DIY Bathroom Makeover

Happy Monday Frugal & Thrivers!! We have a fun little treat for you all today, courtesy of our F&T queen bee, Kristy. In just two days, and for less than $300 (yes, you read that correctly) she revamped her master bathroom vanity area, taking it from outdated to outstanding. We gave you a little social media teaser of this post, and now finally, the BIG REVEAL. See how our girl did this awesome (and affordable!) renovation below.

The Before

To prepare, Kristy read a bunch of different blogs and watched a ton of YouTube videos to ensure she did this project the right way. She says, “I mean after all, I have to live with this for the rest of my life.” Smart thinking! With a wealth of new knowledge under her belt, and all her tools on hand, she was ready to begin.

The During

During her research, she found that a lot of people suggested sanding the countertop to start, so she did. But after reading the directions of the kit, she realized it wasn’t necessary, and unless you have deep nicks or bubbles on the surface, she agrees it’s a step that can be skipped. However, if you do choose to sand your countertops she recommends using a 150 grit.

Frog taping came next. She taped all the areas around the counter that she wanted to protect, like the walls and toothbrush holder, and removed the outlet cover and all fixtures (these were going to be replaced later).

After taping was done, she used a scraper to get rid of any putty build up and wiped down all surfaces using soap and warm water – she recommends not using any cleaning chemicals.

Now the fun part begins! The DIY countertop kit comes with everything shown in the picture on the right below (all you’ll need is paper plates and those paint pans) and this kit can use this on any countertop space!

White Diamond Countertop Kit | All Countertop Kits

With the countertop sanded, scraped, and wiped clean, it was time to prime. First, Kristy took the sponge brush that came in the kit and worked on the borders and small crevices that she knew the roller couldn’t get to, slowly working in small sections to avoid bubbling and weird overlapping lines.

She says “This primer was awesome and dried so nicely (I almost left it like this haha). I did apply two coats to ensure all areas were covered and let it dry overnight – it was about 8 hours of drying time.”

The next day, when the primer was completely dry, she took her sea sponge and cut it into 4 pieces, one for each plate (cut the sponge in half and then cut it in half again). The paint is numbered 2a, 2b, and 2c (it comes with two of these cans in case you want a brighter finish). Kristy says “I only ended up using half of one – there was a lot of extra paint left over so I’ll be doing my husband’s bathroom to match.” Lucky her!! Good thing this project isn’t too difficult.

Next, she poured a small amount of paint on each paper/foam plate with enough room to “dab” (you’ll see there’s a small black piece of paper on the floor in the middle picture below which came with the kit to mimic the counter – this will help you practice your sponge painting). She worked the sponge paint on in 2×2 sections at a time – overlapping the 2a, then 2b, and then 2c paint. She says “You’ll want to use all these colors together before letting them dry (it comes out nicely when they dry together). Allow 4 hours of drying time before adding another coat of 2c (this will give you the brightness you’re looking for).”

Once the second coat dried, she added the glitter topcoat – eeek! She says “Work in strokes and don’t overlap – you’ll be able to add another coat once it’s dry. I should add that because my sink is built into the countertop, I used a sponge brush to do the sink as the roller would not work on it.” While she waited for the first coat of topcoat to finish drying, she started painting the cabinets. 

Early Grey Cabinet Paint Kit | All Color Paint Kits

Woah, look at that shine!! Kristy used soap and warm water to wipe down dirty surfaces and remove any dust that may have accumulated. After a couple of hours passed and the first topcoat was dry, she added the second coat. She says, “This kit was so easy to use – no extra priming or stripping was necessary! I could not be more satisfied and the best part is that it comes in multiple colors, so there is definitely an option for everyone.”

When the countertop was done, it was time to install the faux tile backsplash. Kristy says, “These tiles were so EASY to use and STICK SO WELL!!! Be careful, though, because these are thin and can easily rip if not done properly. I started in the left hand corner and worked my way up – be sure to place the ‘overlapping’ sides away from the wall. These 3-D backsplash stickers are thin enough to easily cut with scissors, but they stick so well that unless I’m planning to sand and repaint my walls, these aren’t going anywhere. These are hands down my favorite – what else should I add backsplash too??” Hmmm…another DIY project to come? We shall see.

The After

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…the big reveal! And to reiterate – this was done in TWO days for $275!!

Faucet | Artificial Plant | Wooden Tray

Is this not the most gorgeous transformation you’ve seen?! Look at how clean and modern the space is now…are you feeling the itch of inspiration??

Kristy says, “And just like that – with a day and a half of work and two simple kits – I have a completely different bathroom! I’d love to know how you think I did and I’d love to see your before and after pictures of your projects!”

You heard her! Give our girl some love…she definitely deserves it! Let us know what you think of her DIY bathroom renovation and what projects you’re adding to your list. If you’re looking for more tutorials, check on this post about Kristy’s kitchen pantry makeover!