Over the weekend I rolled up my sleeves, busted out the frog tape and roped in my husband. The #2day200dollar challenge was in full swing, and I successfully tackled a mini-makeover on our upstairs bathroom. I had been planning, budgeting and shopping for weeks – and after a weekend of work, I was able to successfully bring this project to life.
The black ceiling plays
Savvy shopping aside for a moment – the biggest transformation in this room has to be the paint. The walls are PPG Delicate White (this is the white used on trim and walls throughout my entire house) and the ceiling is Benjamin Moore, Onyx. Whenever you’re painting a dark accent wall, I recommend painting it first and using frog tape to prep the space – that way if you make any mistakes over the black it is with a lighter color. I absolutely LOVE what the black ceiling adds to the space, and how much taller and larger it makes this little room feel.
eeny meeny miney mo
I sanded, I painted, I styled! But before any work could be completed in the space, the shopping list had to be finalized. I identified two “big ticket” items early on that I desperately wanted to replace as part of this $200 makeover – the dated chrome faucet and the builder-grade frameless mirror. Problem was, if I purchased both, I wouldn’t be left much budget for anything else. I had to choose one. After some crafty shopping and weighing the pro’s and con’s… I went with the mirror! And I’m so glad I did.
The Budget Breakdown
After making that decision, the rest of the items needed to pull this off came together for a total of $203. Although the bathroom is tiny, the to-do list was pretty long – in between tasks and taking care of a sick 6-month old, this definitely took the most of 2 days!
DIYers beware
It’s important to note that in addition to the artwork, some towels, a gold basket and a plant stolen from the kitchen – I also already had everything needed to paint the room itself. From paint, paint brushes, plastic and frog tape to screws, putty and sanding blocks, it takes a lot of supplies to prep and paint a room – no matter the size. These items could add up to about $100- $200 depending on the size of your room – so be prepared to include them in your budget if you don’t have them.
You really don’t need a big budget to make a big impact. While I was able to face lift this bathroom with $200, – I’m already scheming about which additional items (insta-famous threshold stool, anyone?) and updates (i’m coming for you, chrome faucet!!) I want to get to bring this bathroom to the next level. #4days400dollars, anyone? Learn more about and shop some of the key pieces in this transformation below. Any questions about design or process, just ask!
Not only was replacing the old mirror the most expensive item of the project, but it was also the most time consuming. Prying a frameless mirror off that has been glued directly onto the wall is no joke. It took a million shims, patience and a lot of manpower to get it down – and even more patience to prepare the damaged wall it left behind. But the hard work definitely paid off. I know I’ve talked about it a lot – but as a reminder, I scored this mirror for $84 during the World Market friends and family sale and it is worth every penny. It completely transforms the space.
The star of the show, the piece that started it all! This rug is so soft, and the asymmetric shape works well in the tight space. The zebra print is unexpected, and makes this room feel creative and eclectic – exactly the playful vibe I was going for!
I got this towel for a steal! It was marked down t $6.99 from $17.99 plus I had 20% off – so it was under $6 in the end. I love how I can bring the pattern in from other rooms in my house but in a fun playful color that brings out the warmth of the wood.
I had 20% off on this towel as well, which was already marked down. It came to just under $4.
It’s so important to me that Hart’s bathroom feel playful and young. There is definitely a wild animal theme going on in here – so I definitely had to include Hart’s namesake animal (Hart is old english and means “Stag”). This little stag hook looks so cute holding a hand towel.
I purchased a pack of 2 of these towel ladders awhile back, with plans to put them in different places in the house. I Just knew one belonged in this space to hold extra towels and add some visual interest to the wall. I love how the black metal contrasts next to the mirror and draws the eye up to the black ceiling. I removed the rubber feet from the ladder so it looks more chic, but it is well-worth the $25 price tag.
H&M does a really great job of creating cohesive lines and themes in their home decor pieces.This gold and glass amber soap pump is a great size and shape and works perfectly with the hand towels. I wish I would have purchased another one for lotion… I still might.
It wanted this bathroom to feel cohesive with Hart’s room, so I knew a buffalo check shower curtain was a must. Finding a buffalo check shower curtain is easy. Finding one that arrives actually looking like the black and white one pictured online? Not so much. This is the 3rd shower curtain I tried out from Amazon – the first looked purple and the second was tiny gingham in real life. This one does the job and was definitely reasonably priced, but I still wish the buffalo check was a larger print.
These handles are by no means real brass, solid, heavy, or high quality. But I like how they look and they were cheap. They also had the same distance between the screws as the last bin pull knobs which meant I could recycle the previous screw holes. Not having to sand and repaint cabinets is always a win as far as I’m concerned.
