Before and After: An Old, Crumbling Guest Bathroom Gets a Luxe Upgrade for $800

Over the past few years, shiplap has become an increasingly popular choice for interior walls. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a kind of wooden board that’s often used for constructing sheds, barns, and other rustic buildings. Traditional shiplap has grooves that give it the distinct appearance of having horizontal lines.

The material is popular in kitchens and dining rooms, but it works well in a bathroom, too, and can be a great replacement for broken tiles.

That’s what Pedro Blanco did with his outdated 15-year-old guest bathroom. Between old wall tiles, cracked floor tiles, and a broken cabinet, the space was in desperate need of a refresh.

When the pandemic hit, many people were looking for new household DIY projects due to spending more time at home. Pedro was one of those people — and the guest bathroom was his first priority.

Pedro spent two weekends stripping the cracked tiles from the walls and replaced them with bright white tile and white shiplap.

Next, he upgraded the cabinet to a bold blue vanity that contrasts the clean, bright walls perfectly. The marble countertop is a play on the new marble tile floors. The gold accents found in the mirror, wall art, faucet, and hardware add a luxe element to the room.

Pedro didn’t bring in any outside help, and the project totaled around $800.

“It looks like a really new bathroom,” Pedro says. “It’s difficult to think we made it with just a couple of hundred dollars.”

Inspired? Submit your own project here.