Before and After: A Run-of-the-Mill Bathroom Gets an Elegant, DIY Upgrade
When DIY home blogger Sara Davis decided to renovate her daughter’s bathroom, it was about more than pleasing a 7-year-old. The space, which wasn’t in terrible shape—it was just “very ’90s and bland,” she says—is shared by overnight guests, so it had to be welcoming to all. Plus, Sara wanted it to be something her daughter could grow into.
To get the “classic, elegant, and timeless” look she had in mind, Sara picked out two different types of white tiles: mosaic for the floor and subway for an accent wall (in a unique twist, she laid the subway tiles in a herringbone pattern). Then, she opted for a playful and bright wallpaper that could be removed or swapped out as her daughter’s tastes change. Finally, bronze sconces and a deep blue vanity with a marble top finished the room off with style.
Sara began the renovation process by searching for inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest. “Once I have a design direction, I begin sourcing products online and create a design board that fits within my design direction and budget,” she says. The next challenge was tackling much of the bathroom demolition on her own. She also enlisted the help of family and friends when it came to rewiring, plumbing, and painting—a great way to renovate within your budget. (Sara’s recommendations for inspiring others’ help: set a time that works for them, offer your help for their next project, and take them to dinner.)
Even with a DIY approach and some talented friends, home remodels can still be pricey. If upfront expenses on materials and labor present too big a hurdle, one option is a fixed-rate personal loan to cover project costs. Lenders like Discover, for example, offer personal loans up to $35,000 with no collateral needed to secure the loan. You choose the amount you need as well as the repayment term that best fits your remodel budget. If your application is approved, funds can be sent as early as the next business day after acceptance.
“Never in a million years did I think I would be renovating a bathroom entirely on my own,” says Sara, who started home DIYs with simple painting projects and worked her way up to more complicated endeavors (her first retiling project was the backsplash in her laundry room, a space that isn’t as visible). “Start small, and gain confidence and knowledge before moving on to the next project level,” she suggests. DIY projects can be extremely rewarding. “When you create a space that you love with your own two hands, it’s twice as special.”
If lack of funds is holding you back from starting your remodel, you might consider whether a personal loan is right for you. For your first step, Discover lets you check your personal loan interest rate without any impact to your credit score. Sara’s advice: “Don’t wait, just start creating.”