“What’s for dinner Mom?” That’s what I hear every day at exactly 4pm as my oldest pops off the bus. My favorite answer? Leftovers. What Mom doesn’t LOVE leftovers?! It’s two meals for the price of one. It’s 50% effort for 100% yield. *This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy HERE*.
So, what’s with the picture of that lovely, builder’s grade, 1989 bathroom, you ask? Well, that’s my master bathroom. It’s a great space…
A great space which I made BIG plans for the moment I walked through those double doors the first time. My plan, simply, involves gutting the whole thing and starting over. It’s a lovely little dream.
The thing about BIG plans and dreams, sadly, is that they usually require a BIG budget…or at least SOME budget. And therein lies the rub. I’ve got big bathroom ideas, but here’s my budget for this space right now…
That? Well, that’s a goose egg. And it is representative of my budget for this bathroom.
A budget that is exactly ZERO.
MY OTHER PROJECTS
Unfortunately, unlike most well-adjusted, normal people, I can’t really wait for that money to magically appear while I brush my teeth each morning in my builder grade baño…I’m not known for my patience.
Instead, I will employ the power of…leftovers. Here’s my list of changes and their costs:
1. LEFTOVER paint (White Duck by Sherwin Williams) to re-paint the space. COST = $0.
2. LEFTOVER chalk paint (graphite by Annie Sloan) to re-paint the vanities. COST = $0.
3. LEFTOVER curtains (taken out of storage, originally used in a guest room). COST = $0.
4. LEFTOVER rope & galvanized pipe (Home Depot for who knows what). COST = $0.
5. LEFTOVER mirror, frames (from various walls in our old home). COST = $0.
The result? Well, it’s definitely no miracle, but it’s a cost-free start…
The walls were painted, as was the vanity.
Took a bunch of frames out of storage and slapped them up on the wall. If you look closely, you’ll see some of them don’t even have pictures in them yet…it’s a work in progress, like much of my home.
Someday, I’ll rip out this jetted tub and get the old clawfoot that I dream of finding on craigslist…
And I’ll hang yet another chandelier…this one above the tub…and add beadboard, or some sort of moulding feature…maybe get a bigger window, you know, when my ship comes in.
Of course, that will be then, and this is now. And for now, I’m happy (enough) with my $0 “leftover” renovation. I’m sure that will last at least another week or two.
We wrote a tutorial on how to make our DIY rope/pipe curtain rods HERE. They only take about 10 minutes to do! So check that out if you’re looking for a quick, inexpensive way to hang fabric panels…which, by the way, the curtains were purchased at Homegoods. They are Cynthia Rowley Jacobean Floral Medallion drapes in Teal Blue.
Pin us (ouch!) on Pinterest: Heathered Nest
Be our friend on Facebook
Tweet Tweet on Twitter
Head over to See us on YouTube
Find us on Instagram
I love leftovers too and you did an amazing job with yours! Love the bathroom!
Thanks so much!
You did an excellent job and for spending zero bucks on it…GORGEOUS x1000!
Thanks so much for the high praise Anele 🙂 Much appreciated!
AWESOME facelift…it looks so pretty!!
Thanks very much Martina, it's a start, at least 😉
I love this! I have been in denial and avoiding doing anything to my builder grade almond tile oak cabinet master bathroom. You are an inspiration!!!
Oh Carrie, you're the sweetest…inspiration, I am not, but a little insane and overly motivated in the home decor arena, definitely 😉
I *need* to know how you painted your cabinets! Pretty please. 🙂
~ Ashley
You did a great job with no money! You really changed the look of the place. I am in the middle of a very low budget renovation to our bathroom as well. I also painted my builder grade vanity grey and it changed the whole look of the room. Next up! Paint the walls and change the 1996 light fixture over the sink.
So insipiring! I love what you did with "nothing". Great job!
Wow–nice work for such a *small* budget! Looks great 🙂
You did a fantastic job with Leftovers! 😉
Oh, it certainly is a miracle. Such a gorgeous update! Oh and just imagine if you framed out the vanity mirror and painted the brass part of the shower doors.
Jenise @ DIYFunIdeas.com
It's like you read my mind Jenise…totally toying with those plans….and trying to salvage my 80s ugly light fixture *somehow*, just not quite sure how yet. Would love to do an entire bathroom makeover for $zippety-doo-da$ !!
Looks so much better, and it's refreshing to hear other bloggers w/o limitless budgets make the most of what they have! I'm planning on my own leftover bath re-do soon. It's more challenging than the overall in my head, but some improvement is better than none, no? Looks great!
what a gorgeous makeover and I love that you made it beautiful on a zero budget. Yup, 4, what's for dinner, leftovers are the best! XO
Lovely makeover. Sometimes a coat of paint is enough to subdue my " I need to gut and start over" thoughts! Nice work. Just wanted to let you know this will be featured over at hawthorne and main for Bewitchin' Projects this week!
