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Reader reno: It only cost $126 for this mum to give her bathroom a complete makeover

All in one week.
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When one Sydney mum decided to renovate her kids’ bathroom on a budget, she was not kidding around. 

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WATCH: How to renovate your own bathroom 

Working around her four kids’ sleeping schedule, Veronica Chahda completed the makeover within a week and spent a total of $126!

Better Homes and Gardens Online caught up with Veronica to find out more about the amazing project.   

Old and ugly bathroom before makeover
Before: A stock standard bathroom with no flair or design features (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)
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after reno, brighter and more colourful with carpet and shell pink cupboard
After: A creative and stylish bathroom with eye-catching elements (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)

Tell us about your bathroom and what it looked like before the renovation? 

The bathroom was originally very bland and boring, I think that’s the best way to describe it. Obviously, bathrooms aren’t really an exciting place however the grey mixed with the aqua feature tile just didn’t give it any life.  

What inspired your renovation?

When COVID first hit and we were having to stay home a lot more, we began to slowly revamp the rest of the house. The bathroom was next up on the list.

dark dirty toilet and tub
Before: A bleak bathroom (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)
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renovated tub and toilet
After: A fun and bright bathroom fit for kids and all ages (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)

Have you done any renovations before?

I wish I had the money to do proper renovations to be honest, but working in retail and having four children means that unfortunately we just cannot afford to do it.

We have, however, recently made a few changes to our laundry which cost us $396 and we made a few little changes to our kids’ bedrooms. Next up we’d love to do some changes to our ensuite.

What kind of look were you after?

I wanted something a little bright, yet earthy. Something a little fun but not too in-your-face. My four kids share that bathroom and they’re aged 8, 5, 4, and 2 so I wanted something warming for them and for our guests. 

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fancy bath tub with plant beside it and orange mat
After: A pop of colour adds warmth to the neutral palette (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)

What was the biggest challenge?

There weren’t any massive challenges as such, but it is a lot when you’re trying to do everything yourself in between parenting! I often worked when the kids went to bed and that’s when I removed the grouting, but it was tricky finding time to do certain things.

Wood framed mirror and clean sink
After: A tidy and fresh vanity makeover (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)

The renovation process

  • Removed mirror and built the frame.
  • Removed the vanity doors and wrapped in vinyl.
  • Removed grout and silicone around the tiles.
  • Painted the aqua feature tiles in the sink and shower.
  • Re-grouted and redid the silicone. 
  • Cleaned the grout on the floor and used whitener.
  • Styled accordingly. 
Close up of mirror with note saying Wash Your Hands - love mum
Little details added to the vanity to make it all the more cosy (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)
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Close up of bathtub rack with candle and towel on it
A cute bath caddy shelf (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)

Budget Breakdown

Grout: $30 from Bunnings

Paint: $30 from Aldi

Frame for mirror: $10 from Bunnings

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Grout stain whitener: $13 from Bunnings

Shower head: $40

Vinyl for cupboard doors: $3 from Kmart

All up it cost $126 plus $30 on extra décor. I used a few items that I already had at home as well.  

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We definitely shopped around and we got a few items on clearance. Aldi happened to have a special buys week on tile paint and primer, so it was perfect timing.

Organised tubs under sink with labels
An organised cupboard with labels and tubs (Credit: Veronica Chahda) (Credit: Veronica Chahda)

Favourite part?

The vinyl contact from Kmart for $3 was definitely the best buy and has made such a difference!

But the best part is looking back at the before and after and knowing what minimal changes were made and what a huge difference it has made to the bathroom. 

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