Located in the Melbourne suburb of Cheltenham, this dated brown bathroom received the makeover treatment recently at the deft hands of Amelia Boal from Soleil Styling and Design. Inspired by seeing our story on tile painting, Amelia was able to give the bathroom a dramatic facelift for less than $2000. Impressive!
Bathroom BEFOREBathroom AFTER
The bathroom renovation was part of a whole home makeover that was undertaken before the sale of the home. “The owners had gone through the whole process of planning and seeking approval for a complete renovation and extension of their home, which they had outgrown. Then once plans had been finalised and approved, they realised it was a huge thing to take on with two busy careers, two young daughters and a big old Labrador, and decided they’d be better off selling and buying something to fit them,” says Amelia.
Shower BEFOREShower AFTER
With just two weeks to transform the home, and a modest budget, Amelia set about transforming the bathroom from a dated brown space to a much brighter and whiter one. “When planning the vibe for the whole house I set out to add as much natural and artificial light as possible, as it was quite dark. But I didn’t want it to fall flat so we ran with a palette of white, grey, black and soft green and added in a lot of texture throughout,” says Amelia whose favourite design feature of the bathroom makeover is the soft green feature tile used on the front of the bath.
Bath AFTER
The new bathroom floor features new tiles laid over the original ones and the wall tiles were painted which helped keep the renovation within budget. “I was definitely inspired to try tile spraying thanks to a story on your site. I had heard of it over the years but always been put off by what I heard through others so when this project came up I jumped at the chance,” says Amelia who explains that the process did unfortunately suffer due to her choice of trade. “The contractor who did the work had some issues and had to come back several times and ended up stripping it back and doing it all again, but it ended well. I can’t say I’d use this particular gentlemen again but I’d try it again for sure though. Plus, he didn’t charge us due to the inconvenience,” says Amelia.
AFTER The project is testament to the power of white!
Breakdown of bathroom costs:
Tile resurfacing: $800 (this was waived)
Tiles and tiling : $427.25
Painting: $250
Tap/shower/bath fittings and towel rails and installation: $500
They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. Whether large or small, your kitchen deserves to look its best. But we all know how expensive a kitchen renovation can be – so rather than ripping out the cabinetry to keep up with this year’s trends, why not simply spruce them up with a little paint? Today, we’ll show you how to paint laminate cabinets.
If your cupboards are in good condition but simply look a little dated, this DIY is right up your alley. Before picking up a paintbrush, keep in mind that not any old paint will do. The paint needs to be specifically designed to stick to cabinetry material (most likely laminate or melamine) and ensure long-lasting results.
BEFORE (Image source: placeofmytaste.com)AFTER (Image: placeofmytaste.com)
Clean and protect
As with any home makeover, preparation is key. Before you begin, be sure to give your cupboard doors a good scrub with White Knight’s tile and laminate cleaner to remove any residual grease (mould can be removed with a blend of water and bleach). Use drop sheets (or rags) to protect the kitchen floor, benchtop and splashback from paint splatter.
Measure up
First up, knowing how much paint you need for your kitchen. The same golden formula from my previous post on revamping bathroom tiles applies here; simply multiply the length and height of your cupboard surfaces, then divide that number by twelve. Pick up that many litres of White Knight Laminate Paint, and you’re ready to transform!
Prepare doors
To ensure your kitchen doesn’t turn into a hot mess, you need to remove all the cabinet doors and drawers you are planning to paint by their hinges. Remember to label them all before removal, that way you can easily place them back where they belong after painting. Cover the back edges of the doors with painters tape, and remove any door knobs (unless you want to paint them too). Finally, lightly sand back the door surfaces to get them ready for the primer.
Prime
White Knight’s tile and laminate primer provides a base coat that helps your final coat of paint stick to the laminate surface. Use a small roller and roller tray (never straight from the tin) to prime the door edges first, then apply the primer in a zig zag motion across the front of the door. After four hours you can apply the second coat of primer, then leave for another four before lightly sanding in preparation for the laminate paint.
