TL;DR
Sheena Tobin refreshed her 1980s primary bathroom with paint, cabinet work and evenly spaced lines drawn using a paint marker that cost under $7. The project took a summer and totaled about $250, above her preferred $150 budget; the marker lines create the appearance of paneling rather than actual woodwork.
Sheena Tobin used a paint marker costing under $7 and a ruler to draw evenly spaced lines on painted bathroom walls, creating the appearance of wood paneling without installing panels. Apartment Therapy reported that the do-it-yourself refresh of her 1980s primary bathroom cost about $250 and took an entire summer, exceeding Tobin’s preferred budget of roughly $150.
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Tobin told Apartment Therapy that the bathroom’s existing finishes felt disconnected from the rest of her home. She described an old ceiling light, a countertop that did not match the room and a cabinet paint job she disliked. The bathroom had received updates over the years, but she said it still lacked aesthetic appeal. A full renovation was a future goal, not something the family could afford at the time.
For the walls, Tobin took inspiration from an online living-room photo featuring pale color and paneling. She liked that the light shade would work with the bathroom’s existing countertop. She selected Sherwin-Williams’ Maison Blanche as the color reference, then had Valspar match it. After painting the walls, she used a paint pen and ruler to make regularly spaced lines. The lines imitate panel seams; they are not installed wood panels.
She also worked on the existing cabinets. Rather than paint over their thick, uneven coating, Tobin decided to remove some of it first, which added time and labor. She chose Sherwin-Williams’ At Ease Soldier as a color reference and had Valspar match it. Tobin said the cabinets were not perfect after the work, but looked much better to her. Her children reacted to the first painted section by saying the cabinets looked new, she told Apartment Therapy.
A Low-Cost Way to Suggest Paneling
The project shows how a renter or homeowner can change a room’s visual character without taking on the cost and work of installing wood paneling. In Tobin’s case, the marker lines supplied a decorative detail while paint tied the walls to the existing countertop. That approach may be useful to readers considering a cosmetic refresh, but the reported result is a visual imitation, not a substitute for actual paneling or a structural upgrade.
The final cost also puts the budget claim in perspective. Tobin hoped to spend around $150, but reported spending about $250. The marker itself was inexpensive; the full project also involved wall paint, cabinet preparation and painting, and a substantial amount of time. The account does not break down each expense, so the marker’s price should not be read as the total cost of recreating the room.
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From Outdated Bathroom to Family Space
The bathroom was part of Tobin’s family home, which she said had otherwise been thoughtfully reimagined. She told Apartment Therapy that her children considered the room unpleasant and avoided it. A complete gut renovation remained a longer-term plan, so the refresh was meant to make the existing space more enjoyable without replacing all its fixtures and surfaces.
The reported project relied on changing the room’s appearance rather than replacing its main elements. The countertop stayed, while paint updated the walls and cabinets. Tobin’s choice of a light wall color was partly intended to make the existing countertop seem like a deliberate part of the design. The project was not described as a professional renovation, and Apartment Therapy did not provide a detailed materials list or a cost breakdown beyond the overall reported total and the marker price.
Costs and Durability Details Missing
Apartment Therapy’s account does not identify the paint marker’s brand, provide a full itemized budget or specify how the drawn lines have held up over time in a bathroom. It also does not report whether the walls were sealed or whether moisture affected the finish. Tobin said the lines are noticeable at close range, so the result should be understood as a decorative illusion whose appearance depends partly on distance.
The source does not give measurements for the bathroom, the number of marker lines, or the amount of time spent on each task. It also does not describe changes to lighting, ventilation, plumbing or other fixtures. The reported refresh was cosmetic; whether it suits another bathroom will depend on its existing surfaces, conditions and the finish the homeowner wants.
A Full Renovation Remains a Future Plan
Tobin said she hopes to undertake a full gut renovation in the future, but Apartment Therapy did not report a schedule, budget or confirmed plans for that work. For now, the reported update leaves the existing countertop and other core bathroom elements in place while changing the room’s paint and visual details.
No further project milestones were announced. The account presents the refresh as a completed personal project, not a product test or a claim that the marker technique will perform the same way in every bathroom.
Key Questions
How did Tobin create the look of wood paneling?
She painted the walls, then used a paint marker and ruler to draw evenly spaced lines that suggest panel seams. The walls do not have actual wood panels installed.
How much did the bathroom refresh cost?
Tobin told Apartment Therapy the project came to about $250. She had hoped to spend around $150, and said the paint marker alone cost under $7. The source does not provide a full itemized budget.
What colors did she use?
Tobin used Valspar paint matched to Sherwin-Williams’ Maison Blanche for the walls and At Ease Soldier for the cabinets, according to Apartment Therapy.
Did she replace the bathroom cabinets or countertop?
The report describes repainting the existing cabinets after removing some of their thick prior paint. Tobin kept the existing countertop, which influenced her choice of a light wall color.
How long did the project take?
Tobin said the refresh took an entire summer. The report does not provide a more precise start or completion date.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
