My 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge
My 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge
My idea was simply this: What can I do in just 2 days with $200 dollars? I wanted a transformation that wouldn’t consume my life or break the bank. There are lots of budget friendly ideas out there, but some of them are quite labor intensive. I wanted to give our outdated 90’s basic builder grade bathroom a QUICK and AFFORDABLE makeover without investing lots of time or money. One day we plan to do a complete overhaul of this room, but after 5 years of living with it like this, I decided it was time to at least give it a quick budget-friendly makeover. The goal was improvement, not perfection. So I decided to challenge myself to make over this space in just 2 days with $200 dollars.
Here’s what it looked like BEFORE:
Yikes. This space is the epitome of yellowed outdated 90’s basic builder grade bathroom. It functions, but has absolutely no style whatsoever.
So here’s what I created in just 2 days with $200 dollars:
And here’s how I did it:
Step 1: Improve the appearance of the glossy orange vanity.
Our vanity takes up a good deal of space in the bathroom, so I knew that in order to improve this space, I needed to improve the look of the vanity. I have always loved the look of bathrooms with a rustic wood vanity, so I decided to sand this vanity to see if I could achieve a similar vibe. I used an orbital sander (because that is what we owned) and 80 grit sand paper and got to work sanding off that glossy orange exterior. After doing this, I loved the color variation that remained and the way the vanity appeared lighter and almost “aged”, so I just put on Minwax Polycrylic clear matte sealer to seal it. It’s important to get a WATER BASED MATTE sealer, because the water based ones will not yellow (don’t want that, thank you very much) and the matte ones will not make it shiny. I purposely sanded the glossiness off, so it was important to have a matte sealer so that I didn’t add it right back. Another important step to making this piece better was to add hardware. Our basic builder grade cabinet never had hardware in its 20+ years of life. And it was time to change that. A few matte black handles later, and I’ve now got a vanity that looks much better and more reflective of my personal style.
Step 2: Paint is my friend.
I knew that the key to improving this space on a budget would involve paint! The transforming power of paint is incredible, and I was counting on it to work its magic on this space. I gave the walls and trim a fresh coat of Snowbank by Olympic (which was leftover from a previous project so it cost us nothing). And I used Rustoleum black satin spray paint to paint the towel rack, toilet paper holder, light fixture, and wall-cabinet hinges black. That $6 can of spray paint was soooo much cheaper than replacing all those items.
Step 3: Elevate the entire space by creating one beautiful focal wall.
In order to transform this room on a budget, I decided to focus most of my efforts on the wall behind the vanity. If I could make that look wall look updated, I knew it would elevate the rest of the room. This is where this subway tile wallpaper was key! Creating that focal point elevates this entire room. I used Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal paint (leftover from a previous project) to paint the upper half of this wall to give a nice contrast to the subway tile wall paper.
Step 4: Replace the basic blah mirror.
Our previous mirror was one of those ridiculously large rectangular sheets of mirrored glass that came in just about every builder grade home built in the 90’s. I’ve never liked it, but honestly the thought of taking it off the wall always intimidated me. I thought for sure it would be difficult to remove or weigh a million pounds, and so I just left it there. For 5 years. When I started this challenge, I wasn’t even sure if I’d take it down. But then on a whim, I went for it. And can I just tell you that is was the best decision I made! It took me less than 2 minutes to remove, and about another 2 minutes to spackle the holes. Why in the world did I wait so long to do this?! Replacing that mirror with a modern round mirror made a world of difference in making this room feel like a new place!
Step 5: Give The Light Fixture a Custom Makeover:
Originally I planned to buy a new light fixture. But I couldn’t find one I loved that would keep me on budget, so I decided to work with what I already had. First I had my husband remove the light fixture from the wall (If you do this, please make sure you have turned off the power to your fixture first so you don’t electrocute yourself!) Then I removed the yellow marbled glass globes and threw them out. I used a fine grit sandpaper to gently sand the light fixture so that the spray paint would adhere better, and then I sprayed it with 3 light coats of spray paint, and let it sit to dry outside to dry for several hours. Then I added copper washi tape to exposed part of the light fixture where the glass globes used to be (the credit for this idea goes to one of my followers who shared it with me, Libby@_ourlittlewhitehouse – thank you, Libby!). Then I put clear Edison bulbs in the fixture and voila…a brand “new” fixture with a modern industrial deconstructed vibe. Is it my perfect dream light fixture?…Not really. But is it a million times better than what was there, considering it cost me less than $30?! Heck, yassssss.