Paint
Depending on what sort of finish you are after, you can use either White Knight’s laminate paint (satin finish) or their tile paint (gloss finish), and have them tinted to whatever colour your heart desires.
Stir your paint well (otherwise the pigment might sink to the bottom!), then apply your paint; using a roller and tray, start with the edges first, then use nice, long strokes for the front of the doors. Keep the coats thin to prevent any cracking or bubbling. Leave the first coat to dry for six hours, then give the doors a light sand before applying the second coat using the same long strokes.
Your flash new cabinetry will be ready to host My Kitchen Rules challenges in a week. Before then, be gentle with the fresh surfaces, and avoid pulling out the bleach or bicarb.
–Naomi Findlay is Australia’s rapid renovation expert, an internationally renowned renovator, award-winning property stylist and speaker.She’s an industry leader in creating healthy wealthy spaces and creating wealth and profit from renovating property. Naomi is CEO of staging company Silk Home and founder and principal of education provider, the International Institute of Home Staging (IIHS).
It’s no secret that kitchens and bathrooms are the highlights of the modern home. A tacky blue tile in the shower or 70s floral design can make your home look tired and dated. Before you take out a second loan and throw a sledgehammer at those eyesores, there is a quick and easy way to freshen up your bathroom – without leaving you shower-less for a month or hurting the hip pocket.
The budget-friendly fix? Tile paint. If your bathroom tiles are free from chips, cracks and other major damage, a simple refinish with White Knight tile paint can quickly turn your bathroom from drab to “va-va-voom” (as Neale Whitaker would say). Not only will you give your tiles a new lease on life, you will also help the environment by keeping them from becoming landfill.
Click on the image to see more of this amazing bathroom transformation using tile paint by The Painted Hive (before photo below).The before
Clean, repair and prepare
Before you crack open that tin of paint, remember: preparation is the key to success. A DIY refinish can quickly turn into a DIY disaster if you decide to skimp on the pre-painting steps. Think of this as an essential ingredient to the perfect cake – miss it, and the whole cake won’t turn out.
As clean as your tiles may look, a thorough spray and scrub using White Knight’s tile and laminate cleaner will ensure your tiles are squeaky clean and ready for their grand makeover (think residual soap scum or bath oils). Zap away any pesky mould with bleach, and fill in any grout or tile cracks with fresh grout or poly filler. If a tile is badly damaged, replace it with a tile of the same size – you don’t have to worry about matching the colour as it will be painted over anyway!
Use tape (you can go fancy with painter’s tape or use any masking tape you may have lying around) to protect non-tiled walls and taps, and lay down drop sheets (old blankets and rugs will work) in the bath tub and floor. The goal is to protect these parts from an accidental paint makeover.
Measure up
Before you can begin sprucing up your bathroom tiles, you need to calculate the amount of paint required for your DIY. Since everybody’s bathroom (and the amount of tiles in it) is different, buying a tin and hoping for the best is probably not the right way to go. Luckily, there is an easy way to determine how much paint you will actually need to use. Just multiply the length and height of the tiled walls, divide everything by 12 and voila! The final number is the amount (in litres) of paint that you will need.
Prime
Once your tiles are clean and any cracks and gaps have been filled in, it is time to prime. White Knight’s tile and laminate primer provides a base coat that helps your final coat of paint stick to the tiles and prevents peeling and scratching (ensuring your DIY efforts aren’t wasted when the kids knock the tiles during bath time). It also contains an anti-mould ingredient to further protect your refreshed tiles.
Use a roller to zig-zag the primer across your tiles, finishing off corners and edges with a paint brush. Avoid painting straight from the tin, otherwise you will ruin the primer for future use – use a rolling tray instead. The key here is to focus on small sections at a time to ensure good coverage. Just two coats of primer four hours apart, a light sand after each (wait for the coat to dry first!), and you are ready to paint.
