Even if you’re renting, you’ll see that you’re not stuck with your less than ideal bathroom! These ideas I’m sharing with you only take minutes to do and best of all, they are easy to take with you when you move out, so you’ll get lots of mileage out of your investment.
Here are some of the items you’ll need for the upgrades:
Silver barrel nuts (same as cap nuts) and bolts (~$5 for 20 of each) (these are metric and the bolts are 20mm long – so make sure this is long enough for the thickness of your drawers)
More details on this project and other ideas for knobs on my blog here.
Even if you’re renting, you’ll see that you’re not stuck with your less than ideal bathroom! These ideas I’m sharing with you only take minutes to do and best of all, they are easy to take with you when you move out, so you’ll get lots of mileage out of your investment.
Here are some of the items you’ll need for the upgrades:
Silver barrel nuts (same as cap nuts) and bolts (~$5 for 20 of each) (these are metric and the bolts are 20mm long – so make sure this is long enough for the thickness of your drawers)
When I was working on giving a friend’s small bathroom a facelift, I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated lighting fixture that also happened to be off-center over the vanity. Since replacing it wasn’t in the budget, I opted for camouflaging the fixture with a DIY light cover that cost less than $15 to make, all without using any power tools!
Here’s what the fixture looked like before – very dated, to say the least, and off-center over the vanity.
You can watch this video of how to make it or follow the steps below:
Step 1: Make the structure for the new cover. Here’s what I used to make the structure:
1/4″ x 6″ poplar boards
3/4″ thick square wood dowels
I cut the boards into 3 sections (2 x 4.5″ and 1 x18″) and cut the dowels into 4 pieces (4 x 5.5″) using a hand saw. I used wood glue to attach the square dowels to join the front to the sides (Painter’s tape helps to hold the pieces together while the glue dries).
Then I glued the other 2 dowel pieces to the back of the sides.
I placed the fabric on top of the non-glare side of the acrylic panel and soaked it with MOD PODGE making sure the fabric is soaked through.
I let it dry and trimmed off the excess along the edges with a utility knife.
Then I glued it to the structure using double sided tape.
Step 5: Installing the new cover.
I removed the old cover and placed 3M command strips on either side of it to hang the new cover so that it would be centered over the vanity. The new cover is very light so the strips are fine to hold it and this avoids having to make holes in the wall (but you could also use brackets to attach it to the wall). I didn’t have a level handy so I ended up using an app on my smart phone to make sure the fixture was level!
The new cover completely hides the existing fixture and it’s now perfectly centered! So much better than what was there before!
You can watch the entire bathroom makeover in this video here, enjoy!
When I was working on giving a friend’s small bathroom a facelift, I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated lighting fixture that also happened to be off-center over the vanity. Since replacing it wasn’t in the budget, I opted for camouflaging the fixture with a DIY light cover that cost less than $15 to make, all without using any power tools!
Here’s what the fixture looked like before – very dated, to say the least, and off-center over the vanity.
You can watch this video of how to make it or follow the steps below:
Step 1: Make the structure for the new cover. Here’s what I used to make the structure:
1/4″ x 6″ poplar boards
3/4″ thick square wood dowels
I cut the boards into 3 sections (2 x 4.5″ and 1 x18″) and cut the dowels into 4 pieces (4 x 5.5″) using a hand saw. I used wood glue to attach the square dowels to join the front to the sides (Painter’s tape helps to hold the pieces together while the glue dries).
Then I glued the other 2 dowel pieces to the back of the sides.
I placed the fabric on top of the non-glare side of the acrylic panel and soaked it with MOD PODGE making sure the fabric is soaked through.
I let it dry and trimmed off the excess along the edges with a utility knife.
Then I glued it to the structure using double sided tape.
Step 5: Installing the new cover.
I removed the old cover and placed 3M command strips on either side of it to hang the new cover so that it would be centered over the vanity. The new cover is very light so the strips are fine to hold it and this avoids having to make holes in the wall (but you could also use brackets to attach it to the wall). I didn’t have a level handy so I ended up using an app on my smart phone to make sure the fixture was level!
The new cover completely hides the existing fixture and it’s now perfectly centered! So much better than what was there before!
You can watch the entire bathroom makeover in this video here, enjoy!
