DIY: Bathroom Makeover on a Budget

My main bath is finally complete!! I’m so happy about this one because not only was it done on a tight budget but we literally created magic with just paint and a few minor modifications to the vanity.

This project was quite the challenge. For the most part, I was able to come up with a creative way to use what we had. There was no room in the budget to lay new tile, replace the vanity or even buy new accessories (okay maybe I purchased a new rug!). I had to find a way to make this awkward pink bathroom blend in with the rest of our modern decor.

Here’s what we did.

For starters, the pink walls are no longer pink. The quickest way to transform any space is with a can of paint. I chose the colour white, ONE, because I had it on hand, TWO, white seamlessly blends in with our somewhat neutral tile and THREE, it’s the easiest way to brighten up a dull space.

The vanity went through the biggest transformation in this bathroom. Not only did we paint the cabinets a dark shade, we repositioned the hardware to centre of the doors and replaced the dated countertop, sink and faucet. In case you’re wondering, it’s not marble, it’s a laminate countertop! You can check out all details about this vanity here.

If you noticed the big hole in the wall in the “before” image, this was home to the world’s most hideous built-in medicine cabinet. Since storage is not an issue in this space, hubs ripped it out and patched with drywall for a clean updated look.

To dress up the mirror, we framed it with stained pieces of 1″ x 2″ wood strapping (which can be found at your local hardware store).  This is absolutely my favourite way to modernize an old mirror—simply cut the strapping to size and nail to the wall encasing the mirror. It’s easy to do, costs only $6 and looks freaking amazing.

The light fixture remains the same with the exception of the light shades. I replaced them with something a little less traditional.

The tile floor may look a little different and that’s because I took 10 years off them! By far, this is one of the most clever projects I’ve completed to date. I simply used white acrylic paint to cover all the beige grout…and NO it won’t wash off. It’s amazing how this little trick (that cost me less than $2 to do) made all the difference. I highly recommend it! Check out all the details here.

There were no changes made to the shower except replacing the shower head with something we had on hand already. That’s the great thing about doing so many renos, you tend to have a basement filled with leftover materials.

A lot of the items found in this bathroom are from my previous home such as this floor-to-ceiling shower curtain that I’ve created.  I love the height and pop of colour it adds to the space.

Also another DIY project, the bath stool! Again using scrap pieces of wood from our stash, we created this little seat. Perfect for sitting when giving the little one a bath or to hold your big glass of wine and book 🙂

Cost Breakdown:

Paint/Stain: (already had) $0
Cabinet Pulls/Sink/Shower Head: (already had) $0
Countertop: Belanger Calacatta Laminate $109
Mirror Frame: $6
Faucet: $150
Light Shades: $10
Grout Refresh: $2
Rug: $25
Hooks: $20
Remaining Accessories: (already had) $0
Grand Total: $322

When it comes to bathroom revamps, it’s easy to spend double the amount you initially had in mind. If you’re on a tight budget, just remember to replace only the things that absolutely need it. Find alternative solutions to update the remaining items in the space whether that means repainting, repurposing or even building things like your very own vanity.

When there’s a will, there’s a way!