One homeowner found a budget-friendly way to upgrade a dated bathroom without paying for expensive tiling. Jenny Mison, who lives in Wolverhampton with her fiancé David Haines and their support dog Trish, recently finished a major renovation of her home. The space was last updated in 1967, and the room contained original features like a bidet and separated toilet facilities. Mison decided to knock down an internal wall to combine the toilet and bathroom into a single, larger area, creating room for both a free-standing bath and a luxurious shower enclosure.
Mison wanted a bold, monochrome look that would fit her wardrobe aesthetic, but standard tiles were outside her budget. She noticed a clever trick on Pinterest where vinyl flooring is used as a wall covering. Mison decided to try this method herself, purchasing a single roll of black and white vinyl for approximately £30. The material was glued directly to the wall, eliminating the need for grout or gaps. Because it is waterproof and easy to wipe down, Mison notes it is especially practical for bathing the dog. She also installed the vinyl behind the vanity unit to create a seamless, finished look around the bath.
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While the project saved money by using vinyl instead of ceramic tiles, the rest of the renovation required careful coordination. Mison managed the project personally and hired independent tradespeople for the heavy work. The majority of the construction was completed in three weeks, leaving the couple without a bathroom for only about four days. Mison credits her ability to plan backwards—buying accessories before the room was fully planned—as a key factor in keeping the project on track. She chose a matt black shower with concealed fittings and a Crittall-style shower screen to complement the graphic lines of the vinyl and the blocky wooden vanity unit. The bathroom features a hidden socket behind the unit for hair tools and a pull-out laundry basket in the vanity, making the space both stylish and functional.
The renovation turned a cramped, dated area into a spacious suite. Mison balanced the bold black and white palette with pale pink accessories and round shapes like mirrors and basins to create symmetry. She used brick-shaped tiles as a feature on the shower wall and edged the shower with matching tiles for a clean finish. The result is a room that functions efficiently for a full-time working couple while maintaining a high standard of design.