-Shonee
http://www.hawthorneandmain.com
Shonee, thanks so much…that is awesome news, and very much appreciated!! Love the Bewitchin party 🙂 Happy New Year!
This is a fantastic makeover and even better that it was done with leftovers. Just goes to show what a positive attitude, effort and some leftover materials can get you. Wishing you all the best in the New Year.
Wishing you the same Elizabeth!! Happy New Year!
For your budget to be a big old goose egg, you did an amazing job! LOVE IT!
Beautiful! Pinned and tweeted. We appreciate you taking the time to stop by our party. We love partying with you! I hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm. Happy Sunday! Lou Lou Girls
A-MAZING! I totally love this!! I probably would spend all day in here! LOL
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
You've done wonders and made this neat room beautiful on your zero dollar budget. Kudos! I could live with that room for quite a while before changing anything.
Thanks so very much Ann!!
It looks wonderful! Great ideas, enjoy it!
This is fabulous! Love the idea of curtains for the tub and the framed art makes it so inviting! Thanks for the inspiration- and love the budget! 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous, you're very talented! I can see how you attached the rope to the ceiling (genius)… Can you share how you attached the other ends of them to the walls? Thank you.
Sheila in Denver
Of course! The rope is simply knotted and the knot is hung onto a hook that is screwed into the wall. Easy, easy. If that doesn't make sense, lemme know and I can try to send you a picture 🙂
Completely in love with this post, leftovers, and you for doing it! Doesn't it feel great to be resourceful and amazing! I found you as I was link party surfing and I'm so glad I did.
Your room should be on one of those before and after shows. The transformation is awesome! Did you paint the hardware on the cabinets? It just pops off the gray. And all on a zero dollar budget! Inspirational!
Stunning decorating! I'm so glad I found your blog via Feathered Nest!!
This is such an incredible transformation…..doesn't even look like the same room and doing it with leftover stuff just makes it even more amazing! Well done, I especially love the colour of the cabinets.
This turned out gorgeous!
I second everyone's praise! And second Peggy's question…did you paint the cabinet hardware which now looks shiny & new or were you lucky enough to have brass handles you polished up?
You did an amazing job! I love it. I have been really trying to focus on using what I have and saving my pennies and this makeover really inspires me! Thanks! 🙂
You are so resourceful and creative! Brilliant job!
Wow~ that's some free makeover! It's stunning and your DIY is impressive!
You clever girl you! Awesome makeover!! Awesome price!
Blessings, Edie Marie
What a wonderful job you did with "leftovers'. It's amazing.
Very impressive! What color was put on the wall?? It's lovely and you did an awesome job with the cabinets!! It has me thinking…..
Nancy
wildoakdesigns.blogpsot.com
I love the after!! Such a difference some paint and some picture frames can make!! I love the color of your vanity, it really pops against the rest of the light walls and floor. And i love that you hung curtains, it frames the tub so well! I totally hear you on the clawfoot tub. Someday!! 🙂
Wow, you did a FABULOUS job on that bathroom! You had a vision and made it come true~except for the clawfoot tub (I drool over them too)and beadboard~~wish your ship and mine would come the hell in!
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for the BOTH of us, Denise!!
Great transformation. I love the shower curtains and all the photos above your tub. Looks so cozy and inviting.
Beautiful job, but some of us don’t have these types of leftovers.
I love your bathroom make-over and the $0 budget is even better! You really did a great job. Please share this with a link party I co-host, Welcome Home Wednesdays Link Party. We go live tomorrow. P.S. I think Karen over at Dogs Don’t Eat Pizza is awesome!
That is a very nice zero dollar reduex! It looks totally different and was well done. I am a firm believer in repurpose, reuse, recycle and make do. You project is evidence that making do provides a platform for creative innovation. Thank you for sharing!
Are you kidding me? You bathroom looks AMAZING for zero dollars spent! I can’t even imagine what you would come up with, with a budget! I’m gutting and remodeling an old farmhouse right now and you are welcome to be my decorator!!! Wanna come to Minnesota? lol
Can you tell me how the curtains are hung? Looks like rope? Thanks so much. Love the room!!
Of course! We actually wrote a tutorial on that! Here’s the link! https://heatherednest.com/2015/10/pipe-dreams-aka-build-a-diy-curtain-rod-in-10-minutes.html Cheers!
Love your makeover……great job. I have to wonder why you left the 70’s vanity lights above the mirror?
Couldn’t change out that fixture on the $0 budget, sadly. Don’t worry Janice…that thing is HIGH on the priority list 😉
I’ll give you my claw foot if you will trade me your jetted tub.
DEAL!