Old wallpaper, faux brass fixtures, and dark paneling made this farmhouse bathroom feel a little dreary and uninviting. Fortunately, the bones for a lighter, brighter bath were all in place, and the blogger at Thistlewood Farms was ready and willing to give the space just the TLC it needed.

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Once the wallpaper came down, a pleasing shade of bluish-gray paint went up in its place. Together with the newly white wainscoting, lighter colors transformed the room almost instantly. A well-placed dresser provides much-needed built-in storage, while friendly hand-painted signs reminding visitors to brush and floss add charm to the once-bare walls.

Related: 12 Easy Ways to Boost Bathroom Storage

Probably considered glamorous in its heyday, this shiny, posh, and undeniably orange bathroom seen on Fly Through Our Window was in desperate need of modernization. But where to start when you're not springing for a complete overhaul?

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While it's hard to believe when you see the after photos, most of the elements were untouched. The floors, tub, tile, cabinets, sink, and countertop—yes, even the orange countertop—all remain. Replacing the gaudy foil wallpaper with a paintable vinyl successor and painting the cabinet base white accomplished most of the heavy lifting, while the warm hues in the contemporary fabric choices tie the reimagined orange scheme together.

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There weren't necessarily any serious design missteps in the bathroom at the Thrifty and Chic household—in fact, the room's accessories complemented the colors of the countertop and cabinets well enough to get by. But sometimes you just want to wow guests in the one room they are sure to visit.

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A few cosmetic changes made all the difference! The inexpensive DIY board-and-batten treatment gives the room a bright facelift, while accents like a floral shower curtain, glass canisters, and handcrafted mirror frame flesh out the fresh new style.

Related: 20 Ways to Make a Small Bathroom Big

This bathroom from the blog The Long and Short of It looks like a perfect makeover candidate, but with all that tile, it's hard to imagine getting results without some serious renovation work. 

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Rather than going through the labor-intensive process of ripping out and replacing the wall and floor tiles, this thrifty blogger had them painted, lightening and updating the room's ambience. Echoing the new sleek design, the vanity got a paint job as well as a new countertop—but one that incurred minimal effort and expense: This pristine marble slab came from the remnant yard of a local granite fabricator.

Related: Buyer’s Guide—Granite Countertops

The "before" state of this bathroom reflected its obvious shoestring budget: cheap laminate, vinyl flooring, and apartment-grade fixtures. But by focusing on the vanity (and thinking outside the box), the homeowner at Addicted 2 Decorating had big plans to take the decor from sad '70s to sweet and stylish.

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Holy transformation, Batman! Beneath the updated vanity light, a new mirror now smiles back, defined by a border of cheery mosaic tiles. And that old laminate countertop? It won't be missed—the new surface proudly boasts a row of stained cedar fence pickets.

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