Update Your Master Bathroom on a Budget ~ whether you're in Portland or anywhere else
Homeowners often wonder if they can update a master bathroom in a cost-effective way, finding solutions that will improve the look of the bathroom without breaking the bank. Here's a recent bathroom remodel our company did, finding ways to cut costs and still get the results we wanted.
Here's how the bathroom looked Before .. note the large unframed mirror, the 4" white tiles, older faucets, & boring beige-yellow walls
The look of this builder-original bathroom circa 2001 was BORING! For just over $3000, here's what we did:
- First, we had a carpenter frame the large mirror; labor & materials = $100.
- We replaced the 2 vanity faucets with Delta "Dryden" ones; cost = $135 x 2; replaced the tub faucet; cost = $245
- Granite Transformations (many locations across the country) did a seamless overlay of granite Trend stone on the double vanity + the front & sides of the jacuzzi tub, directly over the tiles (no demolition), color Bianca Wintermute; labor + materials = $2180
- Painted the walls (Devine Mocha + accent wall Devine Cocoa, wood trim Dove White); cost = $300
We found cost-effective solutions to update this bathroom to appeal to today's buyers who want their bathrooms to look like a stylish spa retreat.
Granite tiles or slab granite would both have been much more expensive since the tiles would have had to be removed; the Granite Transformation system lays stone directly over the existing tiles and backsplash, saving time and money (this job was completed in less than 4 hours). Here's a close-up ...
If you're planning to sell your home, or just refresh the one you're living in, contact your local home staging professional for advice on what cosmetic improvements will be cost-effective ~ you want to get the most bang for your buck!
~ Photos by Room Solutions Staging ~
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Room Solutions Staging offers help to homeowners, real estate professionals, builders, banks and investors in preparing homes for the market. Our home staging clients love our service and our staging statistics! Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultation reports, staging for both vacant and occupied homes, and interior redesign projects. For a complimentary home staging proposal, contact us @ 503-246-1800.
Staging That Sells Portland Homes!
Portland home stager Maureen Bray of Room Solutions Staging was a Featured Designer for HGTV's popular show "My First Place" 
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It is amazing what a little paint and stuff can do. Great post.
What an amazing transformation!!! You're so right, the "builder basic" bathroom was boring. You showed that you don't have to spend 10's of thousands of dollars to update a bathroom especially one that you'll be leaving. Love the colors. Who are they by??? S-W ?? Ben Moore??
I'm going to gather info on the granite for sellers here.
Maureen - what a great alternative to the traditional slab of granite, which would have cost thousands. Also, no countertop or tiles ended up in the landfill. This bathroom went from snore to roar - fantastic job!
Kelly ~ this update looks like more work than it was. Whether you're selling or staying in your home, easy is good!
Kathy -- the colors are Devine Mocha and Devine Cocoa. Granite Transformations is a national franchise and likely service your area ... they did a great job and so quickly!
Thanks Sally -- I like that "from snore to roar"!! :-)
What a difference Maureen! I like how you provided the breakdown in costs and the improvements totally transformed the bath. I'm sure you multiplied the ROI at least 5 fold on this one. Great job!
I'll have to look for Granite Transformations in this area! Thanks, Maureen - Julie
Karen ~ I'm hoping that your ROI calculation is correct :-) Thanks for your feedback.
Julie ~ They did a really nice job and the best part is, you save a lot since there's no demolition -- the stone goes right over the existing tiles. Several of my clients have used them in kitchens and bathrooms.
NOT UHH! NO WAY! Is this really the same bathroom?
GREAT Transformation Maureen!
I will definitely look into Granite Transformations. What an economical upgrade.
Thanks for sharing.
Maureen-
What a rich and beautiful transformation! The color on the walls and framed mirror as well as Granite Transformations was really awesome!
Marianne
Maureen this space has been TOTALLY transformed! Now the WOW factor is there and your choices of color (paint) are yummy. Time for me to do the same with my master bath!
Maureen - You have great vision. This is a beautiful transformation. What's the brand of the paint you used, it's so rich.
Sharon ~ Thanks for stopping by -- and check into this economical method for new counters.
Marianne ~ Your comments are appreciated!
