Before and After: It’s Hard to Believe This Dramatic Bathroom Redo Cost Just $800
Some projects have to happen because the current situation is unbearably bad, but a lot of projects lie in wait because the space is just OK. At Lacy Hoysradt’s home, the bathroom was functional but a real drag: “This little bathroom in all of its builder-grade glory was drowning in shades of beige and boring,” says Lacy. “The mirror was your basic rectangle mirror and the tile was drab. The cabinets were stained a dark color and the lighting was awful.”
There had been talks for a year about upgrading the existing bathroom, “but I always figured it would be too expensive or that I couldn’t do it myself,” Lacy says. Finally, though, she decided to take the plunge, with the words of Theodore Roosevelt—”Do what you can with what you have where you are”—as her motto. “I think it’s important that we make the house we’re in now to a home we truly love and stop waiting for that “perfect” future house,” Lacy says. (We agree!)
The whole process took six weeks and just $800—though the transformation is huge. Lacy did all of the work herself, getting occasional help from her husband and parents. After removing the plain mirror, she covered the wall in faux shiplap that she painted fresh white (Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace).
Then, she hung two new matching mirrors from Target as well as a schoolhouse-inspired vanity light from Amazon. The vanity got a coat of light gray (Sherwin-Williams’s Agreeable Gray) and new black hardware from Amazon. Lacy decided to spray paint the faucet matte black rather than replace it, to help save on budget.
The biggest task? Painting the tile floor and the tile in the shower. Lacy started with about three coats of white on all the tile, then used a stencil to paint the design in black on top. “It was a tedious and detailed process but definitely so worth it,” Lacy says.
Other adds: a Scandi-modern towel bar and hooks, and artwork sourced from Etsy and printed at Office Depot.
“I love everything about the after,” Lacy says. “I love that everything was do-it-yourself and I did everything on a budget. To me, it’s a little bit funky and a lot a bit fun. It has some boho vibes and some modern vibes but is still very chic. It’s a beautiful and functional bathroom that you actually want to spend time in now. The only thing I would do differently is doing it a lot sooner!”
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