A '90s Bathroom Gets a Minty Fresh Update
See how one blogger tackled her first DIY renovation and gave her bathroom a brand-new look.
It was time. After 20-plus years in her family’s home, Amanda Rydell’s bathroom was ready for a redo. It was time to dump the linoleum floors, ditch the faux-marble countertops, and part with the dated cream fixtures oh-so-popular during the Clinton administration. Having recently caught the so-called “tile bug” after helping a friend tile a kitchen, Amanda, creator of the blog Be Crafty, felt confident enough to tackle her own DIY bathroom remodel. See how her handiwork holds up, and hear more from this reno rookie below.
Before
Why did you decide to renovate this space?
Our 1990s bathroom was extremely outdated. The floors were still the original linoleum from when the house was built over 20 years ago. This space was the last room in the house to get updated, and boy did it need it.
How did you decide the style direction you went in?
I love a white, clean look with bright pops of color, and I wanted our bathroom to feel brighter. I also wanted a little bit of vintage flair which is what made me decide to go with the floral black-and-white tile.
After
What was it like living through the renovation? (Be honest!)
Living in a mess of construction was not the most fun. Tackling this project in two phases did help, however. First, I painted the walls white and our cabinets a light aqua color. The real stress and mess began once we started to remove the old linoleum. The hardest part was probably cutting the new tiles down to size. If you’ve cut tile before, you know the mess it creates using the wet saw. Since we didn’t want to deal with this mess for too long, we hurried and completed the project in two weekends.
What was your biggest failure or challenge?
This bathroom remodel was our first time tiling in our home. We ended up figuring out a lot of tricks to help cover up our mistakes along the edges. We learned trim can cover up imperfect cuts and adding a small trim board to our baseboards can help make the room look complete and professionally done.
Where did you choose to splurge and where did you choose to save?
Going into this project, we knew a bathroom remodel could end up being expensive. We made a budget and decided to stick to it. We splurged on things like tile and replacing our cream sink and toilet. We saved by painting over the ugly faux marble counter top as opposed to replacing it. I was a little nervous about that part but I’m happy with the results so far!
What do you love most about the new room?
The floor tile is by far my favorite part of our new bathroom. I also love walking into the bathroom every morning and seeing all the bright pops of color.
