Transforming a Crusty Half Bath into Timeless Elegance
Imagine waking up to find mold lurking in your half bathroom vanity. That's the surprise we faced one morning in our new home, with less than three months of living in it. With plans for gradual renovations, we hadn't anticipated needing to tackle the bathroom just yet. But when mold reared its ugly head, we knew we couldn't wait. Armed with a budget of under $400 and a whole lot of determination (I am, in fact a Capricorn) we dove headfirst into the world of bathroom renovation. Our intention? To breathe new life into our tired old bathroom without breaking the bank, or losing my full sanity.
Without hesitation, we removed the moldy vanity and the dated 1990s toilet. To our relief, the bathroom tiles were surprisingly resilient, begging for a makeover. With sustainability and cost in mind, we decided to work with what we had instead of starting from scratch.
I set out to transform the space without a costly, unnecessary demolition. Inspired by our intention, I curated a mood board to guide our design choices. I opted to preserve the tiles and enhance them with Milton & King's Cranes in Flights woven wallpaper for a touch of elegance, this wallpaper was heavy but and such a pleasure to work with.
The stunning wallpaper samples
Equipped with essential supplies like sandpaper and wall glue, we scuffed the tiles to prepare them for wallpapering. Working with the high-quality materials provided by Milton & King, the wallpapering process was surprisingly straightforward. Despite the bathroom's irregular shape, we were able to achieve a seamless finish.
Installing the new toilet was a breeze, but mounting the vintage-inspired light fixture proved tricky when the ground wire disappeared behind the freshly wallpapered wall. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't retrieve it ourselves. We even ordered an endoscopy like camera to see into the walls. In the end, we called in a licensed electrician to tackle adding a new ground wire and removing an ancient hard wired toe kick heater.
With the technical hurdles overcome, I turned our attention to the details. Thrifted treasures, like a stunning ornate gold leaf mirror and a vintage brass bow hook, added personality to the space, tying together my vintage-inspired design.
In the end, our half bathroom underwent a remarkable transformation. By embracing creativity and resourcefulness, we achieved a stunning renovation on a budget of under $400. Ready to embark on your own DIY adventure? Follow our step-by-step guide and discover how you can transform your space without breaking the bank. What started as a simple renovation project had become so much more – a testament to our creativity, resilience, and love for our home.
