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Melissa and Wyatt Shipman refreshed an underused basement half-bath for $203.76, according to Apartment Therapy. The couple kept the existing vanity, countertop, toilet and sink, while using paint, peel-and-stick flooring and updated lighting to change the room’s appearance.

Melissa and Wyatt Shipman updated their underused basement half-bath for $203.76, using leftover paint, peel-and-stick floor tiles and changes to the existing oak vanity rather than replacing the room’s major fixtures. Apartment Therapy reported the makeover after the couple said the bathroom became more useful when Wyatt began working from home in the basement and their children were home during the day.

The bathroom had retained features from the home’s early-1990s construction, including tan vinyl flooring, an oak vanity, poor lighting and a blue toilet and sink, according to Apartment Therapy. The couple had lived in the house for nine years and had worked on other parts of it, but Melissa said they put off the half-bath because it was rarely used and replacing its fixtures seemed expensive.

To brighten the small room without exceeding their budget, the Shipmans removed the popcorn ceiling and painted the walls crisp white using paint left over from other projects. They covered the old floor with gray, white and black peel-and-stick tiles. Melissa said the couple chose a graphic pattern because the material was affordable and less permanent than conventional tile; installation took a few hours, though she described it as challenging.

The couple kept the oak vanity but sanded some of its decorative edges and painted it black with leftover paint. A new black faucet, mirror and contemporary light fixtures completed the changes, along with art placed in frames they already owned. Apartment Therapy reported the final cost as $203.76, slightly above the couple’s initial $200 target. The report does not itemize the cost of each purchase.

At a glance
reportWhen: Reported by Apartment Therapy yesterday…
The developmentApartment Therapy reported on a couple’s $203.76 DIY update to their basement half-bath, which had been largely ignored before the space saw more daily use.

A Small Budget, Existing Fixtures

The project shows how the Shipmans changed the look of a frequently used room without paying to replace its toilet, sink, countertop or vanity. For readers weighing a bathroom refresh, the reported approach offers a specific example of prioritizing surface changes and reuse when a full renovation is outside the budget.

The changes also followed a practical shift in how the family used the basement. The half-bath had once been easy to ignore, Melissa told Apartment Therapy, but Wyatt’s home office and the children’s presence made it more central to daily life. The report describes one household’s DIY project, not a guarantee that the same materials, labor or cost would suit other bathrooms.

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Why the Half-Bath Got Attention

The Shipmans had lived in the home for nine years and completed DIY work elsewhere, according to the report. They had delayed this room in part because they rarely used it and were unsure how to update its blue fixtures without spending heavily. Its increased use changed the couple’s priorities.

Rather than undertake a full remodel, they focused on the ceiling, walls, floor, vanity finish and lighting. The article says they used leftover paint and existing frames to limit new purchases. It does not give a detailed project schedule or describe any plumbing or electrical changes.

““We’ve DIYed most of the rest of our house over the last nine years of living here, but I was basically ignoring this room because we never really used it, and I didn’t want to spend the money to upgrade a space that felt impossible.””

— Melissa Shipman, as quoted by Apartment Therapy

Project Costs and Durability

Apartment Therapy gives the reported total as $203.76 but does not provide a full price breakdown, identify every product or explain whether the total includes tools the couple already owned. The article also does not specify the brands or installation details for the peel-and-stick tiles, or how they have held up over time.

The report presents the outcome and cost as the couple’s experience. It does not establish whether the same budget would work in another bathroom, where room size, floor condition, material prices and needed repairs may differ. No information is provided about a later renovation or plans to replace the original fixtures.

No Further Renovation Reported

Apartment Therapy’s report describes the completed makeover; it does not announce a next stage or give a date for future work. The couple’s immediate next step, as described in the article, is to use the updated bathroom as part of their more frequently occupied basement.

Any longer-term assessment of the floor covering, painted vanity or overall cost remains unavailable in the report. The couple has not been quoted as saying whether they plan additional changes.

Key Questions

How much did the bathroom makeover cost?

Apartment Therapy reported a final cost of $203.76, compared with the couple’s $200 target. The article does not provide a full itemized budget.

What did the couple change?

They removed the popcorn ceiling, painted the walls white, installed peel-and-stick floor tiles, sanded and painted the existing oak vanity, and added a black faucet, new mirror and updated lighting.

Did they replace the toilet, sink or countertop?

No. According to Apartment Therapy, the couple kept the existing toilet, sink and countertop, as well as the vanity itself.

Why did they take on the project?

The basement half-bath became more useful after Wyatt began working from home there and the couple’s children were home during the day, the report says.

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