Ginger ~ Isn't it fun to see a space go from plain and boring to "I like it?"
Shelley ~ That's Devine Mocha and Devine Cocoa .... they're dramatic colors but this bathroom has very high vaulted ceilings so they worked well here.
Thanks for sharing, Maureen. I also love the wall color you chose; it blends perfectly with the granite and the floor tiles and - unlike the former color - makes the white trim really pop! Beautiful job!
Everything blends so well. Love that paint color Maureen. You made it look Drab to Fab! Seriously, just from the pictures... you would think that the first pics were from a 200k home and the tranformation pics were from a 500k home. You just added visual equity ;)
this is a great simple upgrade of the pathroom. Very nicely done Maureen!!!! This is a huge difference and will add a lot of equity.
Leanne ~ That previous "beige" wall color was pretty dull! The darker chocolate colors do help a lot in highlighting the wood trim.
Lori ~ Visual equity eh? I like that term!
Birgit ~ adding equity is the goal -- as well as for the owners' enjoyment. Thanks for your kind words.
I see so many of these cookie cutter baths, and so do buyers! 10X's better than the vanilla box!
I agree with the "snore to roar" comment. Too funny.
This is just another fine example of the impact a home staging can have on your home! Maureen - You've got some of the best examples out there. Keep up the great work!
Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before and After Pictures.
Kathy
Beautiful transformation! No mess and 4 days!! WOW!! What a great design solution!! I love the new terms in the comments-snore to roar and visual equity!! Congrats on the feature!!
From Blah to WOW!
GREAT BEFORE AND AFTERS... Love it!
Cindy ~ So true, they all look alike don't they?
Kathy ~ Thanks for featuring this post! (I love that snore to roar comment too)
Cathy ~ The granite counter and tub surround took less than 4 hours, not days! One of the biggest advantages to using Granite Transformation is there's no need to remove the tiles :-)
Chris ~ no one is interested in a "blah" bathroom, right!
Thanks for the tip on granite transformations. Will research them here. Incredible difference in look and feel of the room. I am sure the homeowner has had everyone of their friends and family over to show off the new bathroom! Your agent must love you!
LOVE the transformation Maureen! Fantastic choices with a great financial bottom line! The end result is staggering. Great job!
Michelle ~ G.T. is a franchise operation and it looks like they have multiple locations in Ontario -- check them out! P.S. I'll have to double-check on the "agent" situation and will get back to you ... :-)
Heather ~ Why, thank you! It was a FUN project.
In the current economy there needs to be options that are a compromise in spending big bucks on a full remodel. You'll hit the nail on the head with this "stager" facelift which will WOW the best of them! Thanks for including the details...not only specifying products but costs and labor too. That gives a true picture of what a consumer might expect to pay.
Congratulations on a great job!
Thank you for a great post Maureen. Love that you share your trade secrets with us!
Another great job Maureen. You turned the boring into the interesting!!!
Lori Cofer
There was no wow factor in there, but now there is. Thanks for laying out the cost to see a comparison of how much a savings overlays can be. I like the idea of no land fill debris....that is a point I haven't thought of before when mentioning overlay as an option to clients. Great point! I love how the paint and trimmed out mirrors really added to the bathrooms, along with the improved faucets. Great job!
Julie
Karen, Peggy, Lori ~ Today's sellers do need cost-effective choices when considering upgrades. They want to be sure their ROI is of value, and I think these options definitely fall into that category. Thanks for your feedback.
Julie ~ This is a green option too, as you say no landfill debris -- love that!
While your solution to the "builder-basic" bathroom is a practical one, that word is not what will come to the minds of buyers when they see it! ( Wow! Beautiful...)
Thanks Maureen
Hi Maureen, thanks for sharing all this beautiful pictures of your work. What a difference.
Marian & Barbara ~ I'm glad you enjoyed the transformation (I recommend these changes often to clients with the "builder basic" bathrooms).
Maureen: Thanks for the info on Granite Transformations. We're contemplating a update of a bathroom and this sounds like a good option for us. You've helped once again!!
Gene
Gene ~ I think you'd be happy with the product and their service. Good luck and post photos when it's done! :-)