Hello Friends! How was your week? Was it fun filled, family filled or mani/pedi filled? No matter what, I hope it was awesome. As for the Mister and I, we went to Navasota. That means I had time to sit and reflect. For some reason I thought about the months of cleaning and purging and packing and selling all to get that little farmhouse likeable. And most of the time I enjoy it. Not this time. This trip was irritating. We were dealing with a repair that needed to get done way over a year ago (insert rolling eyes). So now you’ll get to see a farmhouse bathroom with budget ideas.
A Farmhouse Bathroom With Budget Ideas
The yucky plastic shower in the only full bathroom that was installed who knows when, is coming loose from the lovely plastic bottom. The screws that hold the door on have rusted and broken off – fabulous. The caulking around the edge has turned yellow – oh goodie. And now the caulking isn’t keeping the doors attached to the wonderful plastic base – yippee. Last but not least, with the doors and shower walls just moving willy nilly, if you don’t pull it tightly at the bottom, it leaks like Niagara Falls – stupendous!
Can you see my aggravation? Do you feel my pain? Please tell me you do. Tell me you totally get it and are putting together a masterful bathroom intervention.
Even if you don’t get it, it’s okay. At least I think it’s cute. Not chubby newborn baby cute. More like Bless Your Heart cute. But here is how we transformed this old farmhouse bathroom and my budget ideas.
Here’s a before picture. Actually, this picture was taken AFTER we’d already removed the second chest of drawers, the bench that sat under the window, the tall shelf in between the sink and shower and the large hamper that was squeezed in there somewhere. Yeah, I know!
Look at that wall paper. Decades ago blue stripes and peach floral borders were a thing. Thankfully, it isn’t anymore.
Budget Idea #1:
To stay on a tight budget we painted over the wall paper instead of removing it. If you use an oil based primer and then a latex paint over it, the paint sticks easy peasy and doesn’t get behind the paper so it doesn’t lift off. We did pull off the border so we wouldn’t have a noticeable seam. And if you’re wondering, the paint color is Sherwin Williams “Rain” #6219. A nice blue/green/gray. 🙂
For my friends that don’t know, the farmhouse was built in the early 1930’s so it didn’t have indoor plumbing. The wall you see on the right use to be the back of the house. I’m super grateful to have been born in the 60’s when they had the important things like air conditioning, running water and donuts. Just imagine what it was like back then – hot sticky humid summers with pants that stuck to your legs while trying to pull them down to potty in a wonderful hole and trying not to get your clothes dirty. Yuck and gaaaross!
Anyway, in my opinion the bathroom needs a complete overhaul. I remember it having a huge cast iron tub but many years ago the Mister’s parents removed it and added the plastic shower a.k.a. pain in my fanny. Obviously not my choice but oh well, it’s there and it stays for now.
Budget Idea #2:
We needed storage so I reused one of the chest of drawers but removed the two upper drawers to hold towels. The bottom drawers hold the personal items no one wants to see. To make it work, we made a shelf with a scrap piece of wood and added contact paper for a smooth surface. I think it’s so much cuter than just having 4 drawers staring you in the face.
Budget Idea #3:
I purchased fabric for a no-sew skirt to cover the rusty chrome legs on the very old sink. After measuring and ironing the fabric, I simply used fabric glue and self adhesive Velcro strips. I love it! I’ve already washed it a couple of times so it’s wearing well.
Budget Idea #4:
I have a collection of silver utensils. So instead of buying towel bars, the Mister bent a few spoons for me and now they’ve been upcycled to farmhouse towel hooks! They are probably my fave thing about this bathroom. You can find silver plated spoons for about $1.00 in antique stores or estate sales. Cool thing is, they don’t need to match. Love it!
Budget Idea #5:
Here’s the other side of the bathroom. I already had the two wire baskets so when I saw these super inexpensive rods at IKEA, I new they’d be perfect for the area next to the potty. The door stays open all the time so the sign was a perfect find at a local trade days event.
Budget Idea #6:
I am repurposing this antique cream and sugar bowl to hold cotton balls and Q-Tips. The milk glass gives the area more personality.
Budget Idea #7:
Speaking of personality… This box is covered with burlap. You can use a spray adhesive to get the fabric to stick or use tacks. Then simply print out your own artwork. These 4 make me smile every time I see them!
Budget Idea #8:
Instead of purchasing a toothbrush holder, I painted a basket I already had with the same wall paint. It holds the toothpaste, tooth brushes and floss. One more thing you can find at a garage sale for $1.00 or less.
One of these days we’ll paint the white walls, get a new floor, replace the shower, get a new sink and lighting. For now though, it’s likeable. If you come to visit, I promise I’ll get the Mister to recaulk the shower and get new screws. Might want to give me a few months notice though. Just sayin. If you’d like to see a tiny bit more of the farmhouse “before” pictures, you can see that here, and here.
The bathroom looks great! I really like the budget do-overs you chose. These are the kinds of ideas we should all use more often, in truth. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of knowing you did something that is pretty and that works for very little money.
Author
Thanks Stacey. Spending little money is an awesome feeling!
Great makeover! We have a cabin built in 1935. Sometime in the 80s, they added a full bath. It has a plastic/metal shower too!!!! No door like yours has, so I use a shower curtain. It is rusting out at the bottom front where water escapes the very small enclosure every time anyone showers. We tried to buy a new shower last year. It was a one piece box style. When delivered it would not fit through the front door of the house and we had bought the smallest size……so…..a complete gut and remodel with a real tiled shower is in the plans for the next couple of years. For now, we hope the front of the shower does not collapse from rust! I know exactly how you are feeling about old showers!
