Powder Bath Refresh

We moved in to the new (to us) house about 9 weeks ago! I knew it was going to be a “project house” - what else would you expect? Sure, you can purchase a home that has been totally updated, but you will certainly pay a pretty penny for that. Additionally, I know myself. No matter what, I knew I would want to change a few things to make it feel more like ME!

There is admittedly an extensive project list. Some of them are purely aesthetic, some are due to years of deferred maintenance by the previous owners. The very FIRST project I wanted to tackle was the main floor powder bath. Why? Because it was just blah. It is also a small space, so I knew it was something that I could realistically accomplish before baby Rose arrives, plus it is a space that literally every single guest sees when they visit!

The before (from real estate listing). Nothing offensive about it, just nothing exciting either.

Where we started: Original. Original everything from 1989. Beige walls, massive mirror with no character, original faucet (the exact same faucet that is in EVERY bathroom) and light fixture (also the same in every bathroom, straight outta 1989). So, you could say it was a true blank slate!

My plan: Budget friendly update. Of course a new vanity would be awesome, toilet etc. However, the vanity is functional. It is actually decent quality and was built in when the home was constructed so there is a good amount of storage for such a small powder bath. The countertop is a cream stone so it “works” well enough. I knew I wanted to update the fixtures, mirror, lighting, paint color, and add a bit of personality with some fun wallpaper.

What I did: I first swapped out the original faucet for a more updated, matte black widespread faucet from Pfister- the Penn 2 Handle 8” Widespread faucet. This was the first piece I selected for the space and set the tone for how it would eventually pull together. We also opted to install the matching Penn paper holder and towel ring to complete the look (paper holder here and towel ring here).

Next I started shopping online for wallpaper! I knew I wanted to use something with some green in it, and I started with my favorite wallpaper company York Wallcoverings (here). They carry a variety of wallpaper brands, colors, and patterns- plus they have peel and stick options if you want to go that route! I opted for a pattern that wasn’t offered in the peel and stick style, so I ended up hiring someone to install this (pregnant Gretchen has no business on a ladder). Although there were several wallpapers I seriously considered, I finally landed on the Orchard Wallpaper in Beige (shop here). I honestly am obsessed with this paper and it really brings the powder bath to life!

On to the paint color- anything but boring creamy white please. I shopped Clare paint colors online and ordered a few paint swatches to see which complimented the wallpaper the most! Thankfully I checked, because the one I thought I would select wasn’t what I ended up with! I narrowed it down to Extra Virgin and Views, and Views ultimately won out in the end!

Signature Hardware brass pulls. Vintage rug from yours truly.

On to the details- light fixture, mirror, and cabinet hardware. I found lots of vanity lights that were unique and gorgeous- but I ended up choosing a classic option that wouldn’t compete with the wallpaper. I found this one on Overstock for under $100! Shop the Rossington Aged Brass 2 light vanity light here. I especially love the shades- they’re a milky white glass, and just read very timeless to me. For the mirror I just went with one that I had already! I found it on facebook marketplace and it added something more organic in shape/less linear in the space. For the cabinet hardware I wanted to stay within the 3” measurement as that was what the existing holes were spaced for. I found 2 pretty pulls (here) from Signature Hardware that worked perfectly!

Finally, lets talk about the gorgeous Victorian Lady with the Butterfly Face artwork! I was recently shopping Alcott and Bentley for lighting for other projects and this painting stopped me in my tracks. She had ALL of the colors of the wallpaper, and the modern black frame to tie in with the matte black Penn Fixtures from Pfister! She was absolutely perfect and I couldn’t leave without her. Over the toilet she went! HA!

THE RESULT:

I love how the powder bath refresh turned out. She is a little eclectic, a little classic, a touch of modern- and most of all, she feels lively and full of personality! What do you think?

As always, thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned for several more budget friendly updates to come, as well as the full Baby Rose nursery reveal!

xo,

Gretchen