Step 6: Paint those yellowed linoleum floors.
This idea seemed a little crazy, but a simple google search revealed that others had successfully done this before. And this bathroom seemed like the perfect place to give it a whirl. After all, even a botched paint job couldn’t be worse than that awful yellowed linoleum that was there before, right!?
So I went for it. I’ll be doing an in depth tutorial on how I painted linoleum floors, but basically the steps were: sand it, clean it with THP heavy duty cleaner, prime it with drywall primer, roll on multiple coats of porch paint, let it dry…and dry…and dry. This drying step was definitely one that tested my patience, but here we are!
I’ll share more details on this process in a separate blog post, but I can tell you that I am so glad we did this in this bathroom because it made a world of difference! But I’m not sure I would do this in a large area or a high traffic area like a kitchen. Just being honest.
So here’s the breakdown of all the costs:
3 Pairs of Drawer Pulls/Handles: $12.94 + 9.56 + 5.94
Quart of Valspar Porch Paint $12.98
Minwax Polycrylic Clear Matte Sealer 17.97
Rustoleum Black Spray Paint $6.18
Subway Tile Wall paper: $34.99
Hobby Lobby Mirror $65.00
4 Edison Bulbs: $23.92
Charcoal Paint & White Paint: free (used leftover from previous projects)
Copper Washi Tape: free (already had some from my shop packaging supplies)
Frames, art, baskets – free (shopped my home and used what I already owned)
Toilet – free (this was removed from our powder room that we just renovated and it was in better shape than the one here so we moved it up here)
TOTAL: $189.48
I’ll admit, this room turned out better than I expected! I’m thrilled with the transformation that took place in just 2 days with 200 dollars. And my husband’s comment that “the bathroom looks 2000 times better than before!” was great validation that this was #2Days200Dollars well spent!
Now it’s YOUR turn! I invite you to join the 2 Days 200 Dollars challenge. What can you do in your home to drastically improve a space without investing a ton of time or money? It can be any space, big or small. A whole room or just a closet or a mantle.
And remember the goal is to improve the space, not to create your dream room.
Keep that healthy perspective in mind, and then roll up your sleeves, and go have fun getting to work on your own #2Days200Dollars challenge. And if you join in, please use #2Days200Dollars and tag me @cynthia_harper_ on instagram so I can see what you’re up to. And I’ll be featuring my favorite transformations in a future blog post, so that we can all keep inspiring one another!
94 Comments
Oh my!! It turned out so great!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I love the mirror, wallpaper, sanded look, light fixture with copper washi tape!! I love it all!!
Thanks so much, Trish! I appreciate that! I’m so happy with the changes, and even happier that my husband was so impressed, lol. I’m glad I took on this challenge and pushed the bounds of my own creativity on a budget! XO, Cynthia
I am so so so impressed with how this turned out!!! Looks amazing Cynthia 😍 I have several bathrooms in my home that are builder-grade with no personality that I’ve been living with for too long. I see a tiny reno coming my way! 😜
Cynthia! I love this so much! What a difference two days and UNDER $200 made. You did such an amazing job at being creative and deliberate. I love it!
Thank you so much! I truly appreciate your kind words here! This definitely pushed the bounds of my creativity, but it was such a fun challenge and I enjoyed it. XO, Cynthia
Thank so much, Kelsey! And I LOVE hearing that this may have inspired a tiny reno in your future! That’s awesome! XO, Cynthia
Looks amazing! Great idea to paint the floor! Will be curious about how well the painted linoleum holds up.
Thanks so much, Cindy! I’ll be putting together a blog post on how I painted the linoleum, and will be sure to keep everyone posted with how it holds up. Time will tell. Fingers crossed for good results! XO, Cynthia
Cynthia this turned out so amazing!! Love it!!
Thanks so much Alycia! I truly appreciate your kind words. I have to admit, I’m really pleasantly surprised how much of a difference these changes made! XO, Cynthia
This turned out AMAZING Cynthia!!! Such simple changes yet they made a HUGE impact! It’s gorgeous! 🖤
Thank you so much, Lisa! I’m really pleased with how it turned out, and a little shocked that I actually stayed on budget, lol. I’m glad I pushed myself to do this challenge – it was fun and forced some creativity! XO, Cynthia
Hi! This looks great! Love it!
Does the challenge have to be completed in September?
