TOUR MY
Downstairs Bathroom
From an outdated, cramped 1/2 bath to a gorgeous and more functional 3/4
The above picture is the ‘before.’ This crowded little bathroom + laundry has never worked well for us.
We created more space in there by moving the laundry out into the breakfast nook area. That gave us enough room to add a shower and create more space for the toilet. The change cut into our breakfast nook, but the new laundry area and breakfast nook is so much more functional that it was a good compromise.
When we finish the sunporch, just down the hall from the bathroom, we’re making that room a living room with a pull-out couch. So, this whole section of the house can become either a new living space for us or a mini-suite for overnight guests.
This change has added some much-needed functionality to the house and it should add some resale value for when we decide to sell. Which isn’t happening anytime soon, but still.
Here’s what we did to change this bathroom from ho-hum into a stunner.
Topics covered here
Overview
Before & Afters
All the Details
Room Views
Shopping Links
PROJECT overview
JUST THE FACTS, MAM
Because we hired out the carpentry and plumbing, the cost to renovate this room was second only to the kitchen
COST BREAKDOWN
Carpentry, Plumbing: $9800
Appliances: $278
Wall art: $260
Paint Supplies: $35
Lighting Fixture: $110
Hardware: $77
Decor: $405
Furniture: $515
Window Treatments: $108
Organization: $248
Flooring (tile): $100
TOTAL: $11,828
Money doesn’t grow on trees. So how did we pay for this? Check out my post 6 Ways You Can Finance Your Renovation and I’ll fill you in!
Time to complete: 6 months
We started in November but had to stop work for 6 weeks or so in December due to a death in the family, so the timeline got extended out longer than we had expected.
Nov ’17 – May ’18 Moved the laundry to its new location & pulled out the toilet, sink & floor. Installed the new floor, shower, vanity and toilet.
Problems & Challenges
The biggest problem we had with this room was that the timing. We had to start and stop a few times due to other personal commitments. But it was worth the wait!
For (non-affiliate) links to my purchases, see Shopping Link section below
The renovation was costly but the improvements were amazing!
- The change added a second shower to the house. YAY!
- The tiny, cramped ugly bathroom became a roomier, pretty and very functional bathroom.
- The laundry area, which barely fit in the old space, is now an amazingly functional area. I honestly love doing laundry now.
Paint
Cost
Because we hired out the carpentry and plumbing, the cost to renovate this room was second only to the kitchen
COST BREAKDOWN
Carpentry, Plumbing: $9800
Appliances: $278
Wall art: $260
Paint Supplies: $35
Lighting Fixture: $110
Hardware: $77
Decor: $405
Furniture: $515
Window Treatments: $108
Organization: $248
Flooring (tile): $100
TOTAL: $11,828
Money doesn’t grow on trees. So how did we pay for this? Check out my post 6 Ways You Can Finance Your Renovation and I’ll fill you in!
Timing
Time to complete: 6 months
We started in November but had to stop work for 6 weeks or so in December due to a death in the family, so the timeline got extended out longer than we had expected.
Nov ’17 – May ’18 Moved the laundry to its new location & pulled out the toilet, sink & floor. Installed the new floor, shower, vanity and toilet.
Problems
Problems & Challenges
The biggest problem we had with this room was that the timing. We had to start and stop a few times due to other personal commitments. But it was worth the wait!
Shopping
For (non-affiliate) links to my purchases, see Shopping Link section below
Improvements
The renovation was costly but the improvements were amazing!
- The change added a second shower to the house. YAY!
- The tiny, cramped ugly bathroom became a roomier, pretty and very functional bathroom.
- The laundry area, which barely fit in the old space, is now an amazingly functional area. I honestly love doing laundry now.
before & AFTERS
What a remarkable difference!
all the DETAILS
WHAT WE DID AND HOW WE DID IT
Dom painted the walls in the room then installed the tile floor. See this post for details on how he did it. First picture is the backerboard and the picture just after that is the finished tile.
Bathroom shower
We were able to re-use the room’s original door; Dom removed the door knob hole and the hardware, painted it then mounted the new barn door hardware (which we ordered online) on the top of the door. He added a hand slot on the inside of the door and a handle on the outside. He also had to add a privacy strip on the doorway wall since there was too large a gap between the door and the wall.
The finished door came out even better than we could have hoped. I love, love it!
- Hung the vanity lights
- Installed the towel bar, towel hook and toilet paper holder
- Installed the towel rack over the toilet
- Added switch plates
- Installed a shelf and magazine rack across from the toilet
- Added a wastebasket and bathroom cleaning tools
- Added a beautiful new shower curtain (big splurge, but I love it!)
- Purchased a set of new all-white towels – very spa-like!
- Hung art on the walls and added decor (see pictures below)
Once the art was on the walls, our great-niece Mila christened the room ‘The Bunny Bathroom’ and the name stuck.
Roomview
Here’s the finished room, from 3 different viewpoints
SHOPPING links
Some of my favorite parts of the room follow, with (non-affiliate) shopping links. Click or tap on the image to navigate to the link.
For more information
How about you?
Do you have a favorite area or room in your house that you’ve renovated? I’d love to hear about it. Please share in the comments below!
