Creative grandma in lockdown transforms her bathroom for £60 and it's stunning
- Koleighna Wilbur, 43, was fed up of her dark 1980s-style bathroom
- In lockdown, she transformed it into a classy modern space
- Koleighna spent under £60 on materials
If you’re noticing all the flaws in your home now that you’re spending more time there than ever, and you’re keen to overhaul it, rest assured you need not spend a fortune to make it look Pinterest-worthy.
Koleighna Wilbur, 43, a mum of four and grandma of two from Quebec, Canada, transformed her bathroom for under £60 - and it looks stunning.
Koleighna told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: “The inspiration for the bathroom came from a simple photograph I saw on Pinterest of a bathroom with Dalmatian wallpaper and I fell in love instantly!
"I wanted my bathroom, which was a dull 1970s/80s-style dark, depressing space to feel how that one simple photograph made me feel which was happy.
"Since being in quarantine and out of work as a result I decided to do it myself. I’ve always been very handy and my father taught me a lot before passing away.
"I ordered all my materials online. The tiles and contact paper were from Amazon and the paint and other materials were from our local hardware stores. The whole makeover cost me roughly $100 (£59).
"For the process, I stripped the old bathroom down as best I could, removing what seemed to be 40 years of caulking on top of caulking.
"I then cleaned everything really well and began. I did the tiles first.
"I did not use the ‘proper' tile paint as my hardware store was out of what I needed, so I improvised by using a cabinet paint and a diamond finish top coat to protect it from scratches. It’s worked out brilliantly.
“After that, I painted the whole bathroom with a bright white good quality paint (I didn’t skimp here) and did two coats followed by hand painting the Dalmatian spots on the focal wall.
“For this step, I let my two younger children add a few spots of their own as a a fun way to incorporate them into the process.
“Before painting, I repaired any and all holes to make sure it would be very sleek and professional looking once the paint was added.
"I finished the look with the contact (faux marble) paper on the counter top and here too, I chose a very good quality paper keeping in mind that I have teenagers and wanted something more durable.
“The floor tiles were peel and stick and were very easy to apply. I completed the whole look with caulking around all edges and seams to make it look so beautiful.
“Honestly, the caulking for me was la piece de resistance - it was so satisfying to see it all come together!
"I added some fairy lights on one wall that stay on continuously and act as a night light in the evening which is very soothing for my children."
Koleighna is delighted with how the process has turned out, and couldn’t be more pleased with her lockdown project.
"Doing home redecorating has saved my sanity during this trying and difficult time,” she adds.
"I was starting to go into a little depression because I miss my granddaughter, so I said 'either you lay about and sulk or you be productive!’
"It has made me so happy - I love going into the washroom now, it’s peaceful and bright and clean and it just makes me so happy.
"Honestly I believe anyone can do this! It took me three days of work all by myself with very little money and a little know-how, but with YouTube and Google, even someone with less know-how could do it!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, says: “We are all coping with lockdown in our own ways, whether making our way through the entire Netflix catalogue, baking loads of banana bread or engaging in fantastic DIY projects.
“If you want to overhaul your bathroom but don’t know where to start, make like Koleighna and look on Pinterest for inspiration.
“Once you’ve found a look you like, watch DIY tutorials on YouTube and seek out bargain materials online - simple materials like stick-on tile stickers are affordable and really easy to use!"
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