Woman gives old bathroom an incredible pastel upgrade on £1.5k budget
21 April 2021, 11:38 | Updated: 7 July 2021, 11:56
The DIY fan gave her 20-year-old bathroom an incredible makeover.
A woman has showed off the incredible results after she gave her dated bathroom a makeover on a budget.
Emily Barratt, 36, completely transformed her 20-year-old bathroom in just four weeks on a £1.5k budget, giving it a pretty pastel theme.
Read more: Mum reveals how she transformed dingy downstairs bathroom for just £60
Its theme was inspired by her 'Drama Llama' nickname, with Emily saying that the bathroom is "the one room in the house that can be decorated a little bit wackily".
Emily told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: “Friends have me saved in their phones as ‘Drama Llama’, because drama seems to follow me.
Read more: Woman shares genius £10 coat rail hack to keep toys tidy
"So the revamped bathroom, with its framed poster of an alpaca unicorn, was a source of amusement for them.”
Emily, from Manchester, gave up her pottery painting shop to renovate an eight-bedroomed former church into a family home - and the bathroom is just one of the projects she's undertaken.
She is now charting her renovation journey on Instagram (@our_big_renovation).
Emily added: "It was definitely time for a new downstairs loo.
"The old suite had a non-changeable toilet seat and I think it had been there for 20 years. Plus, it had a huge ceramic shower tray with no shower, which was a waste of space. It simply had to go.
"I knew that I wanted a colourful, crazy loo because it’s the one room in the house that can be a little bit wacky.
"I like the colour combination of pink and green. I’d seen a few bathrooms and toilets decorated in these shades so I decided to follow this style.
"I usually find that Pinterest has some good colour palettes for inspiration, but I could only find examples of bathrooms incorporating darker shades of pink and green. I wanted the loo to feel light and airy, however, so I took a bit of a risk and winged it."
Emily honed her DIY skills through YouTube tutorials and learning on the job, and used Dulux Mint Macaroon paint for the walls combined with soft pink floor tiles and accessories.
She added: “I’ve been renovating our home for a year now so I’ve picked up quite a few new skills.
"I’d tiled our guest ensuite a few months back, which was a steep learning curve, so this was my second ever tiling project.
"I needed to pay a plumber to move the sink, change the loo and plaster the walls once I’d removed the old wall tiles, but I did everything else myself, including laying the hexagonal ceramic mosaic floor tiles. I thought they’d be easier to lay than large tiles, but it was actually harder. Plus, I had to level the floor first with self-leveler."
She bought the pink basin from Victoria Plum for £100, and the chandelier was £45 from Iconic Lights.
Emily already had the ladder shelf, which was painted white to suit the theme. She also made the macramé plant hanger from a plant pot and string, which she suspended from the ceiling.
If you're considering a similar project, Emily advised: "I’m super pleased with how it turned out.
"If you are looking to do a similar budget bathroom renovation, just give it a go. Do your research, and have a look around your house to see if there is anything you could reuse or upcycle to help keep costs down."
NOW READ:
Stacey Solomon shows off incredible toilet transformation in stunning new home
