Yesterday you saw Day 1 of what we’ve nicknamed “Operation Granny Chic,” a three-day bathroom makeover for my Granny. With all the prep work finished, Day 2 focused on painting and installing new floors—though first we had to deal with one small snag.
That large rust stain on the air duct near the floor wouldn’t be solved by paint alone—it would bleed through—so we treated it with Rustoleum before painting. One quick coat sealed it right up and saved us from future bleed-through problems.
For the walls we chose Benjamin Moore’s “Hint of Violet,” a soft violet with subtle gray undertones. Granny loves color and often wears purple, so we wanted something cheerful but still light enough to keep the small room feeling open. We planned to introduce stronger accent colors through accessories and window fabric so the walls could remain a calming backdrop.
We painted the walls and the slanted ceiling in two coats. In small bathrooms, painting the ceiling the same color as the walls helps the space feel less segmented and more continuous. By lunchtime we were ready to tackle the floor.
The original floor was an old sheet laminate. It was serviceable, but Granny had asked for individual vinyl tiles with more texture for an updated look. Given our time and budget constraints, peel-and-stick vinyl tiles were the practical choice and matched her request.
We would have loved to install hex tile or another vintage-style material, but removing fixtures like the sink or toilet could have risked plumbing problems in this older house. So we honored Granny’s wish for vinyl tiles and avoided any major plumbing work.
Sherry and I had installed peel-and-stick vinyl tiles before, so once we got started we quickly found our rhythm. These tiles go down easily, require no wet saw, grout, or thinset, and are very budget-friendly—we picked ours up for $0.99 each from Home Depot. The most important step is pressing each tile firmly against the previous one to avoid visible seams.
Cutting the tiles is simple: score with a utility knife, then bend and snap. It’s fast, but in Granny’s tiny bathroom there were a lot of intricate cuts to make around fixtures and edges. Cutting around the sink and toilet without removing them takes time, but we gave Granny several spare tiles so she or a plumber can tuck them under fixtures later if needed.
To get precise cuts, I made paper templates. I usually prefer sturdier cardstock, but Granny had a spiral notebook handy, so I taped a template in place and cut along its edge to transfer the shape to the tile.
Once the template was transferred, I taped it to the tile and carefully sliced along the outline.
After bending and snapping out the interfering section and testing the fit with the backing still on, the tile was ready to stick down. The result fit neatly around the toilet and blended with the rest of the floor.
In about four hours and 23 tiles the floor was finished—and it made a dramatic difference. The textured vinyl feels more modern and pairs nicely with the soft violet walls. Leaving a handful of spare tiles for Granny was a smart move in case fixtures are replaced later.
With paint and flooring done, we moved on to smaller updates—starting with refreshing some of Granny’s cabinet hardware. The original pieces were peeling and looked dated, so we sanded them and sprayed them with Valspar’s Indigo Streamer in satin. The finish is a deep navy in person and adds a fresh, unexpected pop compared with the worn brass.
We’d hoped to replace the hardware with chrome, but the existing holes weren’t standard. Reusing the original pieces turned into a blessing: we refreshed what was already there and introduced a richer color that complements Granny’s new palette.
By the end of Day 2 the spray-painted pieces were drying and the room looked almost finished despite the poor late-night photos. We added a playful blue glass knob to Granny’s medicine cabinet and rehung a towel ring using existing holes in the duct that had held one for years—Dad confirmed it was safe to reuse them.
We also replaced a couple of outlets, including a burned one on the floor, so all outlets are now new, white, and safe. An electrician had inspected them before we worked on the room to ensure everything was sound.
The sink area already looked much improved—one of the most satisfying views from Day 2—though the violet wall color reads muted in these evening shots.
After a full day of painting, new flooring, and a handful of updates, our to-do list was largely checked off:
Brainstorm colors & go shopping for accessories (Day 1)Spackle/sand/caulk everything to prep the room for paint (Day 1)Rebuild the cabinets a bit so they look more balanced (Day 1)Prime and paint the cabinets for a more updated and open look (Day 1 & 2)Paint the entire room, including the ceiling (Day 2)Fix a few issues, like a rusted duct and an old dingy corner below the sink (Day 2)Redo the floors, which were that old sheet laminate stuff (Day 2)Revive some hardware/accessories with a fresh finish (Day 2)- Make & hang curtains to add some charm (Day 3)
- Bring in some meaningful art (Day 3)
- Add some functional/personal accessories to finish things off (Day 3)
- Reveal the whole shebang for Granny (Day 3)
Tomorrow’s final post will show the official before-and-after photos, the big reveal for Granny, and a full budget breakdown after we finish up receipts and photo edits. In the meantime, are you using peel-and-stick vinyl tiles for an affordable bathroom upgrade? Did you make paper templates for tricky cuts, or do you prefer another method?