How to Start a DIY Bathroom Remodel Project
This post is sponsored by The Home Depot
We have been wanting to do a bathroom remodel ever since the floor tile started discoloring a few years ago. Well…if you give a mouse a cookie, right? Since we are ripping out most of the tile area, we figured we might as well make a few other changes as well. Here are our tips and tricks on how to start a DIY bathroom remodel project.
Remodeling a bathroom for the first time can feel daunting. It is absolutely possible, but requires some research and education. This step cannot be overlooked. Once you understand the process and what you are in for, you will be much more confident as your proceed.
I love partnering with The Home Depot because they literally have all the resources and supplies you will need to complete your bathroom renovation. Here are some of my favorite articles from The Home Depot website that walks you through this process:
They have an entire section of their website dedicated to training DIYers how to get their projects done. You can find this here.
Here is how we are breaking down our bathroom renovation:
Flooring
Wall Tile
Shower Space
Bathtub Space
Vanity
Toilet Room
Step 1: Flooring
Flooring makes such a big impact in a room so this is where we started. We shopped in-store and on their website to get ideas of what we wanted. Our current floor is a tan tile that is yellowing, so we decided to go more neutral this time. We chose Lifeproof Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring in the color Dusk Cherry because of the amazing 100% waterproof quality. They have a section on The Home Depot website and app for you to figure out how much you will need for your space.
Step 2: Wall Tile
Making sure the wall tile blends well with the flooring is crucial. We wanted a bright look to help offset the darker wood floor. After spending quite some time in-store, I played with some of the samples and picked up my color palette for the bathroom. For the floor, I picked MSI Satin 12 in. x 24 in. Matte Wall Ceramic Tile in the color Sapheda Riptide for the main tile and MSI Satin 4 in. x 16 in. Matte Wall Ceramic Tile in the color Sapheda Riptide for the border.
Here are some great articles from The Home Depot that helped me with this part of the project:
Step 3: Shower Space
It can be overwhelming when choosing materials and colors for a shower. However, we decided to pick a shower floor tile first and choose everything else accordingly.
These articles will give you a lot of inspiration:
I chose a herringbone pattern with mixed colors to represent the wood floor and the white wall tile. We went with MSI Angora Herringbone 12 in. x 12 in. x 10 mm Polished Marble Mosaic Tile
One of our priorities when choosing shower heads is having two heads. We found a great set of spa style shower heads that were comparable in price to the competition but with more features. I chose VIGO Ellington 59 in. 4-Jet High Pressure Shower System with Fixed Rainhead and Handheld Dual Shower in Matte Black
When picking a shower door, you can decide between a static one or one with a swinging hinge. This is what I chose: Aston Nautis GS 53.25 – 54.25 in. x 72 in. Frameless Hinged Shower Door with Glass Shelves in Matte Black
Step 4: Bathtub and Faucet
There are more bathtubs to pick from than I could have imagined! We have never had a freestanding tub and have wanted that type of style for some time. You have price points all over the board and we chose a budget friendly option for our bathroom. This one had amazing reviews: Vanity Art Mulhouse 71 in. Acrylic Flatbottom Freestanding Bathtub in White
A free standing tub requires a separate plumbing fixture. Since we are going with black shower heads, we continued this over to the bathtub. Here is what we grabbed: CASAINC 2-Handle Freestanding Floor Mount Tub Faucet Bath in Matte Black, Tub Filler Faucet with Hand Shower
Step 5: The Vanity
This is the fun part for me because you get to pick out pieces that really represent your style. These are also areas of the bathroom that can be changed and updated easily in the future, so it is a good time to go bolder if you want too. I wanted a spa-like feeling with some modern twists. I chose to change up my coloring as well and threw in some gold pieces. What do you think?
Faucet: Kohler Cursiva 8 in. Widespread 2-Handle Bathroom Faucet in Matte Black
Mirror: Home Decorators Collection Large Arched Gold Classic Accent Mirror (39 in. H x 26 in. W)
If you do not know how to install a vanity, this article can help you:
Step 6: Toilet Room
This is a simpler space to recreate and I added the same design looks from the rest of the bathroom into this area. Additionally I am adding a beautiful accent wall that I saw my friend Nicole complete over at Simply Aligned Home here. The wood slats are an affordable way to create a big impact in a bathroom remodel project.
These are the items I chose for this space:
Hardware: Moen Genta Pivoting Toilet Paper Holder in Matte Black
Robe Hooks: Kohler Kallan Robe Hook in Matte Black
Towel Hooks: Richelieu Hardware 4-1/8 in. Flat Black Iron Swivel Hook
Here are some articles to help you pick out and install the toilet you are looking for:
The prep work in figuring out what we want and then getting it ordered has been a big job. I can’t wait for all the pieces to arrive so we can start the install process.
Now we get to start demoing the bathroom – I can’t wait! Make sure to follow along on Instagram to see the step by step process of our bathroom remodel project.
Measure twice, place once, front of bowl extends out beyond typical….Be extra careful on toilet (takes two persons–very heavy)…use new-style plastic soil pipe entry seal, NOT wax seal (wax crushes when heavy toilet goes over, ultimate leaks if not careful–plastic piece can be reused if toilet fails in future; plastic pieces are afforded to raise/lower toilet body over hole)…
This toilet features hidden floor pins within the toilet wall itself–they have to be put together PERFECTLY BEFORE toilet placement…there are two holes on each side to view the pins which level the toilet (can be tight to enter and maneuver and align these pins if in a very tight space surrounding toilet with long screwdriver–arduous process–mark each SIDE OF TOILET–and on floor at least 6 in. away from front and side of toilet–where holes are to be placed/aligned, then just line up these marks, b/c you cannot see these interior pins as the toilet rests on them internally)–company provides two plastic pieces to cover holes when finished. Don’t forget the aluminum ring around floor water pipe coming in (they do make adjustable pipe rings in case you forget).