I'm probably the only sicko who remembers a repulsive reality show from 2004 called "The Swan." In this repugnant excuse for entertainment (yes, I was addicted to it at the time) participants, all women, who were down on their luck underwent physical, mental and emotional "transformations." The overweight nerd whose husband cheated on her with her mother gets a nose job and new shoes. Ms. Sad Pants with one short leg gets an extension, new cheek implants and a tacky dress from Nine West. The skinny teenager gets new tits and a pair of sunglasses. Every episode, no matter what the story, the answer was PLASTIC SURGERY WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY. What a message to send, huh? It's no wonder the show only lasted one season. What in the heck is my point, you're wondering? Well, just because you're ugly doesn't mean a nose job will make you pretty and happy. Wait, nope, that's not my point. Drastic measures, like plastic surgery or expensive remodels, are not necessarily the answer to creating a happy space (and/or life). The photos above are one of the four bathrooms we recently renovated in my friends house (please note light green carpet in first photo...if it looks like pee, it smells like....). While she wanted to bust her budget on tile and vanities, this one bathroom cost less than $5,000 from tile to toilet paper. The big reveal proved to bring a big smile to her face!
WHAT'S OUT: We took one look at this old broad and new she needed a makeover from tits to toes, so we ripped out the carpet (yup, that's right), the hideous tile underneath, tossed the vanity, toilet and jacuzzi tub and installed a new subfloor and durock for tile (previous owner removed tub and shower to install jacuzzi and added shelf unit for towels. To create a space for the tile-enclosed new bathtub and shower AND to give more space to the master on the other side, we bumped into the bathroom two feet to achieve that.
WHAT'S IN: Lowe's actually has some incredibly good looking vanities and bath products, so we spread our wings and headed over to find a deep grey vanity with marble top, Kohler cast iron bathtub and splurged on a Todo toilet. For a unique twist, I suggested wall tiles for the floor that looked like brick pavers. Total spent with plumbing and electric work: $3,650.00