BEFORE (Pic source: Littlepinknotebook.com)AFTER
Paint
The beauty of White Knight’s tile paint is that you can tint it to whatever colour you want, as well as enjoy either a traditional glossy finish, or opt for a satin effect (with their laminate paint option). Apply your paint in the same manner as your primer: use a roller and tray, and paint brush for corners and edges. Zig-zag your first coat, leave to dry for six hours, then finish off with a light sand before applying the second coat using long strokes. Stir your paint every now and then – it will prevent streaks and help you achieve a smooth finish. And remember: two thin coats are better than one thick one!
Your beautiful new tiles will be fully cured in a week, so take extra care to avoid bumps or harsh cleaners. If you would like to create a little contrast between your tiles and grout, simply apply White Knight’s grout pen to the grout.
Clean up
With so much focus on preparing your tiles and bathroom, it can be easy to forget about the actual equipment you use. Paint brushes, rollers, sponges and trays should be washed as soon as you are finished with them – unless you don’t mind throwing them out after one use! However, after your bathroom revamp, you might just get itching to make over your kitchen tiles next!
–Naomi Findlay is Australia’s rapid renovation expert, an internationally renowned renovator, award-winning property stylist and speaker.She’s an industry leader in creating healthy wealthy spaces and creating wealth and profit from renovating property. Naomi is CEO of staging company Silk Home and founder and principal of education provider, the International Institute of Home Staging (IIHS).
A smart cosmetic renovation is one of the most effective ways to completely transform a home on a modest budget. There are many different approaches to take, but you can be sure that paint will figure prominently.It’s cheap, it’s a straightforward DIY project and you can achieve miracles in just a weekend of hard yakka.
On a limited budget, you want to be looking at easy gains for minimum outlay and maximum impact. If you’re renovating to make a profit, as opposed to improving your own home, you need to educate yourself about what style of renovation suits your area: i.e, what do your potential buyers or tenants want? Laminate benchtops and budget flooring might be perfectly adequate for some properties but won’t cut it for a $1 million-plus property.
Whirlwind magic
Just to give you an indication of how much a quick, targeted cosmetic renovation can boost the value of your property, I’ve dipped into the archives to pull out this renovation from 2012. I spent around $2,500 on cosmetic improvements to this one-bedroom unit in Sydney’s northern beaches that the owners were gearing up to sell. But you’d never believe it was such a meagre budget when you see the transformation.
BEFORE kitchenAFTER kitchenBEFORE loungeAFTER loungeBEFORE bedroomAFTER bedroom
I painted throughout, steam-cleaned the carpets, gave the bathroom an industrial scrub, updated the light fittings and window coverings, and treated the kitchen to a quick cosmetic refresh. For that, I simply painted over the old tiles and cupboards with specialty White Knight paint, resurfaced the benchtops using the Rust-Oleum countertop transformations kit, added a couple of overhead cupboards and updated all the cupboard handles to some nice, modern ones.
None of the improvements were particularly complex, so any competent DIYer could tackle them. And it’s a quick makeover and styling effort that is pretty much timeless. Pre-reno the apartment was valued at $380,000. One week after the makeover was complete the owners accepted an offer of $412,500. Not a bad profit for a few days’ effort. I can only imagine what that Dee Why one-bedder would sell for in today’s heated Sydney market!
A bathroom can be one of the most trade-intensive rooms in the house to renovate – and that traditionally means high labour costs. Expect your bathroom to be out of action for anywhere from one to three weeks, depending on the scale of the reno and any unforeseen problems that might arise.
A typical bathroom renovation can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $30,000 – unless, of course, you are smart with your shortcuts, in which case you can whittle your budget down to under $5000. And you’ll be talking days, not weeks, of work. Here are the five essentials of a cosmetic bathroom refresh.
Retain and rework
The minute you start ripping things out in a bathroom you’re asking for trouble. There’s ancient plumbing, asbestos, old electricals and decrepit walls to possibly contend with, which is why the budget on a full bathroom reno can easily spiral out of control. So the trick for a cosmetic refresh is to look at working with what you have as much as possible and replacing the bare minimum.
