday, and our only option was to drive 45 minutes to a different Home Depot.
Affordable hexagon floor tile options (we used, you can too)
We went with hexagonal porcelain mosaic tiles. 2-inch hexagons on a mesh sheet. They cost about $4 per square foot. Not the cheapest floor option, but for such a small bathroom (about 30 square feet), the total was under $150. We chose a dark charcoal color. Why? Because light floors in a small bathroom can look clean but also show every hair and water spot. Dark hides dust and grime like magic.
If hexagon is too trendy for you (no judgment, trends come and go), consider penny rounds or a simple geometric pattern. But honestly, hex is a classic that’s been around since the 1900s. It’s not going anywhere. Just make sure the tile is rated for floors, not walls. Porcelain is more durable than ceramic for floors.
- Budget tip: Use large-format hex sheets (12×12 inches) instead of tiny individual pieces. Cuts down on grout time.
- Annoying but necessary: Seal the grout after it dries. Especially dark grout. It’ll stain less.
- Personal weird aside: The guy at the tile store told me to use sanded grout for floors. I almost ignored him because I wanted unsanded. He was right. Sanded grout is stronger and less likely to crack. Listen to the tile guy.
Dark grout vs light grout for small bathrooms
We used charcoal grout with the white subway tile. That bold contrast is a major trend right now, but it’s also practical. Light grout on a bathroom wall? It gets dingy fast. Soap scum, mildew, you name it. With dark grout, you don’t have to scrub every tiny line. Just wipe and move on.
But there’s a catch: dark grout shows dust during installation. Literally after I finished grouting, the white tile looked gray from the haze. You have to buff it off with a damp sponge several times. My arms ached. Then I had to wait 24 hours and polish with a microfiber cloth. Worth it for the clean look, but no one warns you about the haze.
If you want less maintenance and you’re willing to clean more often, go with medium gray grout. It’s a compromise. But honestly, for a small bathroom tile before and after that pops? Dark grout all the way.
Tools and supplies you need for DIY tile (the honest list)
Ok so everyone says “you just need a trowel and a tile cutter.” That’s like saying you just need a spatula to cook a five-course meal. Here’s what we actually used:
- A wet saw (rented for $45 a day from the hardware store). A manual snap cutter works for straight cuts, but for those tricky hexagon edges, a wet saw saves your sanity.
- Notched trowel (1/4 inch for wall, 3/8 inch for floor). The size matters.
- Spacers (I used 1/8 inch for walls, 1/4 inch for floor because the hex tiles needed a little gap).
- Grout float, sponge, bucket, knee pads (don’t skip knee pads. Two days on your knees kills).
- Thinset mortar (white for white tile, gray for dark tile so it doesn’t show through).
- Level. A long one. You will check it obsessively. Then you’ll check it again.
One thing we didn’t buy but should have? A tile nipper for weird corner cuts. We used a cheap pair of pliers and chipped three tiles before giving up. DIY is about learning from mistakes, I guess.
Budget bathroom makeover tips from someone who messed up
Here’s a real talk moment. I tried to save money by not buying a trowel specifically for the floor tile. I used the same one from the walls. The notches were too small. My floor tiles didn’t stick well enough and I had to pull up two rows and redo them. That cost me three extra hours and a fresh bag of thinset. So yeah, buy the right tool.
Another mistake: we started tiling on a Friday evening. Big error. By Saturday night we were exhausted, and Sunday we had to rush through grouting. If you can, start on a Saturday morning. Give yourself two full days, maybe even three. Tiling is slow. Like, glacially slow when you’re a beginner.
And here’s a hyper-specific detail that sticks with me: our neighbor loaned us his wet saw. He smelled faintly of bacon. I don’t know why. But every time I think of this project, I smell bacon. Anyway, that saw saved us. So don’t be afraid to ask friends or neighbors. Or rent from a tool library if your city has one.
Final thoughts on this small bathroom tile transformation
Finished project? Night and day. The room feels bigger, brighter, and actually pleasant to be in. I sit on the toilet and admire the hexagon pattern. Weird? Maybe. But that’s what a good DIY does. It makes you proud of something you built with your own sore hands. Total cost? About $350 including tools we still own. A pro would have charged $1,500 at least.
If you’re sitting on an ugly bathroom thinking “someday,” just go for it. Start with the tile. It’s the biggest change for the smallest money. And if you need a pep talk or a tile cutter loan, I’m not your neighbor but I’m rooting for you. Save this for your own tiling project. I’d love to see your transformations!
#smallbathroom #bathroomtile #beforeandafter #diybathroom #budgetbathroom