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Before and After: A Bathroom Transformed

by on Jun 20, 2011

Our guest bathroom was in sorry shape- cracked floor tiles, vanity falling apart, even the toilet wasn’t salvageable. So, we knew it was due for a major overhaul.

Here’s what we planned:

  • Retile the floor: It was obvious that the subfloor was uneven causing the tiles to break apart. We needed to remove all the tile and put down concrete board to provide a nice, even surface.
  • New vanity: The bathroom vanity was original to the house, and 25 years old! You can imagine how crummy it was, especially with a little water damage.
  • Replace the toilet and shower hardware: Swapping out the shower hardware was an easy way to spruce things up without performing a full-out demolition. After the plumber was finished, he let me know that the toilet was in worse shape than we realized and needed to be replaced.
  • Paint It’s amazing how much paint can do for a space. With a fresh coat on the wall, the room felt new and fun.

Removing the Tile

Tile

The original tiles were 6×6″ squares and most of the cracks occurred at the joint between two pieces of subfloor. After removing the old tile, I smoothed out some of the edges with a grinder, and covered the entire floor with concrete board. We selected larger 12″ tiles and a low contrast grout to make the bathroom feel larger. Remember, high contrast grout amplifies the geometry of the tile while low contrast grout emphasizes the color.

Vanity

My wife selected the Tropic vanity and wall mirror from American Standard. She enjoyed the clean lines and hints of asian styling. I liked the hidden hinges and solid wood construction. American Standard offers two sizes and we chose the smaller, 24″ size as we were limited on space.

Vanity and Sink

Bathroom Hardware

For the bathroom hardware, we selected a brushed nickel finish, and found everything from Price Pfister- a brand I recommend for their durability and selection. The hooks are from the Redmond collection while the shower head and controls are from the Avalon set. I’m very pleased with the look and feel, however I’m at war with the water spots. The toilet is a simple model from Sterling, a Kholer brand.

Shower head

Paint

My wife decided on an antique pink paint color for the walls to compliment the shabby chic hand towels and shower curtain. We went with Behr paint and even though everything was primed, it still took two coats. The ceiling got a fresh coat of ceiling white. I’m a big fan of white ceilings because they make the room feel larger and act as a color reference for the wall color.

Bathroom After 1

Bathroom After 2

We are extremely pleased with how everything turned out! Not only is it a fun room, but it will last for many years to come. I did the entire project on nights and weekends so don’t shy away from tackling projects like a bathroom remodel yourself. Just about all the supplies and materials can be found at local do-it-yourself centers. Be sure to check out our Lowes Coupon and Home Depot Coupon pages to learn a couple strategies for saving money before you start.

This is a guest post from Ethan of www.oneprojectcloser.com.

This week, One Project Closer starts our 4th annual Before and After series in support of Habitat for Humanity. Not only can you showoff a great makeover, you can win a $50 gift card if you’re selected as one of our weekly winners. Click here to learn all the details and how to enter the 2011 Before and After contest.

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