California Casual Powder Room Reveal

A small powder room gets a bright and fresh California Casual decor style with budget decorating finds and simple DIY-friendly shiplap.

You guys! I am BURSTING at the seams to show y’all this little powder room we just finished for a sweet friend.

Last year, we got to know Regan’s preschool teacher who had just moved here from California and whose son became best buddies with Olivia before the pandemic hit.

Over the summer, she bought a townhouse that needed some love, and we volunteered last week to perk up her powder room as a “thank you” for all she’s done for our little family over the last year. While she was gone to school, we took over her house.

When Better Homes & Gardens challenged us to refresh a space using a new-to-us decorating style, we knew attempting a California Casual vibe in this powder room was the perfect direction.

I’m so excited to announce that we’ll be participating in a monthly design challenge using Better Homes & Gardens products at Walmart to share designer styling ideas in all different kinds of spaces on a small budget. (If you’ve been hanging with me on this blog for a while, you already know high-end looks for small budgets is my FAVE!)

I’ll break it all down to help simplify decorating using items that are available in Walmart’s stores and online so that you can recreate them in your own home. It’s going to be a BLAST, and it’s my hope that this monthly series will help you.

Okay… ready to dive in to the “California Casual” powder room reveal?!

If you missed the mood board vision for this space and don’t know what in the world I’m talking about, here’s a breakdown of California Casual style:

CALIFORNIA CASUAL STYLE IS:

• Earthy color palette
• Light, open, airy spaces
• White/off-white walls
• Neutral upholstery
• Light wood tones
• Lots of plants
• Handmade pottery & planters
• Natural, organic materials
• Mid-century Modern furniture shapes – sleek & clean lines
• Ethnic vintage textiles – rugs, pillows, tapestries, etc.

I guarantee you’ve already seen it all over many very high-end interior design accounts out there on “The ‘Gram”.

Here’s what it looks like now using lots of items from Walmart!

Before:

It doesn’t even look like the same room!

Installing this shiplap wainscoting all around the room made a massive difference inexpensively. We painted over the gold walls with a crisp white to give the room a calming feel.

We replaced the pedestal sink with this Midcentury Modern inspired vanity and use this accent rug for a touch of vintage Persian style.

I incorporated little stoneware touches like this reactive glaze soap dispenser. And these hand towels tied in just enough texture to complement the gray tones.

I added a few minimalist art prints in these wooden frames to keep it modern and earthy.

And we hung up this round gold mirror for a little touch of glam and contrast from the black metal.

For the other side of the room…

Before

We put up a few shelves for additional small storage doubling as decor.

These baskets help keep extra hand towels and toilet paper in reach. And I added some green with this faux aloe plant and a faux Pothos in this modern white planter.

This orb added a touch of gold to tie in the mirror. This reactive glaze canister and sandstone organizer added more earthy tones.

I used this small stoneware tray for extra storage on the back of the toilet too. And the TP holder ties in with the rest of the black fixtures in the space.

And, of course, every bathroom needs a clean smelling candle.

I cannot believe the difference! And now I definitely plan to use even more “Cali Cas” style in our own house than I already do with the few touches I have here and there.

My style has definitely evolved over the years. Better Homes & Gardens challenged me to share how my style has evolved in the last 10 years. I don’t think I even have a photo anywhere from my college apartment back in 2010 with a black, white, and red Old Hollywood theme, but trust me, it was glorious. Haha!

In 2014, back at our last house, we gave our guest bathroom a very farmhouse-y look that went completely viral on Pinterest and now has many recreations in other people’s bathrooms on blogs and social media pages everywhere. (That part is still hilarious to me considering it’s very budget-y, humble beginnings.)

My style really hasn’t changed too much since then except it’s a bit less rustic and a little more refined. And I’ve learned over the years that it’s fun to take risks once you tell yourself there’s nothing to fear. 😉

Are you a fan of the California Casual vibe? Or farmhouse? Or somewhere in between? If you ever feel stuck about how to define your style, here’s an old post that could help steer you in the right direction.

But the most important lesson: It’s okay to make decorating mistakes in order to discover who the real “you” is deep down in there. Once you figure out that unique style of yours, a house really does feel like home. Because there’s no other like it.