I am slowly chipping away on my Master Bathroom Remodel project list. The list is a long one, but working on a tight budget and a limited amount of time, always helps prioritize a list. First, take a look at the before photo below!

My starting point…

Okay my dream master bathroom remodel would have a new vanity, light fixtures, double mirrors, definitely not pinkish counter tops and NO CARPET IN THE BATHROOM! However, I don’t have enough money in the budget to do all those things today.

With every remodel or update project, it is important to determine what you can change and what may need to stay. In addition to a budget, I let my time and skill set determine what stays as is, what is replaced and what gets a facelift. Look at how I divided my list for our Master Bathroom Remodel.

What stays as is?

1. Big fixtures. As a result of a tight budget we won’t be replacing the tub, sink, toilet, etc. Plus they are all in good working condition, so there is no need!
2. Flooring. This kills me but for the time being the carpet stays. Hopefully, this will change over the next several months, in the meantime I will live with it like I have for the past 3 years!
3. Shower. A tiled shower would be beautiful, but for now we will keep the builder grade shower.
4. Tub faucet. Would love to get a new faucet to match the sinks, but other updates take priority.

What get’s a facelift?

There are so many easy ways to update existing things in a space that don’t break the budget. This is what I chose to update in the space instead of fully replace with something new:

1. Counter top. I painted the existing laminate and wood trim edge with Rustoleum Countertop Coating. This is not my forever choice, but it sure beats the pinkish laminate. And you can’t beat the price for $20.98
2. Vanity. I used Valspar Cabinet Enamel to update the vanity to white. So much nicer! Although I had relative success with this product I prefer the process I used for my kitchen cabinet update.
3. Light fixture. I would love to replace the existing fixture with two new ones. But, I do not have the money right now nor do I feel comfortable with the electrical work to split the wiring to two fixtures instead of one. Therefore, I removed the glass globes and spray painted the existing light fixture.
4. Mirror. I glued a wood frame onto the existing builder grade mirror and will call it good for now.
5. Frosted window. We wanted a little more privacy, however we did not want to lose any light. I sprayed the window over the tub with Krylon Frosted Glass. I finished the window out with a half curtain made from an old sheet.

What is new in the Master Bathroom Remodel?

1. New sink faucets! There is not much you can do in way of updating the existing chrome with crystal knob faucet, as a result they have to be replace completely. I found these new ones on wayfair. I used the same ones in my hall bathroom mini update.
2. Wall color. I painted all of the walls Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.
3. Towel hooks. I removed the chrome towel bars and rings then added hooks for our hand towels.
4. Trim around window. I added white trim around the window over the tub, which certainly was not necessary but I think added a lot of interest!
6. Vanity hardware. I bought a large pack of black knobs for another project and had extra to use in here!
7. Floating shelves. Some scrap wood and metal corner brackets are all it took to add decor shelves above the shower.

After pictures…

My budget so far

I ran some rough numbers on what I spent so far in this remodel. So far I have spent less than $300! I consider this a huge win. After all, I spent a third of my budget on new faucets!

What is next?

I have several other ideas in mind for this space and will try to give some more detailed explanations and tutorials moving forward. Often I am guilty of starting a project on a whim and don’t always take pictures or write down the steps I followed. If you have any questions about any part of this remodel so far, let me know!

Next priority for this space is new flooring! Stay tuned!

Emily