We upgraded our bathrooms! When we purchased our home, we knew those 90s builder-grade bathrooms with seashell sinks wouldn’t stay long, but also knew we wouldn’t have the means for full bathroom renovations; those can be very costly. So we chose to tackle the things that would have the biggest impact: paint, flooring, and vanity.
For our relatively small home, we made the decision to style our master and guest bathrooms identically, to keep the flow of the house consistent on the main floor. Down the road if we add a half bath on our lower level, I would probably change up the design for a little variety.
I wanted our bathrooms to feel light and fresh, so we chose to stick with the white paint (Sherwin Williams Alabaster) that is carried through the main portion of our home. By just painting the walls and ceilings a fresh coat of white, it created the sense of a new space.
The flooring we replaced in the master bathroom was a cheap laminate flooring that wasn’t installed properly in the first place. I was very happy to see that flooring go! We replaced the old laminate with a grey hexagon tile from Lowe’s. It’s simple and neutral but adds a punch of texture to the space.
I recommend shopping around for tile installers and receiving multiple bids for your project, as the cost drastically changes! We had three different companies quote us before we chose a tile contractor. Of course, you could always save more if you chose to do it yourself. As much as I love DIY projects, we chose to hire this one out because of time and intricacies of the hexagon-shaped tile.
Unfortunately our old vanities weren’t worth salvaging, and we had to replace them completely. But if you have a vanity that is in good shape, consider painting instead of replacing to save money. A fresh coat of paint and new hardware can make it feel brand new! We shopped around for bathroom vanities, and prices were extremely high due to the pandemic. We kept our eye on a couple vanities we liked in our budget and waited till we saw a price reduction before purchasing.
A few places where we saved during our renovation was keeping our toilet fixtures; they were in great shape and had no need to be replaced. All drywall and wall repairs we did ourselves. We kept our tub/shower ‘as is’ which really helped make this project attainable. Any task you can check off yourself without hiring out will go a long way.
Although we would like to upgrade the showers at some point down the road, it didn’t make sense for us right now, and with all of our changes, it still feels like a new bathroom. If you’re considering upgrading your bathroom, but don’t know where to start, here are some things to consider:
-Realistic budget – what can I afford to do?
-What items can I keep and work with (For ex: repurposing a vanity or painting outdated tile floors)
-Would a fresh coat of paint or fun wallpaper drastically change this space?
-Bringing in fresh decor like new hardware, shelving, or a fun vanity mirror
-Can I declutter or make simple swaps? (For ex: labeled soap dispenser instead of store-bought plastic, fresh white towels displayed nicely, greenery, add baskets for a more tidy look to hide bathroom products).
Giving your space a fresh reset doesn’t have to be costly, sometimes the smallest change can make a huge impact!
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