#BudgetUpgrade

Pam B
by Pam B
$1400
4 Weeks
Medium
Master Bathroom Upgrade
Bathroom Before
The outdated bathroom in this Spanish-style home lacked personality befitting it's style. Gone: Country floral border, chrome lights and plumbing fixtures, medicine cabinets on either side of the vanity, mirror and carpeting... yes CARPETING! The bathroom also lacked seating to apply makeup and morning prep.
After. Ta-da!
Walls painted in Behr Toasted Oatmeal. I removed the bottom 4 drawers in the center of the vanity for a knee hole to sit comfortably. All plumbing fixtures for the sink, tub and shower replaced with Moen oil-rubbed bronze, and the cabinets stained. The Kilim seat is an ottoman was purchased from Esty.
Vanity transformation in progress
Removed drawers and floor of base cabinet, then lined back and sides with luan.
Cabinet doors
Stained with oil-based Jacobean (two coats). After letting stain sit on doors, dragged a rag down the length to give it rustic Spanish flair (show better in photo below). Made a template for placement of large upholstery tacks around the frame.
Cabinet completed!
Bye mirror and medicine cabinets!
The glue was easily scraped off using Goo Gone. Patched the holes from the medicine cabinets with sheet rock that I had laying around. To match the textured surface, I splotched thumbs full of mud on the wall, then made one swipe with a large trowel.
Ironically, the most challenging part of the project was finding mirrors to match the cabinets! After spending a day in Phoenix browsing many home decors store, I came home empty-handed and discouraged. I stumbled upon theses mirrors at Lowe's, of all places! Perfect size and color, and the fake clavos line up perfectly with the cabinet doors. How cool is that?
Block window above tub (before)
The aluminum frame lacked color and depth. The recessed can lights above the tub also had to go.
Block window after
I painted the frame with oil-rubbed bronze, and replaced the can lights with pendants that match the vanity lights below.
New vanity lights
Oil-rubbed bronze with orange glass globes. They glow so beautifully in the evening!
Painting the concrete pad
The expense of putting down tiles was not doable, so I decided to give paint a try. After removing the carpeting, scraped the glue off, removed all the tack strips, patched MANY holes and cracks, then cleaned and primed, using interior concrete specific materials. The 1/4" painters tape (ordered online) is put down before applying the coats of paint.
I can't believe it's not tile!
After painting the base coat with one color, I sponged on a second color, removed the painter's tape and voila! Grout lines! Topped off with a sealer mixed with sand.
Finishing touches
Attached baskets with wrought iron hooks to make up for storage space lost after removing drawers from the vanity base. Hanging above the tub, all my bathing essentials are in easy reach!
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