As I mentioned in my previous post reviewing Smart Tiles, my friend Tom asked for my help to makeover his small half-bath in his condo. He had a tiny budget of $200 to makeover his equally tiny 20 ft2 bathroom. Luckily he was happy with the neutral color palette so no painting necessary, but he did want to update the look by adding a touch of warmth and elegance, and he also wanted to have more storage. Here’s the plan I came up with for the makeover:
Add a contemporary tile backsplash above the sink area and a mirror
Upgrade the lighting fixture
Add a storage cabinet above the toilet
The first thing I tackled was adding the backsplash above the sink area:
This is what the area above the sink looked like before – a blank slate!
I was really excited to try Smart Tiles for the first time for this project. I don’t have much experience tiling so the fact that these tiles have a peel and stick backing was a welcome simplification – there’s no grout or specialized tools needed so the installation is quick and mess free. I chose the Capri Taupe Smart Tiles from the Mosaik collection because of their beautiful stone and glossy dual finish
I needed 4 tiles to cover the length of the vanity – they are easy to cut using a ruler and utility knife. I cut all the tiles to be 7 inches high and and for the first tile, I also cut off the ends to have a clean edge.
I cleaned the wall with TSP to remove all the dust and grease, marked the height of the tile on the wall and then used a level to trace out the line. I removed some of the existing caulking where the tile meets the vanity to ensure that the tiles sits flush at the bottom. To install the tile, I first peeled back a couple of inches of the backing, used the line as a guide to make sure the tile is straight and then removed the rest of the backing and pressed the tile on wall.
For the last tile at the edge of the wall, the remaining space was a bit awkward to measure so I used a sheet of paper as a template and used that to cut the tile.
For a more finished look around the tiles, I used a Smart Edge Brillo (silver) and for a nice clean corner, I cut the ends at a 45 degree angle.
A quick trick to make sure you get a perfect 45 degree cut every time is to first draw a straight line on your scrap piece of wood with a speed square and then use the 45 degree side of the speed square to cut the Smart Edge.
And there you have it, for about $40 and in less than an hour, the backsplash was done and it looks absolutely beautiful!
It completely transformed the bathroom as you can see in this before and after picture:
You can see how I did the entire bathroom makeover, including the backsplash and how I tackled the very dated and uncentered lighting fixture above the vanity, in this video:
** This post was sponsored by Smart Tiles – all thoughts and opinions are my own **
As I mentioned in my previous post reviewing Smart Tiles, my friend Tom asked for my help to makeover his small half-bath in his condo. He had a tiny budget of $200 to makeover his equally tiny 20 ft2 bathroom. Luckily he was happy with the neutral color palette so no painting necessary, but he did want to update the look by adding a touch of warmth and elegance, and he also wanted to have more storage. Here’s the plan I came up with for the makeover:
Add a contemporary tile backsplash above the sink area and a mirror
Upgrade the lighting fixture
Add a storage cabinet above the toilet
The first thing I tackled was adding the backsplash above the sink area:
This is what the area above the sink looked like before – a blank slate!
I was really excited to try Smart Tiles for the first time for this project. I don’t have much experience tiling so the fact that these tiles have a peel and stick backing was a welcome simplification – there’s no grout or specialized tools needed so the installation is quick and mess free. I chose the Capri Taupe Smart Tiles from the Mosaik collection because of their beautiful stone and glossy dual finish
I needed 4 tiles to cover the length of the vanity – they are easy to cut using a ruler and utility knife. I cut all the tiles to be 7 inches high and and for the first tile, I also cut off the ends to have a clean edge.
I cleaned the wall with TSP to remove all the dust and grease, marked the height of the tile on the wall and then used a level to trace out the line. I removed some of the existing caulking where the tile meets the vanity to ensure that the tiles sits flush at the bottom. To install the tile, I first peeled back a couple of inches of the backing, used the line as a guide to make sure the tile is straight and then removed the rest of the backing and pressed the tile on wall.
For the last tile at the edge of the wall, the remaining space was a bit awkward to measure so I used a sheet of paper as a template and used that to cut the tile.
For a more finished look around the tiles, I used a Smart Edge Brillo (silver) and for a nice clean corner, I cut the ends at a 45 degree angle.
A quick trick to make sure you get a perfect 45 degree cut every time is to first draw a straight line on your scrap piece of wood with a speed square and then use the 45 degree side of the speed square to cut the Smart Edge.
And there you have it, for about $40 and in less than an hour, the backsplash was done and it looks absolutely beautiful!
