This Luxe Bathroom Transformation Has the Coolest DIY Mirror I’ve Ever Seen
If you think about it, the bathroom is a room that helps us look and feel our best — after all, a lot of self-pampering (whether you’re getting ready to go out or getting ready to relax in bed) takes place there. It’s only fitting to ensure that it’s a place you feel comfortable spending plenty of time in, and that was a major objective for DIYer Erika Mathews (@the.elm.house) when it came to redoing her bathroom.
“Before we had a builder grade bathroom with beige faux marble tiles, stark white walls, and no decor,” Erika says. “I added shelves in 2020, but the whole space felt sad and bare.” She was hoping to take something lackluster and make it feel a little more luxe during the Spring 2024 One Room Challenge.
“I’m not a low-maintenance girl, so I spend a lot of time in the bathroom!” Erika says. “I wanted a space to do my skincare and makeup that felt cozy, inviting, and serene.” And not only did the space need to work for Erika, it also needed to work for her 8- and 10-year old kids with whom she shares the space.
Here are three ways that Mathews turned her bathroom into a renter-friendly, vintage-inspired getaway on a budget.
Floral wallpaper brings the charm.
One of the major changes that Erika made to her bathroom was covering its bare walls with floral wallpaper that would make any cottagecore enthusiast starry-eyed. However, this was her first time installing wallpaper panels, and she says it was “by far the most challenging part.”
“I had a pretty big setback when I messed up and left big jagged gaps between the panels,” Erika says. “I had to tear down the wallpaper and completely start over, but I learned so much in the process. It was an expensive mistake, but worth the results! The wallpaper is a showstopper and a personal reminder that I can overcome any obstacle.”
A DIY medicine cabinet adds storage.
Storage solutions are key when three people are sharing a bathroom. Luckily, Erika was able to create storage out of thin air by fashioning her own medicine cabinet mirror, a DIY she calls “surprisingly easy.”
“I spent a lot of sleepless nights worrying about how that would work,” she says. “But when I finally sat down to do it, I was happy with how smoothly it went.”
Erika took a trendy gold-framed mirror, added hinges and MDF, and attached it to inset shelving. “I cut my MDF to the shape of the back of the mirror, and glued it on with Gorilla Glue adhesive,” Erika explains on Instagram. “Then I painted it the color of the cabinet and attached the hinges. I used anchors in the wall (you can skip this if there is a stud where you need it) and drilled it in, making sure it was centered to the vanity and light fixture.”
Faux brass details add vintage vibes on a budget.
Redoing her bathroom meant that Erika got to complete a project that she’d been dreaming of for ages: making budget-friendly faux brass shelf rails to tie the room’s vintage charm together. She did this with wooden dowels that she spray-painted gold.
“They are a great dupe for anyone who can’t afford the real thing,” she says. “I also upcycled a Facebook Marketplace vanity [with a marble top] to have a faux wood look and added antique brass details.” A couple other DIY solutions that elevate the space? Adding beadboard and painting it green, adding a new brass faucet, and painting the shower tile white with a tub and tile kit.
“My advice for anyone on a budget is to spend the time looking for solutions, and don’t rush into purchases,” Erika says.
This project was completed for the Spring 2024 One Room Challenge, in partnership with Apartment Therapy.
See even more of the One Room Challenge before and afters here. Inspired? Submit your own project here.