Day 1 of the 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge was broken into 2 days - 1 hour of prep time on a Friday night and a few hours of getting it done on a Saturday. We did a quick check with the judge to make sure we weren’t breaking any rules with our Friday night prep (technically, I don’t think there’s judging in this challenge, just everyone winning with the beautiful spaces they transform). Miss Harper, herself, confirmed that the hour of prep did not count against us. Phew! Check out our Instagram highlights to read the fun exchange.

Okay. So what exactly was prep on Friday night? Getting the vanity ready to paint.

First, I took off all the hardware.

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollars - Prepping vanity for paint

Second, I cleaned all surfaces. I use a vinegar/water mix as my everyday cleaner (2 parts water, 1 part white vinegar).

Third, I primed the whole thing. I like using foam paint brushes on furniture that has lots of insets and curves. They get in the creases more easily.

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollars - Prepping bathroom vanity for paint

And that was my wild and crazy Friday night. Well, one hour of my wild and crazy Friday night.

On Saturday, I started the day with a coat of paint on the vanity (Mysterious by Benjamin Moore).

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollar Challenge - Painting Bathroom Vanity

Then shopping. I headed out to Lowes for a woven bamboo shade. I knew what I wanted - a cordless, bamboo shade in medium brown. But then I got to the store and for half a second I reconsidered the color. A lighter, blondish shade caught my eye.

The top shade is what I initially wanted, the bottom shade made me double think my choice.

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge - Window Treatment

But then I turned the boxes over…

And nope, I did not like the lighter shade. The contrast of the dark speckles felt too harsh. Not what we wanted. Out of curiosity I polled our Instagram followers to see what they thought. It was fun to see the results a day later - we’re all on the same page. Love it.

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge - Bamboo Shade

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge - Bamboo Shades

Back at home, it was time for those gross, old, vertical blinds to go. I’m proud to say that I installed the bamboo shade myself (it was super easy, I’m not that handy). And the change was instant and dramatic.

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge - Window Treatment Transformation

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollars - Window Treatment Transformation

Next up, I put a second coat of paint on the vanity.

Then, my husband (who is that handy) changed the light fixture. Electrical work is officially beyond my pay grade, although I’m told (repeatedly) that changing a light fixture is really straight forward.

Gray Oak Studio - 2 Days 200 Dollars Challenge - Bathroom Vanity Light Fixture Update

I screwed in my favorite vintage LED bulbs (these guys) and Day 1 was complete. From start to finish, I put in about 4.5 hours of work (including the shopping!).

Here’s a sneak peak.