Before and after: Mom gives drab bathroom a sunny yellow makeover and saves hundreds

All in a day's work

bathroom with black and white tiles
(Image credit: Kamila Kawai)

The bathroom should always be viewed as a room in which we bathe. But, much like the hallway, it often gets neglected. 

One mom took her formerly sterile bathroom and injected some fun color and pattern to create an uplifting space.

  • See also: Bathroom ideas – 51 stylish looks, trends and tips to inspire a makeover

Formerly a drab room lacking in cohesion, the bathroom has been given a modern makeover with gorgeous saffron yellow paint and fun monochromatic flooring. There are also some cute accessories, from the best indoor plants to a framed print on the wall.

Before

bathroom before transformation

(Image credit: Kamila Kawai)

Before the makeover - which Kamila completed in a day - it had classic white tiles and a magenta wall. The fixtures and fittings were all in good condition, but it was clearly missing something. 

The bathroom was refurbished when they moved into the house ten years ago, and it had since become Kamila's daughter's bathroom. 

'She never really liked it, it’s North facing, and having a bath in there didn’t feel really “nice “ - for her or us,' Kamila explains. 'But it was functional,' she adds. But we need more than function - head to our luxury bathroom design ideas piece for inspiration.

After

bathroom

(Image credit: Kamila Kawai)

Kamila decided to paint the bathroom yellow to give the space an extra sunny feeling in the morning. As it's usually the first place we stumble to when we wake up, we love the idea of making our bathrooms as uplifting and cheerful as possible. 

For more small bathroom ideas, check out our page. We also love that she's painted the yellow all the way to the floor, including the skirting boards. 

Kamila wanted to change the bathroom without making any drastic alterations or spending tons of money. 'We loved Neptune Saffron Yellow, so I had it color matched with Zinsser bathroom paint as I had to paint over the magenta color. It cost around £23.00,' she says.

bathroom

(Image credit: Kamila Kawai)

Kamila searched online for vinyl flooring similar to the Berber rug in her daughter's bedroom and chose one from Flooring Direct for around £40.

'I freshened up the ceiling with white paint we had at home and found few accessories around the house,' she adds. Kamila also bought a pot and picture frames from Poundland for £5.00. The basket was around £10 from IKEA.

'Now the bathroom feels fresh and happy,' she says. 'My daughter loves it. All in a day and under £100.'

bath

(Image credit: Kamila Kawai)

What a difference a lick of paint, patterned flooring and accessories can make!

Millie joined Real Homes in early 2021 as a homes news writer. When she isn't writing about trends, makeovers and houseplant care, she spends her free time making tweaks to her rented flat in North London. Her next project is a very basic armchair reupholstering job to help create a cosy reading nook in her living room. She loves browsing antique centres, tending to her small front garden, and is never without some fresh flowers at home.