Looking for a primary bathroom update without knocking down walls and moving plumbing you’ve come to the right place. New lighting, mirrors, and paint update a space without the time and expense of a complete renovation.
Out with the Old
If you have builder-grade medicine cabinets you don’t have to keep them. They are good storage but if you can manage without them you can take them out for a modern up-to-date look. Sometimes style wins over function. The door and shower openings were not the same height, which was annoying. The final thing that needed to be changed was the paint color. A few aesthetic changes for a beautiful update.
We evolve as humans which is a great thing, growth and change are good for us. Which means our likes, styles, and needs change too. If you’re always trying to find happiness with the trends you’ll never get there. Look for all your blessings, and find happiness outside of things and stuff. Expressing and showing gratitude are a great place to start.
Trends have a way of seeping into our homes and closets. When you see it over and over and over we often grow to love it. On occasion, we take a stance to not make it a part of our world. I usually come around to liking a trend about the time it is heading out the door. There is nothing wrong with wanting to change things over time, just make sure you’re not putting your happiness into a trend or change. You can also incorporate a trend into your home without doing a complete makeover. Simple and subtle changes can give you a fresh new look.
Removing the Medicine Cabinets
Removing the builder-grade medicine cabinets is not hard. Open it up, remove the screws, and with an exacto knife cut the silicone then pop it out of the wall. An easy start to a primary bathroom update. You’re left with a hole in your wall that needs to be dealt with. If you don’t need the storage fill it in for clean lines. There are a lot of options like the one here.
We were able to frame the hole for $0 because we found the wood and drywall we needed in a dumpster. If you live near an area that is building homes there is always a plethora of scraps in the dumpsters. Drywall tape and mud finish the project off nicely. The door to our closet and the entry to the shower were not the same height. I get what the builder was doing but I wanted to make them the same height because they are on the same wall. The shower opening was the same height as the doorless entry to the bathroom. Because we were filling in the medicine cabinets and planning to paint it was the perfect time to adjust the height of the shower entrance. One our way to an updated primary bathroom.
This was the messy part of the update. Whenever you are mudding and sanding it creates some dust but worth the work for a modern bathroom.
Builder Grade Mirror Update
The builder-grade mirrors are large, and dated. They are easy to remove so you can update the look and feel of your space. Because they’re large they can be a little tricky to take down. It’s a two-person job, not because they’re heavy but because they are awkward. You do not want seven years of bad luck if you break the mirror. They sit in a tray on the bottom with clips on the top. With the clips removed, the mirror can be lifted out of the tray. They were glued on the back but came off easily.
Before we started taking things down the mirrors and lights to update the space were purchased. Planning and purchasing what you need ahead of time makes projects run smoothly. Well as smooth as a project can go. Finding the right mirror was a little tricky. We had a big space to fill so finding mirrors that weren’t too small took some searching. No sense in replacing a large rectangle mirror with another large rectangle mirror
Updating the Lighting
Changing your lighting is an easy way to update your home. There was a chandelier and vanity lights to change. There are so many pretty lighting options. Finding them for the right price takes a little more work but can be done. I love pretty things but I don’t love spending an excessive amount of money on home decor items.
Lighting is one of the easiest ways to update a space and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. Finding lights that coordinated are modern and a great price took some shopping but thankfully we live in an online world. Shopping from our couches is a blessing. It can also be a curse because of the ease but it does make things easier.
Paint for the Win
Paint is the easiest way to update the look of a space. Painting a room takes some time but you can paint a room in a day and instantly have an updated room. You can go dark for a moody aesthetic. Or light and bright if you want something a little more modern.
Paint colors evolve. Every year there are paint colors of the year. There is no need to repaint our homes every year but if you’re anything like me we get tired of the color after a while. When we built our first home in the 1990’s painting techniques were the trend, sponge painting in a variety of bright colors or rag rolling. Browns and taupes were a favorite for a long time, then greys, then whites. Dark and moody colors are becoming more popular.
We get to do what we love, if you love it that is all that matters. The grey walls were loved for a long time but it was time for a change. White for a monochromatic look plus moody green and black to ground the space, then beautiful light wood finishes as an accent.
Once you decide on a white that works in your space you can carry it throughout the home. Taking the white into the primary bath plus the moody green in a new technique ties it all together. The beautiful color ‘thunderous’ from Sherwin Williams is the perfect mixture of dark grey and green.
Same color with a different finish. A little different look but has consistency throughout the house. Vertical shiplap versus Roman clay accent walls. They are both elegant and modern but unique. Your house doesn’t need to match but having it tie together is what you are looking for.
Vanity Lights and Mirrors
After the walls are painted it’s time to finish putting it all back together. Installing new lights and mirrors. Here are the beautiful arched mirrors we used. They come in gold and black. Both would have looked nice but the black was used because it is the grounding color consistent throughout the home. Because the vanities are large two arched mirrors worked well. Creating a unique modern look in the primary bathroom.
Looking for lighting is always a fun process. The options are endless. When you have a budget it does make it a little trickier but there are so many options in so many price points. Find joy in the journey of looking for pieces you will love. Giving your home a new and pretty update.
The vanity lights that were used are the perfect amount of gold and black. You can get the vanity lights here and the chandelier here.
Before and After
A few subtle inexpensive changes but a big difference in the look and feel of the space. Creating a new look in the primary bathroom.
Clean lines with minimal decor. Declutter and enjoy having less stuff but. more space, it is a refreshing change. You can still have a warm and welcoming home without all the clutter and decor. Have you heard of hygge? If you’d like to know more check it out here. Creating a cozy welcoming home filled with love and memories without all the stuff.
