This summer we spent a lot of time focusing on the exterior of our home, transforming it into a magical oasis to host our outdoor wedding. It wasn't until about a month before the big day that I took a step into our tiny, drab bathroom and thought... this space can't look this way while we host guests! From there I was inspired by DIY Queen Cynthia Harper and her 2 Days 200 Dollar challenge.
The plan over the next year is to completely renovate our bathroom, but to save money and a big mess, I gave it a quick update on a budget and now I'm going to share the total cost and products I used throughout the process. Take a look at the before photos below! Lifeless wallpaper, a boring vanity, outdated accessories and a medicine cabinet from decades ago.
With only a $200 budget, I had to be strategic in what I purchased for this space and try to use some supplies on hand to make sure I stayed below my set goal amount. After going through my supply cabinet at home, I discovered I already had the paint for the walls and to redo the countertops. I also "shopped my home" for some of the styling pieces I could use for the finished space. This is truly such a fun way to switch things up in your home. Sometimes you even forget about items just laying around that now get a new chance to shine!
For the walls, I used a pure white, kitchen and bath paint from Home Hardware. Even though the walls were a neutral colour in this bathroom, brightening them up with a fresh coat of white paint ( my go to is Here Comes the Bride by Beauti-Tone) really made this tiny room feel much bigger. Since the space was small and I had the paint already, this was a zero dollar upgrade!
The next step was to refresh the countertop of the vanity. I didn't want to pay for a new counter since I'll be switching this out down the road anyway, so I went to my handy dandy appliance spray paint and made the old, discolored counter look brand new! This product is no joke. It requires protective gear and a lot of prep work but is a great, budget friendly way to update counters and appliances without breaking the bank. I will do a whole step-by-step blog post on that DIY soon. I also had this spray paint on hand from my last paint project so that didn't cost me anything either, but this type of paint runs for around $13 a can in Canada. Well worth it for these results though!
Vanity time! As you can see above, this was a small cabinet that needed to be painted so I didn't want to buy a quart of paint for such a small project. The best part about most hardware stores, is that they have sample size paints that you can purchase for a fraction of the price!! For testing wall colours with the lighting in your home or for small projects such as this one, you can't go wrong with the sample size. I picked up a $5 sample of Creamy Mushroom by Behr at the local Home Depot and I still have some to spare after a couple of coats and touch ups. It compliments the space perfectly and makes the countertop look so bright and new. A couple new handles were added to the doors as well completing this part of the makeover (under $10 for both)
Only a few more things to paint and then the fun part of the project comes next. I picked up a can of Metallic Gold spray paint to give the bathroom accessories some new life as well. Normally I would just shop for a new set but this time the tight budget only permitted a paint refresh. I bought the Rust-oleum paint and primer which costs $16. I was able to transform the toilet paper holder, towel racks and the light fixture using just one can.
Are we ready for the fun part?? Well actually you guys didn't get to come shopping with me, but I love styling the room too and making the vision come to life. I took a trip to Homesense, which could be dangerous on a budget, but I like the challenge and I found some pretty great pieces to add to the space. The list below outlines what I picked up and the total cost for this quick upgrade!
Shopping List- Bathroom Makeover
- Metallic Gold Spray Paint- $15.99
- Behr Sample Paint $5.00
- Gold Cabinet Handles $7.50 (3.75 each)
- Mirror $59.99
- Bath Mat $19.99
- Candle $12.99
- Toothbrush Holder $7.99
Plus HST
Total Cost.... $148.86
Wait!! I had money to spare! Cha Ching. Guess I'll reward myself with a bottle of wine.
Check out the final reveal below and if you have any questions about this project, make sure to drop them in the comments!
xo Megs
