Before and After: This Bathroom Refresh Shows What $100 Can Really Do

When you’re taking on more than one home renovation project, you’re going to have to prioritize. And when the bigger, more pressing projects keep getting top priority, that means smaller to do’s can get pushed to the bottom over and over again. That was the case for Kathryn Flynn, who figured when her family moved into their home that the kids’ bathroom would need some help. But, she says, “a kitchen and a master bath later the budget was dwindling.”

Two major improvements had helped her bide her time with the bathroom, which is shared by her three sons: first, replacing the old, dingy looking tan vinyl flooring with dark tile; and second, swapping out the seriously ’90s-tastic brass hardware on the vanity for a more modern nickel style. But still, the cream-colored walls and the white vanity paired with a dark laminate countertop left… a lot to be desired. Kathryn decided to see how far she could get with a max budget of $150.

Kathryn started by purchasing a sample pot of paint of charcoal gray paint (Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore). The darker tone looks way more sophisticated, and plays nicely off the dark floors. Next, Kathryn installed removable wallpaper with a geometric pattern by Tempaper to mimic the look of tile (“game changer!” she says). Kathryn swapped out the old rectangular mirror for a cool octagonal one. She says she was going to call it a day then—until she discovered she could spray paint the countertop with appliance epoxy in glossy white.

All told, Kathryn beat her modest budget, coming in at only $101 for the paint, paper, mirror, and epoxy. Best part? “I like that it’s bold and that if down the road I don’t like it, I can peel off the wallpaper and start over,” says Kathryn.

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