It’s rare that a “before” photo makes me laugh out loud, but the shower tile in Erin’s original main bathroom did just that. Luckily, Erin and her husband carried out an impressive renovation that transformed that dated space into something fresh, modern, and functional. Below is Erin’s account of the project and the choices that made the makeover both stylish and budget-friendly.
Hi John & Sherry — we’ve been working on remodeling our foreclosure for just over a year, and so far we’ve completed three bathroom renovations. I’m still doing a happy dance over how this last one turned out. The room began in rough shape: dirty white tile with brown grout, a rain shower mural in the bathtub, and pink walls covered with a heavy, drippy texture.
Every time I used the bathroom I thought, “I can’t believe we bought this dump.” The rain shower mural was especially memorable — in the worst way.
We aimed for a contemporary, natural feel: minimal and streamlined, but warm rather than cold. The focal point became a shoji-inspired sliding door I built to fit the opening. It slides to the right, closing off the toilet and shower while preserving light in the rest of the room. I was surprised and thrilled that the door worked perfectly on the first try — those fluke wins are rare for me, so I’ll gladly take this one.
Doing the labor ourselves and choosing affordable pieces made a big difference. We used an IKEA vanity and mirror and scored clearance 12” x 24” floor tiles for just $1.22 each. Because we handled most of the work and sourced budget-friendly materials, the entire renovation came in at under $2,000.
To add subtle ambiance and functionality, we installed lighting underneath the floating vanity. The under-cabinet light highlights the open floor space and doubles as a soft nightlight for the room.
The lights plug into an outlet located under the vanity, and that outlet is controlled by a switch by the door. It’s a quick flick to turn the lights on and off, which is both convenient and pleasant.
I have to give Erin extra credit for that custom door. The whole design gives the room a welcoming, modern vibe, but the fact that the sliding door fit and functioned as intended on the first attempt is especially impressive. That sort of DIY success is inspiring to anyone tackling a home project.
Erin shared more photos on her blog, including a close-up of the original shower, which helps illustrate the dramatic improvement. The updated bathroom feels open, calm, and thoughtfully designed — small changes like the floating vanity, the stripe of penny tile, and the multifunctional mirror-shelf make a big visual impact without blowing the budget.
What stands out to you? Some favorite elements mentioned by others include the mirror that doubles as a shelf and the penny-tile accent that provides texture and a subtle graphic element. For me, the sliding shoji-inspired door is the show-stopper — it’s functional, stylish, and perfectly tailored to the space.
P.S. — On a related note, the latest series of Clara Conversations is live on the Young House Life site. One exchange is especially memorable: it centers on a future sibling and what Clara imagines will come with that new family dynamic.