The Bargain Bath
A skilled DIYer transforms a grubby bath into a moody powder room , all on a budget .
PHOTOGRAPHY THIS PAGE : COURTESY OF MADE BY CARLI ; OPPOSITE PAGE : COURTESY OF MOORE HOUSE DESIGN / ZACK DE ZON .
Early in the fall of 2020 , Carli Alves and her husband bought a pretty Colonial fixer-upper set in a yard filled with hostas . It wasn ’ t their first project house — she ’ s a practiced home renovator with a strong following on Instagram — but the settling-in period was still a challenge .
“ This bathroom was one of the first spaces we tackled ,” says Alves . “ It was the only bathroom that was really working , and it was gross .”
With one usable restroom for a family of six , they needed a quick fix on a budget . Alves hired a plumber to replace the toilet but they tackled the rest of the renovation themselves , from demolition to design — the foremost element being the sink . Alves chose a traditional brass console sink for her former home and wanted to try it again but , this time , a touch earthier and more modern .
“ I had a vision of this wooden console base ,” Alves says . “ I couldn ’ t find anything to fit the space ; it ’ s very tight , and I wanted it to fit to scale .”
The self-taught DIYer — she began home projects before YouTube tutorials were a thing — invented the fixture as she went along , using pieces of wood affixed to stair balusters beneath a wall-mounted sink . The matte black faucet is from the Better Homes and Gardens line at Walmart .
“ I ’ m not professionally trained at all ,” she says . “ Just , with homeownership , having to do things on a budget , you want nice things but you don ’ t have a lot of money . That ’ s where it all came from .”
The remainder of the mini renovation was aesthetic : grouted vinyl tiles laid over existing floors ; shiplap affixed to the walls with liquid nails ; and pretty ikat wallpaper that inspired the moody color palette .
“ Black is definitely an accent throughout my home ,” she says . “ No matter what you do ,
INSIDE THE RENO
BEFORE
YEAR BUILT : 1945 DIY BUDGET : $ 800 –$ 1,000
PROJECT TIMELINE :
One month if you pop in some black , it always modernizes it .”
Originally , Alves says , the bathroom renovation was meant to be a quick fix . But , as the family tackled kitchen , mudroom and exterior projects , the moody bath remained the same .
“ It ’ s perfectly fine ; I ’ ve had no issues ,” she says . “ If anything , I ’ ll change the paint color because I get bored quickly !”
To tag along on the Hosta House renovation , plus other interior design tips and inspiration , follow @ madebycarli on Instagram or visit fwmadebycarli . com .
44 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MARCH 2022