Say "renovation" and immediately people think you're tearing down walls, installing custom cabinetry and doling out thousands of dollars to enlarge, upgrade or remodel your home.
Truth is, you don't have to spend a wad of cash to dramatically change the look, feel and functionality of your living spaces.
Take, for example, our bathroom.
Last fall, it cost less than $2,500 to transform the powder room off our kitchen into a jewel box with warm pumpkin-coloured walls, a low-flush toilet and one very funky faucet. Though tiny -- it measures a three feet by seven feet -- this bathroom is one of the busiest rooms in the house, being that it's conveniently located steps from the kitchen and the backyard pool.
But it screamed 1980s. There was an outdated oak vanity topped with a beige-swirled laminate countertop and an oval sink with grungy chrome taps. The toilet was old and inefficient and the clunky baseboard heater was a rusted eyesore.
Besides ugly, the room lacked privacy. The old crank window above the sink had clear panes, meaning you could stand on the back deck and get a panoramic view of the toilet. Not exactly guest friendly when hosting weekend barbecues.
Before we could set a budget, we first had to decide where to scrimp and where to splurge.
There were a few non-negotiable factors: We had to work with the existing footprint and the vinyl flooring and pocket door had to stay.
To keep costs down, we opted to paint the room ourselves and tile the backsplash with sheets of affordable glass mosaics from Home Depot.
Fortunately, my dad is a licensed electrician so we saved a good chunk of change on the installation of the new track light, baseboard heater and wall thermostat. To further curb costs, everything -- with the exception of the cherry vanity and a couple of decorative accessories -- came from big-box stores.
Our biggest splurge was hiring Bill Gilhuis to do the work.
My husband, Anthony Clayton, is a handy do-it-yourselfer who has renovated bathrooms in our previous homes. This time, he insisted we leave the plumbing to a pro. Hiring an experienced contractor was worth every penny.
Gilhuis has been our go-to-guy for replacing windows, drywalling and woodworking for the past 10 years.
But he's a busy guy, and we had to wait several months before he was free to do the reno. Our patience paid off because in less than two days, the room was ready for paint.
For $1,000, Gilhuis gutted the room, re-plumbed the new toilet, cut-to-fit the countertop (a high-end remnant I found for $48 at Home Depot) and installed a slick single-lever faucet and a white porcelain vessel sink that looks like an oversized pasta bowl.
Both were great finds -- the pump-style faucet cost $159 and the sink was $140 at Rona -- but they look expensive and give the room a modern, contemporary edge.
To envelope the room in warmth, we painted the walls and ceiling a spicy orange, using leftover paint from a recent living room makeover. The rich hue, Oakbuff by Pratt & Lambert, contrasts beautifully with the cherry doors on the new vanity.
Despite its puny square footage, I opted to hang a large abstract print on the back wall facing the kitchen. Soft light from the stainless track fixture on the ceiling washes down the canvas to create a strong focal point. Behind the toilet, the old medicine cabinet was removed and replaced with a small mirror from the front foyer. Framed in dark Indonesian mahogany, the gothic-shaped mirror adds to the room's eclectic style.
Our powder room isn't the hub of our home or a space we spend a lot of time in, but its transformation is dramatic. Almost seems a shame the neighbours can't see the sparkling jewel through the window.
-- Postmedia News
