As promised, I’m back with the official kick-off of the POWDER ROOM MAKEOVER EXTRAVAGANZA! Which is an over-the-top way of saying I’m painting and wallpapering and DIYing my booty off. It’s not the least bit glamorous.
Last week, I shared how I went all goo-goo eyed in Chicago and gathered up a whole heap of design ideas for our downstairs bathroom. Because honestly, I was drawing a blank on this one…
Orange and beige and travertine tile. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with orange and beige and travertine tile, but you just know when something isn’t your style. This was one of those rooms. Nice but not me (or Robert… what he likes matters to me too).
(Want to see the powder room’s final reveal? Click here for the full “after” tour.)
So I spent an afternoon painting over the orange with some Benjamin Moore Classic Gray paint I had leftover from painting our foyer. Wallpaper is going above the bead board (I shared 30 of my favorites here), so to make sure that orange didn’t show through the wallpaper, that almost-white gray paint came in mighty handy.
For the bead board, all I knew was I wanted a light minty vintage (dare I say slightly retro?) green. It took me about 8 paint samples to get right (the people at the Lowe’s paint desk run screaming when they see me coming), but I landed on the winner: Benjamin Moore Hollingsworth Green.
The color is exactly what I envisioned! But, of course, photos don’t nearly do it justice. Just take my word for it on this one. It’s a stunning color. Blame the photographer. Narrow, dark spaces are really tricky that way.
I can’t wait to see it once I paint / swap out the oil rubbed bronze fixtures in here for antique brass. It’s a totally different route for me. I’m usually an ORB fan all the way, but this was a room I really wanted to have fun with and experiment a little bit.
I taped these two wallpaper samples on the wall and the winner, to me, is definitely the black and white with the large florals. All the heart eyes! It’s a modern take on a classic, which is my whole goal in this space. But I’m getting ahead of myself… more on that later.
So to kick off the usual handy dandy to-do list, here’s where we are to call this powder room complete:
Paint bead boardPaint over orange wall- Paint mirror frame
- Hang wallpaper
- Swap out light fixture
- Swap out towel bar / TP holder
- Paint inside of door
- Paint door trim and crown molding
- Install new sink faucet
- Gray wash vanity
- Rip out tile floor
- Install hexagon tile floor
- Decorate!
Are you in the middle of a bathroom makeover yourself right now? I’d love to hear all about it! With 2 more bathrooms in our house needing even more work than this one, we’ll take every piece of advice we can get.
Wow, such a HUGE difference already just with the paint! It’s going to look fabulous!
The black and white floral is a big hit with me. I would have something similar all over my house if my husband wasn’t such an earth tone person… Years ago Corelle came out with a pattern very much like that that I could never find. Apparently I wasn’t the only one looking! And Pottery Barn currently has a comforter or duvet cover much like it as well. It punctuates and softens at the same time.. Great choice! Can’t wait to see how it turns out…
This is looking great! I really like the wallpaper. Are u sure u want to rip out the vanity top and sink? It might look really nice with the black and white wallpaper. Just a thought. I will love whatever you do…and it is your house!:)
No, no. The vanity and sink are staying. We just have to take it out to install the tile. 🙂
Ok. That makes sense. I would change the floor too. I can’t wait to see what you do. It is fun to follow along.
I love the black and white floral with that soft green. This is going to look so beautiful. Can’t wait to see the final result of it all together! 🙂
Love the new look.
Looking forward to the final reveal!
The wallpaper you chose with that shade of mint, so elegant! I wouldn’t have put that together on my own 🙂 The wallpaper reminds me of a modern version of the 90s wallpapered bathrooms from my childhood, love it!
Love the wallpaper! I would never have thought to paint the bead board a mint colour. Looking forward to seeing it all done.
I would wait to swap out the oil rubbed bronze fixtures until after you have put up the wallpaper. You will have a dark print from the wall paper. The green bead board (I love the color) appears to be on the cool side of the color spectrum ( more mint that a yellow green) so I’m not sure that the yellow hue from the brushed brass fixtures will compliment the wallpaper, bead board paint and the color of the sink cabinet. The current color of the bronze fixtures and the dark pattern on the wall paper will balance the visual weight of the sink cabinet.
I agree!
Wow I love the combination of the mint green bead board and the black floral print wallpaper. Great choices!
Thanks, Laura!
I wasn’t so sure when I saw the mention of wallpaper. I was skeptical of green beadboard, too, but now I’m getting really excited and can’t wait to see the final reveal!!! The gold fixtures and hexagon tiles are going to make it come together nicely!! Love your design ideas. You always create something magical! This room will be nothing short of stunning!!
This is STUNNING! I think a bathroom is a great place to play with color, pattern, and texture and you knocked it out of the park! That color green is perfection! Love watching you decorate this home!
We are getting ready to re-do our guest bath, and your ideas are just the spark I needed….I know I want it to look vintage, but not old. Thanks for the inspiration!