It’s amazing how quickly you can tick things off your to-do list when you are about to host a party at your house. Several times, a client has announced a scheduled party and declared it the end date to work towards. Not only clients, but also my mother, whom is currently working on “pulling together” the house for an engagement party for my stepsister this weekend. Nothing like a party to get you movin’ and shakin’…and then I found myself in the same predicament! It was actually just this past spring. I decided to host a fundraiser event for the Canadian Cancer Society, as I was participating in Relay For Life to honour one of my best friends. This began a tizzy of working around the clock to get several rooms top notch before I had visitors.
On the top of my list was the bathroom. When I moved in, the bathroom was low on the reno list as it functioned and wasn’t in bad condition. It was neutral and basic. I consider myself lucky that it wasn’t a complete gut job but surely I thought about doing so. I contemplated moving the toilet, but the joist direction makes it nearly impossible to switch locations. I wanted to update the cabinetry to provide some extra storage, but it seemed wasteful and not economical when I have one that is perfectly fine (though I am still dreaming of a new vanity). So to prepare for the party, I did some very cheap and cheerful fixes to give the facelift it needed without breaking the bank…
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Total cost of updating the bathroom:
Paint (Stripe colours – Benjamin Moore Cloud White/Natural Linen) and supplies – $200
Light fixture – $130
Toilet – $200
Shower Curtain – $30
Accessories (towel bar, toilet paper holder) – $50
Ikea Display unit – $100 (found at a warehouse sale)
Towel, art and other accessories – $100
My time – Priceless 😉
Total – $600
As you can see, you don’t have to spend a lot to give this room a facelift if you already have good bones to start. Bathrooms are one of the most expensive renovations to pursue. They can easily run you $25-$40K, if you are doing it right and custom. So, if that dollar figure scares you, a can of paint and some accessories can go a long way.