An interior-savvy renovator transformed her bathroom in 24 hours through upcycling - and the results are incredible
(Image credit: Abi Hugo c/o Leader Floors)
An interior-savvy homeowner has transformed her bathroom for under £30 using a combination of upcycling hacks and furniture flipping.
Being budget smart is a valuable trait when it comes to renovating a house or a specific room in your home, and this renovator has showcased the value of replacing dated elements to give her bathroom a luxury look.
Abi Hugo, 32, is an interior lover and social media content creator in Essex who has acquired over 114,000 followers on Instagram for her upcycling tips and budget renovations.
For her bathroom transformation, which Abi achieved in less than 24 hours, the only thing she bought was two packs of peel and stick floor tiles from Dunelm for a total of £28.
She otherwise used leftover wood and paint from other rooms in her house, and transformed pre-loved furniture into bespoke pieces, such as upcycling a desk and a veneer dresser.
(Image credit: Abi Hugo c/o Leader Floors)
Bargain Renovation Tips
Discussing her bathroom transformation, Abi told Leader Doors that she began the project because her bathroom was “very boring” and “not very pleasant to start with”.
“I made sure I kept soft, neutrals in my paint colours throughout,” she said. “I chose to use wood as accents to make my wall a feature, so when doing this, I added leftover wood around my mirror which was very quick to do.
Get the Homebuilding & Renovating Newsletter
Bring your dream home to life with expert advice, how to guides and design inspiration. Sign up for our newsletter and get two free tickets to a Homebuilding & Renovating Show near you.
(Image credit: Abi Hugo c/o Leader Floors)
“Layering textures is something that makes a fantastic impact to a space, so I brought pampas grass from outside to implement character into the room. So dried grass, warm neutrals, soft organic linen is the style, and accents of black with painting things like the pipework black.”
Abi says her top tips for renovators looking to implement glamorous makeovers at a bargain price are to stick to a theme and unitise what you already have:
“Find a theme for your house, and a colour palette you love and want to run with so your house will flow. This is how I was able to use leftover paint because rather than going out and buying a new tin, you can just reuse paint, wood and decor from all over the house to pull it all together so it flows really nicely.”
Jack has worked in journalism for over a decade and was the former News Editor of Homebuilding & Renovating between 2019 until 2023. In his time as News Editor he broke the most relevant and beneficial stories for self builders, extenders and renovators, including the latest news on the construction materials shortage, planning permission and green initiatives. In 2021 he appeared on BBC's The World at One to discuss the government's planning reforms.
He enjoys testing new tools and gadgets, and having bought his first home in 2013, he has renovated every room and recently finished a garden renovation.
