Mum transforms beige family bathroom into bright and airy haven for under £150

The bathroom is one of the hardest-working rooms in our homes, and as it’s the place we start and end our day. How it’s decorated can have a real impact on how we feel.

If you are looking for a budget bathroom ideas, sometimes all you need is a fresh lick of paint and some thoughtful accessories to make a difference. One mum proved that with this chalk paint family bathroom makeover. Mariah Tapia recently took on an ambitious project and completely transformed her kids’ bathroom from top to bottom.

Related: DIY fan transforms her awful bathroom into a dreamy retreat using spray paint

What was once a dark room with a beige and brown colour scheme now shines with freshly painted cupboards, flooring and worktop, and a unique feature wall. The use of white has created the impression of much more space, and the pictures of her sons at bathtime add a lovely personal touch.

Family bathroom makeover

Before

Mariah shared some before-and-after pictures of the dramatic transformation on Facebook group Decorate Your House on a Budget. 'I always play it safe and never venture out on designs, but when it came to the boys' bathroom, I wanted something fun!', she wrote.

'I totally transformed this space for under $200! I had paint on hand so that saved me a lot of money. I built my own shelves from scrap wood and painted ALL the things to bring this room some life!', the mum explained.

After

She said that she used chalk paint on the cabinets and a Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy paint for the worktop. 

The monochrome scheme’s pièce de résistance is without a doubt the feature wall painted with a chevron pattern. Mariah explained to us how she did it: 'I got an old box and cut the flap off one of the sides. I used a box cutter and cut two corners off at an angle then cut a little off the bottom so that I had the perfect guide to making my lines around the same size and same width apart.'

Other members of the group commented on the post to congratulate Mariah on her finished look. ‘Great job. I absolutely love everything you did,’ one said.

‘Perfect! I’m painting my powder room, and I might have to copy this,’ wrote another.

‘So bright and airy I LOVE IT,’ a third commented.

Details such as the hand-painted shelving, a black and white print that reads ‘So fresh & so clean’ and artificial plants finish off the look, plus the addition of the natural wooden stool contrasts beautifully with the bright and modern interiors throughout the room. 

Mariah's decorating advice is to shop your own home and your old home decor to see what you have. 'See if you can repurpose anything or repaint anything to fit the new look you want,' she tells Ideal Home.

Those of us in rented properties can feel a little limited in what we can do to revamp our bathrooms so that our heart sings each time we go to brush our teeth. However, the power of small updates like a fresh set of hand towels, a new shower curtain and a bath mat in a colour you love should never be underestimated.

For more DIY and decorating ideas visit our dedicated channel

From decals to cover old tiles to grout pens and homeware accessories, there are many ways to show the bathroom some love when you can’t rip it out and start again.