When you find yourself in a new house that needs lots of work it's hard to decide where to start. Every single room in our glorious old farmhouse needs work. I think every room needs to have at least one wall or a ceiling replaced... many of them are for aesthetic purposes and we can live in the house with it as is, but the whole thing can be a little overwhelming. We have had to go through room by room and prioritize which rooms get help first, which should get attention at the same time (for instance a bunch of rooms need drywall and insulation, so might as well do them all at once), and decide what will need to stay as is for the longest. Both of the bathrooms in the house need to be updated. The one downstairs has formica walls and is an entire gut! It's also the guest bath and powder room for non overnight guests... Meanwhile the upstairs bath has cheap finishes and was looking very dreary, but having to choose which room would get a full renovation, downstairs wins. That does not mean, however, that the upstairs bath has to stay dreary and dumpy for several years. I decided it would get a mini makeover to see us through until we actually renovate, especially since this will be the bathroom we use the most. A fresh coat of paint and some accents can go a LONG way. All in all this whole room cost about $300 (towels and all).
For the most part, I tried to pick decor items in neutral colors that would work with whatever we do in there when we do the actual renovation.
So now that you've seen the before images, lets talk about the space. As I mentioned the finishes are not anywhere near top of the line. The cabinet for the sink is your typical warm wood straight from the hardware store cabinet with matching brass knobs. The wall color was either intended to be yellow or has yellowed with age... still not 100% sure about that one! The wall above the shower is showing signs of mold. The light fixture above the sink is crooked and rusting. The linoleum flooring has mildew spots. Some of these problems we will address and others are going to have to wait for the final renovation.
It's not perfect but I would say it's a huge improvement! The light fixture over the sink is still crooked (someone glued it to the wall??) but at least it blends in now. This makeover will last us until we can put in real tile on the walls and floor and an updated bath, sink and toilet.
Phew. One room down... for now... all the rest to go.