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If you like to change the look of your home often, you know that one of the biggest hurdles is your budget. Redesigning an entire room is expensive! But there are plenty of ways to update your space without running out of paychecks. “Shopping” a home for reusable decor is a great start. You can also find low-budget furniture and furnishings at thrift stores. For even more money-saving tricks, check out this bathroom redo by his stylist Lindsay Mills at Home (@thestylistlindsaymills).
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Lindsay has updated this guest bathroom several times since moving to her Alberta, Canada home in 2009. However, the latest version of the bathroom was fairly simple, with mostly white walls, except for one with gray and white botanical wallpaper. increase. “It wasn’t necessarily exciting, engaging, or calming.”
Aside from the “meh” look, there were also some practical challenges. “It was a windowless bathroom in the basement, and the shower nook was always dark,” says Lindsay. She knew she needed more lighting here to make up for the lack of windows. She also knew that the changes she made had to accommodate the funky wedge-shaped layout as well, in order to stay on a tight budget.
Lindsay blocked out three days on her calendar and set to work renovating the space using most of what she already had. She spent just CAD$125 (approximately US$93) to purchase the new lighting fixtures.
Lindsay started by stripping the wallpaper and filling in any holes or dents before priming. She then proceeded to work on walls she had already used elsewhere in her home. “The reason I found this technique was born out of budget need,” she says. “In Canada, especially Alberta where I am, it’s hard to get your hands on the lime wash paint you love without paying a lot for shipping and exchange.” When she did her DIY her hack , one gallon of ingredients was about US$200.
After some research on YouTube and trial and error, Lindsay found a way to get the look using a blend of latex paint (Learn more about her technique here). For the bathroom, I used a mixture of off-white Benjamin Moore paints (Cloud White, Ballet White, and Stone Harbor). The result is a trendy multi-dimensional wall finish that utilizes paint Lindsay already had on hand.
Lindsay used paint she already had for the floor as well. Prepare well before application so that it adheres. A tan and white checkerboard pattern can make a big difference to the overall feel of a room and is much cheaper than replacing the floor entirely. It felt real,” says Lindsay.
But the biggest real change came in the form of: new lighting“Track lighting was the perfect solution for directing light into the right space and reflecting it from the right areas,” says Lindsay. The dark shower room became bright. Lindsay finished off the space with some decor pieces she pulled from elsewhere in her home. They all fit the warm, minimalist feel of the bathroom.
“If I could do it any other way, it would be to completely tear down the space and remodel it to create a better function,” she says. The redo revitalized the bathroom. “I’m proud of many aspects of this space: the low budget, reusing items and paint that were already in the house, and the hard work we achieved in achieving this.” ‘ she says, creating a bathroom that feels 100%. she.