Amazing paint
If the main problem is simply that the bathroom looks dated, you can achieve a lot simply with the right paints. There’s specialty paints for vanity, tiles, sinks and baths. Together with painting the walls and ceilings in modern colours, a transformation can be pulled off for a few hundred dollars. And if you’re handy and meticulous with your finishes, you can probably DIY the lot yourself. That’s zero labour costs and no tradesmen traipsing through your property.
Replace the minimum
The next cheapest approach is to swap out a few key items. Bulky, old-style toilets take up a lot of unnecessary space, don’t have the water-efficiency of new ones and are just plain ugly. You can buy a smart new one that conceals all the inner workings for under $500. New vanities and baths are often on special, especially old stock and internet bargains, and as long as you work with your existing plumbing, won’t cost the earth to replace. Just be sure you use a licensed plumber for the install.
Glass distinction
Shower curtains are a thing of the past, not least because they are mould traps and have no place in a streamlined, modern bathroom. You can pick up fabulous looking frameless glass shower screens for under $500 online, so that’s a no-brainer.
Tile action
There’s no doubt that tiles can be one of the biggest wow factors in a bathroom, especially now the trend is moving away from clinical all-white bathrooms. Shop around for run-out stock, where they may have limited tiles left of popular lines, and you can pick up fantastic-looking tiles for under $20/sq m. The main cost will be labour: waterproofing and tiling. However, in a small bathroom, the dramatic impact versus financial outlay can be well worth the investment, especially given how much value a contemporary bathroom can add.
At the end of the day, you’re looking for a finished product that looks spectacularly neat, clinically clean, thoroughly modern, but for a price that belies the before and after transformation.
Here are two bathroom projects I’ve recently completed that show just what can be achieved on a modest budget.
BATHROOM 1
BEFOREAFTER
What we did:
Modernise the bathroom joinery by adding trim to the doors, new hardware and laminate paint.
Install laminate benchtop and dual vanity.
Install new feature lights to the vanity area.
Waterproof and retile the bathroom floor and walls.
Install freestanding bath, open shower and new toilet.
Install new bathroom fixtures and fittings.
Total cost: approx. $8000
BATHROOM 2
BEFOREAFTER
What we did:
Replace old shower screen with clear glass
Install new removable timber floor
Install new mirrored wall hung cabinets.
Paint tiles, walls and ceiling
Install new bathroom vanity.
Total cost: $2250
–Cherie Barber is the director of Renovating for Profit, a company that teaches everyday people how to buy and renovate properties for a profit.
Creating a better bathroom on a budget is now easier than ever thanks to the new Rust-Oleum Tile Transformations Tint Base Kit. Designed for the budget-conscious DIYer, Tile Transformations adheres to ceramic surfaces to deliver a big change in a single weekend.
Using the same breakthrough technology of Tile Transformations in popular Aspen White, Rust-Oleum’s new Tint Base Kit offers homeowners a palette of 40 contemporary colour options, including Blue Haze and Cool Mint – perfect for turning a lack lustre, dated bathroom into a relaxing sanctuary.
BeforeAfter in Aspen White
The kit covers up to five square metres and contains almost everything required for a successful renovation, without the expense, mess or inconvenience of demolition. Durable and long lasting, it can also be applied to floors, unlike other tile paints. Easy enough for even the novice DIYer, simply clean the tiles with the special cleaner, included in the kit, and roll on the new coating. No sanding or undercoating is required.
Rust-Oleum Tile Transformations Tint Base Kit is RRP $99.95. Available from Bunnings Warehouse and independent hardware stores nationally. Go online or call 1300 784 476 for more information.
Impatient for a new kitchen but just can’t afford it right now? Check out these new tile and laminate paints for a fuss-free makeover with no need for a primer.
One of the easiest ways of saving on the cost of renovation is to retain existing cabinetry and splashback tiles while spending on new appliances. The latest Tile and Laminate Paint from Flood, restores the appearance of laminate or melamine cupboards to new while the same paint can bring a fresh, glossy finish to dated tiles. Unlike other paints of this kind, it requires no primer, making it faster and less expensive.