Thanks so much! I’m running it ‘officially’ in September because I’ll be selecting other people’s projects to feature in an early October blog post, but you can really do this challenge any time you’d like! XO, Cynthia
I’m in love! 😍
Thank you SO much for those kind words! I’m glad you like it! XO, Cynthia
It looks incredible! Great job
Thanks so much for your kinds words! XO, Cynthia
This is all so creative, I love it so much!! I definitely want to try this challenge
Thank you so much! If you decide to try it, please share it with me. I’d love to see! XO, Cynthia
It’s so good!!!! I need to get on my guest bath ASAP!
Thank you so much, friend! XO, Cynthia
Love it all. What an amazing budget transformation! Where is that rug from? I love all your rugs but can never find exact ones. Please do a blog post on those pretty rugs! 🙂
Thank you so much! Most of my rugs are from home goods, so unfortunately I can’t link them. Sorry. XO, Cynthia
Wow! This is incredible! And has totally inspired me to tackle my space! I can’t get over how the light fixture changed so much with just paint and Edison bulbs! Great job!
Thank you so much! I’m so happy with its transformation! XO, Cynthia
What a marvelous transformation!! You are a genius!
Thank you so much! XO, Cynthia
I agree with your husband completely. Oh my! I wasn’t even sure if this transformation is possible on a budget. You made me shut up and believe that a little creativity and some elbow grease can render such results. Bow down to you Cynthia. Great effort and inspiration. ❤️
Thanks so much! I’m glad I make a believer out of you 🙂 XO, Cynthia
The cabinetry in our bathrooms looked the exact same as your “before” and we painted them white several years ago. I now wish we had sanded them like this! I am shocked at how awesome they look now! Who knew?!
Thanks! I’m sure your white ones look pretty though! XO, Cynthia
So so great!!! Can you link or tell where you got the subway tile wallpaper from? It’s perfect! Also, we have the SAME cabinets throughout our home, so I’ll be tackeling the sanding project soon! Thanks!
Thanks! It’s from Target and I linked it in the blog post 🙂 XO, Cynthia
The transforms is AMAZING! Love it!
Thank you so much! XO, Cynthia
Love the space! Can you share the source for that rug?
Thanks! It’s from home goods. XO, Cynthia
Absolutely love it!!
Thank you so much! XO, Cynthia
Any tips or tutorials on sanding the vanity? I have the same ugly orange cabinets in my kitchen and have been itching to do something similar with them, but feel like it’s a risky project!
I literally just used an orbital sander to sand it down. It was so easy! And than I used Polycrylic clear matte water based sealer to seal it. Hope that helps! XO, Cynthia
I am so inspired by this. Makes me want to renovate my guest bathroom. Where did you get the subway tile wallpaper?
It’s from Target and I linked it in this blog post! XO, Cynthia
Absolutely love this!!!! I have some projects that feel so daunting, but this is super encouraging. Thank you!
I’m glad this encouraged you! XO, Cynthia
What subway tile wallpaper did you use?
Its from Target and I linked it in this blog post! XO, Cynthia
I love your updated bathroom but the best is you were creative and spent less than $200!!
I’m definitely using some of your ideas with my bathroom!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad this inspires you! XO, Cynthia
Cynthia, it looks amazing! It is hard to believe that’s the same room! Well done! I’m totally inspired to do something like this in our home. Let the brainstorming begin!
Thank you so much! If you do something similar in your home, be sure to share! XO, Cynthia
Amazing! You are so inspiring!
Thank you so much! XO, Cynthia
It looks stunning. Just like the rest of your home. Paint on the floor linoleum blew me away. I thought you redid the floor until I read your post. Such a transformation with a small budget. Love it!
Thank you so much! XO, Cynthia
I can not wrap my head around this subway tile WALLPAPER! I would have NEVER guessed! Didn’t even know there was a thing!! It looks so good in the photos! What is your honest opinion on it in real life?? Would you do it again? If someone was washing their hands at your sink is it obvious that it’s just wallpaper? Would love more info on this!:) Beautiful job!
Thanks! I LOVE this wallpaper. When you are standing right up in front of it, you can figure out its wallpaper. But it still looks really nice, and I would absolutely use it again! Hope that helps! XO, Cynthia
Looks great! Where is the subway wallpaper from?
Thanks! It’s from Target and I linked it here in the blog post! XO, Cynthia
I love how well this turned out with such a small time and financial output. Great work!