It completely transformed the bathroom as you can see in this before and after picture:
You can see how I did the entire bathroom makeover, including the backsplash and how I tackled the very dated and uncentered lighting fixture above the vanity, in this video:
** This post was sponsored by Smart Tiles – all thoughts and opinions are my own **
I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated bathroom lighting fixture in a bathroom without replacing it. Adding to the challenge was the fact that the fixture wasn’t centered over the vanity. My solution was to make a cover to hide the existing fixture – it cost less than $15 to make, and I didn’t have to use any power tools!
Here’s some of the things I used to make the light cover:
I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated bathroom lighting fixture in a bathroom without replacing it. Adding to the challenge was the fact that the fixture wasn’t centered over the vanity. My solution was to make a cover to hide the existing fixture – it cost less than $15 to make, and I didn’t have to use any power tools!
Here’s some of the things I used to make the light cover:
You’ll get lots of small bathroom decorating ideas in this video where I share how I helped a friend give his small half-bath a makeover with a budget of only $200. You’ll see how easy it is to install a Smart Tiles peel and stick backsplash, and how I managed to camouflage a very dated lighting fixture with a simple DIY cover. I also made a DIY over the toilet storage cabinet and finished off the makeover with a new vanity mirror and art.
The whole thing cost $189, $11 under budget, and that included the new mirror and wall art! Here is the cost breakdown of the makeover:
You can see how I made the lighting fixture in this video:
And how I made the storage cabinet in this video:
** This video was sponsored by Smart Tiles – all thoughts and opinions are my own **
You’ll get lots of small bathroom decorating ideas in this video where I share how I helped a friend give his small half-bath a makeover with a budget of only $200. You’ll see how easy it is to install a Smart Tiles peel and stick backsplash, and how I managed to camouflage a very dated lighting fixture with a simple DIY cover. I also made a DIY over the toilet storage cabinet and finished off the makeover with a new vanity mirror and art.
The whole thing cost $189, $11 under budget, and that included the new mirror and wall art! Here is the cost breakdown of the makeover:
Finding good bathroom storage solutions can be challenging for a tiny bathroom, especially when you’re on a budget. One of my favorite solutions are over the toilet storage cabinets – you can buy some already made, but I think it’s more fun to build your own and customizing it to your exact needs. So I designed one that can easily be but together with a drill and screws using inexpensive wood like furring strips and pine boards.
It was the perfect way to add extra storage in my friend’s bathroom – you can see the entire makeover, including how I installed a peel and stick tile backsplash, in this video:
And you can also see how I upgraded the very dated bathroom lighting fixture for less than $15 in this video:
Finding good bathroom storage solutions can be challenging for a tiny bathroom, especially when you’re on a budget. One of my favorite solutions are over the toilet storage cabinets – you can buy some already made, but I think it’s more fun to build your own and customizing it to your exact needs. So I designed one that can easily be but together with a drill and screws using inexpensive wood like furring strips and pine boards.
It was the perfect way to add extra storage in my friend’s bathroom – you can see the entire makeover, including how I installed a peel and stick tile backsplash, in this video:
And you can also see how I upgraded the very dated bathroom lighting fixture for less than $15 in this video:
When I was approached by Smart Tiles to review and try their products, I was very excited because updating kitchens and bathrooms can be quite intimidating. Even the simplest project like adding a tile backsplash can turn into a major undertaking that can be daunting for the novice DIYer.
Smart Tiles are much easier and simpler to install than traditional tiles because they have a peel and stick backing and are very thin (1/16”) and lightweight – no specialized tools are needed and there’s no need to use messy grout. The tiles are cut using a ruler and utility knife, so contouring around electrical outlets or odd shapes is a lot easier to do and the tiles will stick directly to any smooth surface, including existing tiles.
You can buy Smart Tiles at any Home Depot or directly from the Smart Tiles website and they come in many different types, ranging in cost from $7 to $9 per tile (US). When I got samples of the tiles, the first thing I noticed was the quality of the product and how realistic the tiles looked. The Smart Tiles Mosaiks series incorporates a mixture of finishes from a stone finish to a glossy finish which reflects the light beautifully and the contrast also adds to the overall realistic look.
There’s also classical mosaic and subway tiles in many colors including a marble finish that is very elegant and would add a touch of style to any kitchen or bathroom.
Another benefit of using Smart Tiles is that they can easily be removed by first using a hair dryer to warm up the adhesive and then simply peeling the tiles off. This may take off some of the paint but if you decide to change your mind and remodel later, it will definitely be a quicker and less messy process than removing traditional tile.
