The $20 (Temporary) Bathroom Makeover

I'm going to come right out and say it. I HATE our bathroom with a fiery passion. After living with it for a year-and-a-bit I decided that something had to be done.  Now my first choice would have been to rip it out, burn the pieces and salt the earth, cursing all the while. Trouble is this is a rental, and the agency might have a problem with that.

Here's the before and after shots:

Note the ill advised blue paint on the 70's medicine cabinet doors and the 40 million miles of impossible-to-clean floor grout.

Here's what I used:

A few self adhesive vinyl floor tiles. ($8 worth from the Dollarama)

a new shower curtain.

8 Placemats and some glue to make new slidey doors for the cabinets. (2 for a $ from the Dollarama)

First I did the floor, using instructions that I found here. I cleaned the tiles with bleach then vinegar, cause of the whole sticky Vs. Dirt thing. Then I popped the new tiles straight over top of the old ones. It's probably easier if you don't get a small dog to help you.

Next came the cabinets, after experimenting with some contact paper I decided to write off the old doors and start from scratch.

I made new doors from Bamboo placemats glued onto stiffer plastic placemats.

Using the old door as a template I chopped the placemats to size glued them together .

Then I jammed the whole 'door' into the slot that the old door came out of. These are light enough that they don't need doorknobs.

Lastly I bunged a plant in there and folded some towels.

It's not perfect, but I no longer feel the need to sack it like Carthage. And, like my kitchen, it can still be returned to it's former hideous state should the need arise.

July 09, 2008

4 comments  |  2505 views  | 

3

lilybee's blog (163 posts)

Featured Writer
Subscribe to this blog
Member since: 02/22/07
About: Decorating on a teeny budget is my thing. Recycling and Reusing and Repurposing are my...

More by lilybee

• Prev: Tins... Millions of Tins...
• Next: New Uses For Old Stuff.