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Remodeling Before & After Bathrooms

Small Bath on a budget- From Eye Sore to Amazing

5 years ago

Another one of the rooms in our whole house reno. We do all our renos ourselves. We are so happy with how this came out. We saved a bunch of money by keeping the tub which was in great condition and just a few years old & painting out the cabinets. We added some rustic glam to this with a hammered sink and stained wood backsplash. I'm happy to answer questions and hear what you think.

After:

Finished 2nd Bath · More Info

Before:

Finished 2nd Bath · More Info

Finished 2nd Bath · More Info

Finished 2nd Bath · More Info

Finished 2nd Bath · More Info

Featured Answer

RenoGirl
Original Author

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

The tiles are 3x6 white gloss subway tiles from American Olean at Lowes with a glass and marble accent tile from Home Depot. Nice and glossy and bright :) Its been a year since the remodel and they look just as bright and shiny as the day we installed them. They clean up like a dream. We love them so much we will be using them in our master bath reno later this year.

We used the Schluter Kerdi waterproofing system (great system IMO) and shes buttoned up tight for any possible water issues, right down to the 100% silicone around the tub and tile seams. All plumbing was tested and anything that needed to be replaced certainly was. DIY doesn't necessarily mean shoddy work.

The toilet paper holder is where it is because if you put it on the other side installed to the cabinet, you would hit it as you get off the toilet. We didn't build the house originally and couldn't change the footprint of where the toilet and vanity are located...so it simply made sense to have the toilet paper holder where it is now. I can say the tp has never been wet. :)

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Comments (17)

Jamie Pace
5 years ago
Great job! It looks so fresh and bright.
Lyndee Lee
5 years ago
If you like it, that is the most important part!
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I have no idea what colors will look dated, but I like the colors in your photos. They go together well. In my monitor, the color on the tile website looks a pinky beige that does not match as well with your granite and not at all with your accent tile. I am going to assume that the real color is somewhere in between the two. It sounds like you will have a nice, clean look. I like that you have porcelain that looks like stone, and not real stone. It is harder than simple ceramic and will not have the voids that stone can have. I have always wondered if those spaces hold water and grow moldy. I remember reading on another thread that there is a way of telling how many different patterns there are with the tiles - so that you do not have the same tile patterns showing up constantly and reminding you of the fact that it is man-made and not a natural stone. I don't remember the name of the measure, but it ranges from 1 (low amount of variation) to 4 (highest variation). Does anybody know the name?
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I think you did a beautiful job. I love the tile. You're an inspiration. How did you do your first tile job? There is a Saturday class @ Home Depot & I'm thinking of taking it as it's only a few hours. Is tiling really difficult? Is it something I could try & do from books or is it something someone really needs to teach? Thank you & good job. I love how you took something ugly & made it so pretty.
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Katie
5 years ago
Very cute!
Nancy in Mich
5 years ago
The white tile panels really did brighten the bath area a lot. Are they a solid surface like Swanstone, or something with a gel coat finish? The wood plank wall does give it a warm vibe and rustic feel that just was not there at all before you did your facelift. It is welcoming and warm.

I like the paint on the cabinets and the new hardware. The old stain is a color I never cared for. It never did resemble a natural wood. Overall, I think that your changes have improved the look of bathroom and given it personality that it lacked.
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
What waterproofing system was used behind the tile? Did you change out the valve behind the wall? Why is the TP holder still in the splash zone?
ilikefriday
5 years ago
You did a fabulous job!
glo17
5 years ago
Looks great! I love the vanity mirror. Where did you get the vanity top? We are getting ready to do our master and guest bathroom. It's so hard to find vanities with a single faucet hole.
PRO
Mega Builders
5 years ago
Very nice!
RenoGirl
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks so much. The vanity top is a marble laminate from Lowes Canada. We had to cut it to size and drill our own hole. It really has a nice marble look to it and since real marble wasn't in our budget for this room, we were so pleased to find this laminate.
PRO
M&R Custom Millwork Inc
5 years ago
Fabulous bath remodel! Love the wood accent wall!
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Croteck Plumbing
5 years ago
Wow, the wood accent wall is beautiful. Where did you purchase these?
RenoGirl
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks Crotek, we made the wall with 1x6 pine boards, stained with a mix of dark walnut and kona stain, and sealed them very well. Painted the wall behind them with dark brown in case of any shrinkage. Its been a year and they are holding up perfectly.
User
5 years ago
Here's an odd idea, but if the TP constantly gets wet from the shower, it might be worth considering - recess a paper holder completely or partially into the side of the cabinet. The side of the upper drawer would probably have to be cut back. Heck, the toilet might be so close to the cabinet that it would be too awkward to work at all. Anyway - something to think about.
cpartist
5 years ago
Beautiful job and I love that it's got personality.
RenoGirl
Original Author
5 years ago
Hi Skil367...the tp has never been wet where it is so we haven't had to worry about it. Theres so little storage in the drawers already I'd kinda hate to lose more, but a recessed tp holder would certainly be an option if it ever got to be an issue tho. Good thinkin :) I do admit the previous owners/builder didn't give us alot of space for it in this bathroom. Not sure the bathroom was fully thought through when built (as with many areas of this house lol)....we've been dealing with the hand we've been dealt tho.
PRO
OTM Designs & Remodeling Inc.
5 years ago
Looks great!

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