Weekend Bathroom Makeovers (DIY): Illustrated Techniques & Stylish Solutions from the Hit DIY Show Bathroom Renovations

DIY Network

by Amy Matthews, Bridget Biscotti Bradley

Amy Mathews, the host of DIY network’s Bathroom Renovations, takes the intimidation out of restoration. Using projects adapted from the series, she provides a superbly organized, informative introduction that assesses the space and layout possibilities; reviews the range of styles and prices for cabinets, countertops, sinks, faucets, showers, tubs, fittings, walls, and floors; and covers design elements such as lighting, storage, and ventilation. Concise, illustrated instructions (peppered with lots of encouragement) provide the fundamental nuts and bolts of renovation techniques, from removing tubs and installing toilets to laying tile and restoring windows. Ten complete redos come with before, during, and after photography, and offer homeowners their choice of styles, time investment, and budget options.  There’s something to appeal to every taste and need.

Amy Mathews honed her do-it-yourself skills with The Family Handyman magazine, where she did everything from outdoor repairs and projects to new product demonstrations. She currently hosts Bathroom Renovations on DIY Network, a show that covers everything from simple updates to luxurious “dream spas.” Everything involved in a bathroom makeover, from plumbing to counters, is tackled with style.

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2006

Reviews

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given the fact that I am not the handiest or craftiest sort of person, it is perhaps somewhat of a surprise that I would want to read about bathroom makeovers, but when I think of such things I think of my own bathroom and the sort of ways that it could improve, and also tend to think somewhat in the future of what I might want to do later on if making over a bathroom is something that would be important or useful, as it is in the examples cited in this book.  When doing a bathroom makeover there are a lot of matters one has to consider, from one's budget to the sort of use that one expects to get out of it to various other questions.  And in this particular case, the book was able to be at least somewhat helpful although it was focused far more on aesthetic elements than the sort of plumbing changes that would be most useful for my own bathroom at present.  That said, this is a book that is useful for future plans and potential, and so even if it was not as immediately practical as I would have liked it has some value.

The book is about 175 pages or so and is divided into three chapters with various supplementary material.  After a brief introduction chapter one covers how one plans one's bathroom renovation, including assessing the space and determining what sort of help one needs, looking at budget or the need for "universal design" as well as the type of bathroom that one is working with and questions of style as well as the various elements of the room.  After that the second chapter contains a look at different types of renovation jobs that the authors wish to focus on, including restrooms with art deco, cottage, kids' bathroom, style update, period restoration, simple update, spa retreat, color correction, contemporary, and high tech focuses.   Admittedly, some of these restrooms look very ambitious and some of them are very expensive.  Finally, the third chapter looks at some basic techniques for demolition, tile repairs, walls, paint and plumbing, and after that there is a glossary, resource guide, credits, and index to help the reader.  Overall, these diy projects are the sort that would appear on the network so they are definitely far more expensive and fancy than most people would tend to think of.

In looking at do-it-yourself projects, there are at least a few reasons why a makeover would be worthwhile.  Like the authors of this book (which contains a few typos, it must be noted), I agree that it is worthwhile to make drastic changes to one's bathroom for the sake of one's own use, with the potential that it might make a house worth more, without making a change for the sake merely of profiting off of the renovation's effect on home value.  And a lot of the renovations explored here make sense.  It would appear worthwhile that if one has a lot of kids using a bathroom and one has the means to do so that it would be good to have a bathroom that was easy for the kids to use, and if one had a house that was in a particular style that one might want the bathroom to be in the same sort of style, and that it might be worthwhile to upgrade the style of a bathroom after it has been out of style for a few decades.  I say this as someone who is less concerned with style than most people, but who can agree that the restrooms included here generally work well and look good.  Now, if only I could get that square-shaped dripping shower head that I had in Colombia....

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting ideas for some basic remodeling, paint, tile etc., than can be accomplished in a few days. More of an idea book than a how to book though.