I was excited to try out these tiles and when my friend Tom said he wanted my help to upgrade a small half-bath in his condo, I knew it was the perfect project for Smart Tiles. I’ll be sharing with you the entire makeover very soon so stay tuned!
** This post was sponsored by Smart Tiles – all thoughts and opinions are my own **
When I was approached by Smart Tiles to review and try their products, I was very excited because updating kitchens and bathrooms can be quite intimidating. Even the simplest project like adding a tile backsplash can turn into a major undertaking that can be daunting for the novice DIYer.
Smart Tiles are much easier and simpler to install than traditional tiles because they have a peel and stick backing and are very thin (1/16”) and lightweight – no specialized tools are needed and there’s no need to use messy grout. The tiles are cut using a ruler and utility knife, so contouring around electrical outlets or odd shapes is a lot easier to do and the tiles will stick directly to any smooth surface, including existing tiles.
You can buy Smart Tiles at any Home Depot or directly from the Smart Tiles website and they come in many different types, ranging in cost from $7 to $9 per tile (US). When I got samples of the tiles, the first thing I noticed was the quality of the product and how realistic the tiles looked. The Smart Tiles Mosaiks series incorporates a mixture of finishes from a stone finish to a glossy finish which reflects the light beautifully and the contrast also adds to the overall realistic look.
There’s also classical mosaic and subway tiles in many colors including a marble finish that is very elegant and would add a touch of style to any kitchen or bathroom.
Another benefit of using Smart Tiles is that they can easily be removed by first using a hair dryer to warm up the adhesive and then simply peeling the tiles off. This may take off some of the paint but if you decide to change your mind and remodel later, it will definitely be a quicker and less messy process than removing traditional tile.
I was excited to try out these tiles and when my friend Tom said he wanted my help to upgrade a small half-bath in his condo, I knew it was the perfect project for Smart Tiles. I’ll be sharing with you the entire makeover very soon so stay tuned!
** This post was sponsored by Smart Tiles – all thoughts and opinions are my own **
After countless DIY projects, it’s finally time for the complete tour of my LA apartment!
The tour starts with the tiny entryway where I added a mirror and made a coat rack. I also replaced the vertical blinds with curtains, added a window cornice, and hid the A/C unit with a piece of furniture I built. Then there’s the home office with a dividing wall, the living room makeover with a wall panel I made with a rug, the dining room where I built a banquette bench and wall panels, and of course the balcony I transformed into a beautiful outdoor oasis. My all white kitchen got a lot of color with a temporary backsplash and a clever solution to paint a feature wall without actually painting the wall.
I also did some minor cosmetic changes to the bathroom like replacing the lamp shades and added more storage with tension rods and a building a cabinet that goes over the toilet. To store my tools and materials, I took over the hall closet and made it my mini-workshop and last but not least is the bedroom where I also replaced the vertical blinds with curtains, built an upholstered headboard and hacked inexpensive IKEA LACK tables to make bright and colorful nightstands.
Like I mentioned in the video, I also did 360 videos of my apartment so you get a different view of the entire apartment both during the day and the evening. 360 Daytime video 360 Nighttime video
After countless DIY projects, it’s finally time for the complete tour of my LA apartment!
The tour starts with the tiny entryway where I added a mirror and made a coat rack. I also replaced the vertical blinds with curtains, added a window cornice, and hid the A/C unit with a piece of furniture I built. Then there’s the home office with a dividing wall, the living room makeover with a wall panel I made with a rug, the dining room where I built a banquette bench and wall panels, and of course the balcony I transformed into a beautiful outdoor oasis. My all white kitchen got a lot of color with a temporary backsplash and a clever solution to paint a feature wall without actually painting the wall.
I also did some minor cosmetic changes to the bathroom like replacing the lamp shades and added more storage with tension rods and a building a cabinet that goes over the toilet. To store my tools and materials, I took over the hall closet and made it my mini-workshop and last but not least is the bedroom where I also replaced the vertical blinds with curtains, built an upholstered headboard and hacked inexpensive IKEA LACK tables to make bright and colorful nightstands.
