Raise your hand if you know all too well the situation of having a to-do list a mile long but getting the sudden desire to tackle something totally not on that list, or anywhere near being on the list for that matter, instead. Like, some force is just shoving you toward that other, utterly non-essential project with the utmost urgency.
Several weeks ago now, as I reviewed my list of one hundred house projects I could or should have been working on, a little bug hopped in my ear and started chirping, “Forget the list – go redo the bathroom! Work on the bathroom instead! You know that’s what matters the most right this minute!”
And so, I complied.
Yes, I ditched anything and everything else I could be doing to instead throw all of my attention into a room that I hadn’t plan on touching until well after all of our other home ventures were crossed off and done with.
But I’m happy to say… I’m glad I did it.
This project – which made a huge difference – was quick, affordable, and somewhat painless, and I was able to wrap it up in a weekend – way quicker than it took me to finish our small bathroom.
I’m not going to lie, though, this bathroom is tiny, too. It’s definitely the one space in our home that I’d renovate and make way bigger, if I could.
For now though, I focused on brightening it up and making it feel more spacious!
When we first moved in, the walls were painted a very pale robin’s egg blue color. I painted over those, sometime last year, to freshen it up a bit, but in my lack of painting know-how back then, I painted the trim the same color as the walls and ceiling, in the same finish.
So my first area to tackle was going over the trim and baseboards with a coat of fresh, white, high gloss paint that we’ve been using throughout our home. That, paired with swapping out the existing switch and outlet covers for brand new bright white ones, instantly freshened up the room and has been so much easier to clean up over the past few weeks than the paint I’d used earlier.
After that, I decided to tackle the vanity. While we can’t afford to totally swap out this piece right now, I wanted to give it a bit of a makeover and try to add some character.
I decided to change up the colors and completely makeover the top, taking it from dark to bright white, using a tub and tile refinishing kit. This was the most time consuming and tricky process in the bathroom update – application took some getting used to and it didn’t turn out perfect, but I still love it and it’s holding up well so far!
From there, I painted the bottom portion of the piece a light green and added some hardware to the drawers and cabinets (they proved very difficult to open without any pulls!)
The final major change-up was the floor. I’ve been struggling with the tile in our bathroom since we moved in – not for its looks, but because no matter how much I vacuumed and Swiffered and mopped it down (almost daily), it showed every single speck of hair and dust that came into contact it immediately after and built up quick.
I didn’t have the experience, money, or time to invest in a major overhaul of tearing it up and replacing it, so I landed on some super affordable cut-to-size peel, and stick vinyl that I am absolutely in LOVE with (though I have a few areas to re-do as my cuts were a bit off!)
Seriously, I’m planning on buying even more to use in our basement later! I was worried about it getting less sticky over time, pulling away from the floor or warping with how humid and wet it gets in such a tiny bathroom, but it’s held up like a champ so far. It’s easy to clean and doesn’t show the dust and hair that it does collect nearly as much as the blue tile. Win-win!
I finished this little bathroom makeover with an updated shower curtain, rug, toilet seat, soap dispenser, and hand towel – which I always think are the cheapest, quickest items to swap out if you’re looking to instantly update a bathroom and make it feel extra fresh and cozy. Tip if you have a small bathroom: Go for a shower curtain that doubles as a liner so you can keep it tucked inside of the tub and make the space around it look just a little bigger!
I also invested in a new shower rod – as our old one was so rusty I was wiping it down every few days – and a new stand for toilet roll. I went with brushed nickel for these (and for the vanity’s hardware.)
I had snagged the piece above the toilet on clearance at Gordman’s several months ago and it had been hanging in our mudroom, but I just couldn’t stop picturing it in this space instead, and I think it works perfectly!
A small, boxed mirror hung on the empty wall adds some depth to the room when you first walk in.
A few glass containers for holding cotton pads and Q-tips saves us precious cabinet space, and a healthy amount of plants (both fake and living) on the ledge above the shower bring some life and a pop of color into the room.
I’m so in love with this space now. It feels so fresh and airy and clean compared to what we were dealing with just a few short weeks ago.
Now, if you’ll pardon me, I’m going to run a hot bath and enjoy it!
xo, Aly
Sources: Valspar Ultra-White high gloss paint (used on trim and baseboards), Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile refinishing kit (used on sink countertop), Olympic Photo Grey paint (used on vanity), vanity hardware, peel and stick vinyl flooring, shower curtain, hand towel, boxed mirror found at Hobby Lobby, flower wall art found at Gordmans, glass containers, soap dispenser.
You are your mother’s child. Or, your father’s daughter. Or, your brother’s sister. Our inability to stay on task is at once a gift and a terrible inconvenience. Great work on the bathroom though! It looks phenomenal.
Your bathroom looks so fresh and clean. Great job !
Thank you both! 🙂