Before and After: An Impractical Bathroom Gets a Bold-Yet-Functional $500 Refresh
Recently-upgraded builder-grade bathrooms will get the job done, but they’re not exactly packed with personality. (For example, frosted light fixtures, frameless mirrors, and faucets with singular teardrop-shaped crystal knobs will surely ring a bell for many.)
Renters Alison Marshall and Adam Stone’s (@stone.family.home) bathroom had some upgrades in 2016 after some plumbing issues, but they didn’t get to pick out any of the finishes for it. “The space had never felt like ‘us,'” Alison says. “The room felt cold and was lacking any style or personality.”
Not only that, but there wasn’t an outlet in the space — it wasn’t included in the house’s original build in 1960, and the 2016 upgrades didn’t address it, either.
“We had to run an extension cord from our nearby laundry room which was an eyesore and a hazard,” Alison explains. “The biggest factor in making the change was the arrival of our daughter in March 2021. We never started work on it until around the time she started crawling in November. We knew the extension cord would be a hazard for her, and it wasn’t exactly safe or to code.”
Alison and Adam spent eight weeks and about $500 revamping the space with the help of Alison’s dad, Geoff, who is also their landlord. The first step in their process? Decluttering. “We started with removing everything off the walls,” Alison says. “There was quite a bit of junk in the vanity like expired products and other things we never used.”
After that, Adam painted the space, although in hindsight, Alison says she wishes they would’ve waited to paint until some of their other projects in the space were complete. “He then needed to add the much-needed electrical outlet, and it created extra work having to go back again and paint and plaster,” she recalls.
But she loves the new green paint color they chose: Behr’s Celtic Queen. “The only thing I would do differently is go with an eggshell paint finish instead of satin,” she says. “I don’t love the shininess of the walls and how it highlights all the imperfections.”
But the green helped her vision come to life: “I am most proud of the fact that we did what we set out to do,” she says. “I had a dream for the space, which turned into a plan, which then turned into a to-do list. I had envisioned an emerald green for the walls, and it turned out better than I was expecting.”
She likes that the color looks different throughout the day and with lights on or off or with a candle lit. “I also love the style of the room now, it is much more suited to what I love — modern with a touch of boho,” Alison says.
Her new black accents, like the new frame above the toilet, the faucet, shower curtain rods, and hanging elements, help to add modern, clean lines. (Adam spray painted some existing metal accents black to help everything look cohesive.) The new rug and natural textures bring the boho vibes.
Alison also added storage throughout that helps with the day-to-day use of the space. Her new circular Umbra mirror has storage behind it and is one of her new favorite parts of the project. The storage bins hanging next to the mirror were also game-changers, she says.
“I can’t believe we never had a towel hook right here the whole time,” she wrote on Instagram. “I never thought about keeping extra bars of soap and face cloths next to the shower for when we need them. This little update just makes so much sense.”
Her advice to future renovators is this: “Think about how you want to feel when you’re in there, and then work a design off of that. Make a mood board for the project so you can see how the design elements will look together.”
And lastly, she says, “Be easy on yourself, and don’t try to rush to get it done as soon as possible.”
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