Thank you so much! XO, Cynthia
I love what you did so much! I would love your opinion on my own bathroom! We have a large/huge/ginormous mirror in our kids bathroom and I think it makes more sense to frame it because it’s a double vanity and they can see well right now. Would you frame it? Or would you replace with two smaller mirrors? And if I were to frame it is there anything you would recommend? I am inspired, lady! Hoping to use your light trick too! Did you find Edison bulbs that don’t give off a lot of heat? Mine do so I was just curious. Sorry for all the questions! But thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks! I think two smaller mirrors will look more modern, whereas framing the existing mirror will look more ‘farmhouse’, so I think it just depends what look you’re going for. Personally, I would do two smaller mirrors. And my Edison bulbs also give off lots of heat. I haven’t found ones yet that don’t. But if I do, I’ll be sure to share! xo, Cynthia
Fantastic! Can you explain how you removed the sheet mirror?
I just used a screwdriver and unscrewed the 4 clips in each corner and it lifted right off the wall. Hope that helps!
It looks awesome! Any chance you’d share where you got the wallpaper? It’s awesome.
This is beautiful cynthia! It motivates me to do mine. What size is the mirror?
Awesome job!! & what inspiration!!! Ummm….. $200/2days challenge…. yes, I hope to try this soon… 😊🤞🙏🏻
What an incredible transformation on a budget! Way to go!
Wowza!!!! All of it looks so good!!! You solution to the light fixture is my fav! I think I’m going to tackle my mud room doing your challenge. Will tag you if I do! 🙂
This is so great- will be borrowing the light fixture idea for sure!
I love this so much! You’ve inspired me to it date my son’s bathroom. What color porch paint did you use in the floor?
Thanks! Dark Kettle Black by Valspar.
Absolutely awesome!! Where did you find the wallpaper? So clever! Feeling super inspired, lady. Thank you!!
Thanks Bethany! I got it from Target. It’s linked in my IG stories highlight. I’ll add the link to the blog post here too 🙂
Wow! I can’t believe the transformation with only $200. It looks fantastic! I have a very small bathroom to renovate so you just inspired me to do so.
Definitely incredible! Where is the subway tile wallpaper from? I’ve been looking for something budget friendly like that.
It’s from Target. It’s linked in my 2 Days 200 Dollars IG stories highlights reel 🙂
[…] Cynthia (cuz we’re totally on a first name basis) started a challenge on Instagram that she called the #2Days200Dollars challenge. She challenged her followers to complete a project of their choosing in just two days with just $200. Check out her major bathroom transformation here! […]
I seriously love this!! Most Edison bulbs I find give off an amber glow (even if they are clear) do you happen to know which bulbs these were exactly?
These are clear because they are off, but when they are turned on they do have a slightly amber glow. I wish I could find a truly white edison bulb. If I do, I’ll let you know!
Love this bathroom refresh! looking to do something very similar in our guest bath however I believe our cabinet doors are wood and the rest of the cabinet is veneer. Are your cabinets solid wood? I’m wary of sanding the veneer but desperately want an easy fix of our orangey tone we have going on now.
I am so doing this to my cabinets!! Looks awesome! Did you remove the doors to sand it all or just go for it?! Love following you on insta…..you give me so much inspiration to try some new things in our home ❤️
Thanks for your kind words! I left the doors on and just went for it! XO, Cynthia
You inspired me to try this in my boys’ bathroom. I am loving it so far! I have the first coat of paint in the floor. How long did you wait in between coats? Thank you for your inspiration and sharing your beautiful home with us!
I’m wanting an update from the orange toned cabinets can I ask how you managed to sand the detailed parts of your cabinet doors?
I used a combination of an orbital sander and sandpaper by hand for the more detailed parts. There is video saved to my Instagram highlights @cynthia_harper_ Hope that helps!
I love this entire look! My bathroom literally is the same shape and style as ur before picture! But what color grey? I don’t see it listed in ur blog post only the white?
It is kendall charcoal by benjamin moore! XO, Cynthia
This is amazing! The sanded cabinet is brilliant!!
Thank you so much!
This is seriously impressive and has me wishing I hadn’t painted my cabinets white. Question for you: do you have much experience with painted knobs/pulls/bars? I’m about to paint my brushed nickel hardware black but my husband thinks that it won’t be long till all the paint has worn off and the nickel will be exposed. Thoughts?
I recommend giving the hardware a light sand with sandpaper, and then spray it with metal primer first. These things will help the spray paint to adhere better! Good luck with your project! XO, Cynthia