Budget-friendly bath makeover

Rosy-brown-neutral-bath-with-LED-mirror — *What’s new? Paint, vanity, hardware, light fixture, mirror, shelves, artwork and accessories. Links at end of post!*

Interested in a budget-friendly bathroom makeover? Read on for details of how I spent $1,700 to refresh our hall bath.

This bathroom redo was a long time coming. We’ve lived in our home for eight years, and this kids/guest bath was the only room where we hadn’t done any updates. I hadn’t wanted to put much effort into it knowing that it would get an overhaul eventually, because even though everything worked, it was a poor use of space – pedestal sinks have their place, and it’s not a high-traffic bathroom with a total lack of counter space and storage! This bathroom is mostly used by our three teenagers and any overnight guests, which meant the impractical sink had to go. That was my first priority.

I wanted the vanity to be the largest that the room could handle, with plenty of counter space and built-in storage. Having some space on either side of the vanity helps it to feel less crowded, and having some openness on the bottom (visible legs) does the same. I found one on clearance, with drawers (infinitely more usable than doors under a bathroom sink) that was a standard size of 36 inches wide. My guess is that the color combination of the vanity wood and hardware were why it was discounted, but I knew I could easily spray paint the handles the matte black color that I wanted. Also, I wanted a vanity with a counter that wasn’t marble (because it turns out I’m not good with upkeep on marble). While marble is GORGEOUS, staining is definitely an issue if you don’t clean and seal it regularly because of its porousness. Which to be clear, I’m bad at.

Next step was the mirror. When shopping for mirrors, I found some LED options that weren’t prohibitively expensive and loved not only the added lighting options (warm, cool, dim, bright), but the anti-fog feature. I opted for a frameless mirror to get full use of the lighting around the edge, not just the front. You guys, we love it! My kids love having a dimmer option on those early school mornings, my daughter can see well enough to do makeup, and it’s honestly just fun to choose your lighting when staring at yourself in a mirror. The only cons are that it will always look exactly like an LED mirror. There’s no getting around it, and there’s a chance it will look dated in 5 years. BUT, it wouldn’t be costly to replace if we ever get over the novelty. Remember, we have a fairly cookie cutter 1970s home, so we’re not exactly going for historic detail as we update each space. If you do have a historic home, where you’re going for a more timeless and classic look, I would advise against an LED mirror. For a recent log home renovation we helped with, we decided it would look out of place and opted for a few different lighting options instead.

Knowing we were getting the LED mirror gave me more wiggle room when choosing the overhead light. Yes, I do think it will always look better and more finished to have additional lighting around the mirror, even when it’s LED. However, I was able to choose a light based more on looks than purely function/brightness, and went with a matte black finish to coordinate with the faucet, drawer pulls and hooks. I love the clean lines and conical shape of this AllModern light, and it’s got a touch of gold, a color that shows up in various ways throughout my house.

I originally planned to buy an enclosed linen cabinet for the space next to the vanity to maximize storage, but it wasn’t looking right on my mood board. Thanks to Carrie’s good advice, I looked for more open shelves so that it didn’t feel too blocky and also opened up an area for some decor. Bathrooms are so utilitarian and full of hard surfaces, that having a few small spots for artwork, linens or some personalization goes a long way in making it feel more homey. These ladder shelves from Wayfair were just the right size! Every room should have greenery somewhere (fake is fine) and most everything else on the shelves is utilitarian. I like having items people might need when visiting within view, but displayed in a pleasing way. The greenery, baskets, glass and linens all add texture, and the cute first aid kit is full of first aid supplies.

*Just because it’s practical doesn’t mean it can’t be cute!*

I was ready for something altogether different for my paint color. I adore lots of color, and a bathroom is a great place to take some risks on your walls because of its size. I’d seen this color (Mulberry Silk by Sherwin Williams) in a friend’s home, and ended up using it in the bathroom. While I found lots of shades I loved, some more maroon, some more berry, some more terra cotta, I settled with Mulberry Silk because it still has plenty of depth without being too dark. I like the rosy brown hue and needed a break from all the cool colors throughout most of my home. The takeaway: don’t be afraid to copy your friends’ good taste!

The other changes I made were fairly small, but still improved how we use the space greatly. We added a towel hook next to the shower and a few more on the back of the door. We replaced the shower head with a larger rain shower model. I bought a rug that reviewers loved for its softness and got the right size rug pad so it stays in place. I’m slowly adding bins within the vanity drawers to keep everyone’s toiletries organized. And, I even found a spot for my grandmother’s quirky embroidery art. Thelma LaVerne “Bobbie” Rollins would be proud!

– Emily + Carrie