Author
Oh Connie, we are Fed Up Shower Sista’s! Hope your’s gets done before mine – LOL. Thanks for visiting.
It looks gorgeous & your upcycle ideas are so clever! I agree with you about liking the modern amenities. I grew up in FL & my dad would always say no one wanted to live in the swamp until A/C was invented. 😊
Author
LOL. I’m with your dad! Not sure how people stood it. But I guess they didn’t know what they were missing since they didn’t have it.
Cindy,
Such cute ideas. Yep, when I was born we didn’t have indoor potty facilities!! Thank our good LORD, I was just 3yrs old when I got to spend all day helping the men that were digging a huge hole & putting a big cement tank down in it! I got to pick the colors of the bathroom. Fixtures & everything. Of course I love pink!!! So that bathroom had pink walls, flooring, potty, tub & sink!!!
Hahahahaha I remember my folks saying it wasn’t easy finding everything in pink!!
Great job!
Author
Pink is my favorite color so I would have loved an all pink bathroom. My sister and I shared a bedroom up until we were in high school but the day came when we moved into a home with enough bedrooms that we each got our own. We still shared a bathroom but got to pick out the tile and fixtures as well. Guess what… Our tile inside the shower, on the floor and 2/3rds up the walls were pink! It was quite something to behold. LOL. I wonder if the new owners ever changed that bathroom. It was back in the early 80’s. Enjoy your new farmhouse Bonnie. I’m so jealous!
Love your budget friendly touches. It looks so much better without the striped wallpaper and I love the dresser upcycled with the towel shelf! Sometimes we have to work with what we’ve got. You did a great job!
Author
Thank you Cecilia. I’ve had someone tell my it was weird to have a chest of drawers in a bathroom. Oh well. Glad someone else thinks it’s cute too!
I loved the budget tips. The milk glass sugarer and creamer are a pattern called “Old quilt” ; I wanted to reach into the screen and grab it caz it’s one of my faves to collect. Just had my bathroom spruced up; the blue paint turned out darker than it looked on the paint chip; I’m living inside a robin’s egg! My turquoise moon and stars glass is being repurposed for bathroom stuff; bowl for makeup, pedestal vase for toothbrushes, candleholder bowl for my talc and powder puff. Have used the banana boat for fingertip towels in the past. Kohl’s had their “Big One’s” towels on sale; I cut up a bath towel and will get 8 facecloths, and I found a turquoise rug on clearance (plus 20% off!). isn’t it great when you can pair bargains with old treasures? Love the bureau idea; what a great use of that space.
Author
Kathy! All of your ideas sound wonderful. Sounds like you are the queen of repurposing! And thank you so much for letting me know what the cream and sugar pieces are. So excited to know!
I love the wire baskets and the essentials rack in your bathroom.
Also I am a big milk glass collector so I love those pieces too!
Author
Thank you Joy. I’ve just started to notice more milk glass around. I see more in my future! Happy Friday!
The whole bathroom looks awesome! My favorite is Budget idea #2! The Chest of drawers where you took out the top two drawers! LOVE that idea! I also really liked #8 the basket to hold your toothbrush and toothpaste! Such a cute idea! Great job Cindy!!!!
Author
Thanks Pam! Hope one day you’ll come see it in person!
You did a great job, and I love decorating on a budget!
Author
Thank you Cherryl. It’s not always easy staying within a set budget but this one was easy.
You shared some cute ideas whether for an older bathroom or new.
Author
Aww, thanks Debra. I like mixing old with new anyway so it seems a perfect fit. Glad you liked it too.
I have painted two rooms in my house SW Rain and I love it. Some days it looks blue, others a fun greenish blue. One of my favs! Your bathroom is darling. I love the spoons.
Author
When I thought about the color, it didn’t take me long to choose – it’s so pretty. Thanks for the sweet compliments and for visiting the blog today!
Nice job on your make-over. I know your feeling. We live in a manufactured home AKA a mobile home. The shower is hideous! There is this “garden tub” I don’t see anything garden about it. Because our area has a lot of Iron in it the tub and side walls are stained orangey gross. We have gone deeper in our well so we have much better water now, but the damage is done. The walls are also coming of the walls. We might just go with a new walk in shower, we’ll see. I like you idea with the open drawer shelf for the towels. Your vintage stool is awesome. I also have a collection of mix-matched silver. While in Rome many years ago, I found a toilette brass sign. Most people visiting a city like Rome would be looking by expensive Italian shoes, Me, no I go find the oldest dustiest hardware store…what a treasure trove!
Author
Oh wow Rome! I’d be the same way! Would love to know what you decide to do. Send pics sometime! Thanks Josephine for the sweet compliments too.
Super cute! Great use of space. The hanging basket for teeth ‘supplies’ is fabulous for bathroom sinks without much counter space. Congratulations!
Author
Thank you Mary! You are so right about the counter space. I had to do something! Glad you stopped by – it means a lot.
I like what you have done so far for a quick fix before a major remodel! Beautiful paint color on the walls. <3 Happily pinning to my Perfect Storage board for you. Fun seeing you last week!!!
Have a great week!
Barb 🙂
Author
Wow, thank you Barbara. Hope to see you again soon!
This is so cute. You did an amazing job on a budget. Thanks for linking up. Come over and see that this has been featured.
Author
Thank you Katie! I feel so honored. Best wishes on your last big term job. Get your rest! 😉