Like I mentioned in the video, I also did 360 videos of my apartment so you get a different view of the entire apartment both during the day and the evening. 360 Daytime video 360 Nighttime video
My bathroom is pretty plain with white tiles and white walls which makes it a nice neutral canvas to work with, except for this “vintage” heater that stands out like a sore thumb. With the beautiful year round weather in LA, I never use it and I wanted to find a quick easy way to hide it. Looking around my apartment for something to use, I came across a scrap piece of 1/4″ plywood from another project and beautiful shells I had from previous crafting project. Putting them together, I had an quick and easy solution to cover up my ugly heater:
Here’s how I did it:
Step 1: I placed my shells on the plywood and marked where my hooks will go to hold up the shells. I drilled holes at the marks using a 1/8″ drill bit.
Step 2: I cut thin gauge wire in ~ 2 1/2″ long pieces and bent them to make loops.
Step 3: I fished the ends of the loop from the back of the plywood through to the front and bent the wires to form hooks and glued the back loops to the plywood to prevent them from moving once the hooks were at the right angle.
Step 4: I placed the shells into the hooks and adjusted the wires as needed for a secure hold. You could also add some glue along the edge of the shells for extra support.
And voila, very inexpensive beachy wall art that’s right at home in my bathroom, and more importantly, no one would know there’s an ugly heater behind there!
My bathroom is pretty plain with white tiles and white walls which makes it a nice neutral canvas to work with, except for this “vintage” heater that stands out like a sore thumb. With the beautiful year round weather in LA, I never use it and I wanted to find a quick easy way to hide it. Looking around my apartment for something to use, I came across a scrap piece of 1/4″ plywood from another project and beautiful shells I had from previous crafting project. Putting them together, I had an quick and easy solution to cover up my ugly heater:
Here’s how I did it:
Step 1: I placed my shells on the plywood and marked where my hooks will go to hold up the shells. I drilled holes at the marks using a 1/8″ drill bit.
Step 2: I cut thin gauge wire in ~ 2 1/2″ long pieces and bent them to make loops.
Step 3: I fished the ends of the loop from the back of the plywood through to the front and bent the wires to form hooks and glued the back loops to the plywood to prevent them from moving once the hooks were at the right angle.
Step 4: I placed the shells into the hooks and adjusted the wires as needed for a secure hold. You could also add some glue along the edge of the shells for extra support.
And voila, very inexpensive beachy wall art that’s right at home in my bathroom, and more importantly, no one would know there’s an ugly heater behind there!
Do you have a small bathroom and need some ideas on how to organize it and get more storage? You’ll get lots of ideas from my bathroom tour, including how to fit in a kitty litter box, and how to use tension rods for earring storage and to create a spot for hanging clothes to dry.
For more details on the projects I showed you in this episode:
Do you have a small bathroom and need some ideas on how to organize it and get more storage? You’ll get lots of ideas from my bathroom tour, including how to fit in a kitty litter box, and how to use tension rods for earring storage and to create a spot for hanging clothes to dry.
For more details on the projects I showed you in this episode:
Looking for ways to remodel your bathroom on a budget? You can easily upgrade your bathroom lighting fixtures by swapping out the shades and incandescent ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs which will save you money on your electrical bills. You can buy ready made shades but I show you how to make your own DIY drum shades, much more fun!
Thanks to ENERGY STAR for helping out with this video! Don’t forget to join us on Oct. 29 for our DIY Lighting with ENERGY STAR Facebook chat! It’s at 4 p.m. EDT, #ENERGYSTARDIY
Here are the links I mentioned in the video:
www.energystar.gov/LED
www.energystar.gov/LED for a printable that will give you what you a complete list of the tools, supplies and materials that you need to take on this project and below is a list of the main materials I used:
Looking for ways to remodel your bathroom on a budget? You can easily upgrade your bathroom lighting fixtures by swapping out the shades and incandescent ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs which will save you money on your electrical bills. You can buy ready made shades but I show you how to make your own DIY drum shades, much more fun!
Thanks to ENERGY STAR for helping out with this video! Don’t forget to join us on Oct. 29 for our DIY Lighting with ENERGY STAR Facebook chat! It’s at 4 p.m. EDT, #ENERGYSTARDIY
Here are the links I mentioned in the video:
www.energystar.gov/LED
www.energystar.gov/LED for a printable that will give you what you a complete list of the tools, supplies and materials that you need to take on this project and below is a list of the main materials I used:
The new cover completely hides the existing fixture and it’s now perfectly centered! So much better than what was there before! 
And voila, very inexpensive beachy wall art that’s right at home in my bathroom, and more importantly, no one would know there’s an ugly heater behind there!
