Prior to being a home-owner, I honestly was far from being the "hands-on" type.
I had zero patience for reading instruction manuals and assembling things and God forbid I ever had to touch a power drill.
Carol + Powerdrill = Not a safe combination.
I'm not a "girly-girl" but I was not a DIY type either.
The easier and quicker things could be done for me, the better.
Even if that meant spending more money on more pricier items and of course the added (and most often costly) expense of hiring help (contractors, painters, electricians, etc.)
Okay, maybe even after being a home-owner I still felt the same; however a lot has changed in the last 2 years.
Having 2 growing children and being a work-from-home-mom with really only one steady income in the home, we started relying heavily on doing our own mini-projects around the house to help cut costs.
And that it did.
Doing your own renovations, whether they are big and small, can significantly reduce your overall spending.
Yes it may take some more time, but if you invest the time and some money on some good tools, perhaps even seek the help of some family and friends, big and small projects can be conquered and most often done with more care from you than from strangers.
After all, you want the best for one of your biggest investments and the place you call home, then
DIY (Do-It-Yourself)!
Of course with some heavier projects, there may be some requirements for professional help especially when dealing with electric or plumbing but that's not a problem.
The majority of the work can be done from you.
Take it from this non-DIY type girl that just completed my very first small project, my powder room.
We moved into our humble home last year and right away I knew there were many things I wanted to fix in the house, the washrooms being one of them.
The powder room is on the main floor and used quite frequently for family and guests.
It's not big, well it is a powder room, and when I walk in it I find it to be quite boring blah-zay.
Being a woman of good taste and an eye and passion for design, every single room in my home matters. I want people to walk in each room of my home and see our taste and style even if it's as little as the powder room.
So I teamed up with the home hardware shop we love and that we frequent (and in my opinion the best),
Home Depot, and decided to conquer this small project DIY on my own (with the help of my husband of course!).
It's the summer and there's no better time to dust off your power tools than now.
My main issue with the power room was that there was absolutely no life to it.
I wanted to give it a chic and contemporary face-lift.
Here is the before shot.
It's amazing what paint and few items can do to completely change an entire look.
Below are the items we used to give our Power Room a nice little facelift.
- TANGERINE MIRROR CO: The Beverly Mirror (24x36")
Features a 1 inch beveled inside and offers a traditional and contemporary look fit for any decor style.
I loved this mirror instantly when I saw it. I knew right away that this would be the perfect one to offer the contemporary yet elegant look I was aiming for.
ARV $79.98
Link:
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/the-beverly-mirror-mirror-frame-style-24-inches-x-36-inches/916864
- MAGICK WOODS: Dark Chocolate 2-Door Vanity with Square Sink
2 door Dark Chocolate finish vanity base with Chrome hardware with new space saving square White porcelain sink. Also available in Matte White. Vanity base (with top): 24In.W x 12In.D x 34In.H. Faucet not included. Vanity top pre-drilled for 4In. faucet centers.
ARV $156
Link:
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/dark-chocolate-2-door-vanity-with-square-sink/913178
This vanity not only offered us storage for toilet paper, hand creams, hand soap, etc. hidden from the public eye but it actually saved us space than when the pedestal was in!
The square porcelain sink offering the contemporary style.
Along with the sink, we included a
Delta ADDISON Single Handle Lavatory Faucet with Touch2O.xt™ Technology.
It's the perfect faucet to use for a powder room where there's a lot of traffic and where we usually wash our hands coming into the house from being outdoors. It's especially genius having small children! It's easy for them to use (plus they find it super cool that it turns on and off on it's own) and decreases the spread of germs.
Featuring both Touch2O® Technology AND Touch2O.xt™ Technology you can activate the flow of water by just moving close to the faucet - it senses your presence anywhere 4″ around it or or activate the flow of water by touching anywhere on the spout or handle.
I also love the graceful curves that provide a delicate beauty that adds a romantic touch to the sink.
It's also a
PTPA Winner! And you know how much I trust that handy Seal of Approval.
- MARTHA STEWART LIVING: 3Lt Skylands Vanity in Brushed nickel with frosted glass
This classic modern vanity fixture was the perfect addition!
It was very easy to assemble and install and installation hardware is already included. Plus depending on your style, you can either have it installed with glass in up or down position.
ARV: $89.98
Link: http://www.homedepot.ca/product/3lt-skylands-vanity-in-brushed-nickel-with-frosted-glass/959123
- AMERICAN STANDARD: EverClean Elongated Slow Close Toilet Seat in White
On top of being loud and startling, a slamming toilet seat or lid also poses a hazard to small children. The good news is that American Standard’s innovative slow-close toilet seat hinges eliminate lid and seat slamming altogether. Plus, the hinges feature a tool-free lift-off design that allows for quick and easy cleaning.
- Elongated plastic slow close toilet seat with cover
- Convenient Slow-Close features prevents seat from slamming
- EverClean surface inhibits the growth of stain and odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew
ARV: $66
Link: http://www.homedepot.ca/product/everclean-elongated-slow-close-toilet-seat-in-white/954086
- MOEN: Stockton Chrome Pivoting Paper Hold
I loved the pivoting feature. Makes changing toilet paper much easier (and ladies we know our men could use that additional assistance...)
plus it's pretty!
ARV: $21.23
- MOEN: Stockton Chrome 18 Inch Towel Bar
ARV: $34.00
- BEHR PREMIUM PLUS ULTRA Interior Satin Enamel Paint & Primer In One
There is nothing that changes the look of a space more than paint.
We love Behr products and have always used them with no issues.
I absolutely love the Behr Premuim Plus Ultra line with Paint & Primer In One which reduces the time painting and it's quicker drying!
I like that the smell doesn't stick around for long (perfect with little ones).
Our old powder room's paint colour was a really boring and unattractive cross between a yellow and light green and I was not a fan at all.
We went with the Gentle Rain which is a in the Blue colour family and a nice subtle light blue-grey colour. It's calming and neutral.
ARV: $33.98
It took us only a day and a half to get the powder room done and I am in love with the final look.
I just added a couple of small decor pieces (wall art and flowers) that I picked up from Homesense (another favourite store) to add some more character and boost of colour.
It was that easy and what a difference it made.
Our family and friends have commented and love the change as much as we do.
Here's After shot of our new and improved Power Room:
 |
| Our little girl loving the new Powder Room! "It's pretty, mommy!" |
Check out the comparison! What do you think?
Big thank you's again to
Home Depot Canada for collaborating with me on this project!
Next up is the Master Bathroom and I cannot wait to share the results!
Stay tuned!
To keep posted on updates on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, watch out for the
#CACBathroomDIY Hashtag.
To get you started on some DIY, the good folks at Home Depot Canada is offering one of my readers a chance to win a $200 Home Depot Gift Card.
Open to Canadian Residents only.
Contest ends Sept 9th.
1) Leave a comment below telling me
which room in your home you would love to DIY first! (This is mandatory to be eligible)
2) Enter via rafflecopter below for additional entries.
Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
