nautical bathroom reveal

If you’ve been following along, you’ll know it’s been a long, long time coming for this reveal. I first posted my inspiration board last July. gulp. And then I posted my oh-so-slow progress this past October. Even though this room redesign was a slow process, I love the way it came out. And I’m glad I took my time and didn’t make hasty decisions or buy things too frivolously. Plus the kids were still using their bathroom so working around them was quite challenging.

Here’s the before:

And here’s a summary of what I’ve done:

1. Removed wallpaper & painted the walls. The previous owners hung ripped, layered wallpaper on the walls. shiver. I removed all the pieces, cleaned up the walls, and painted them my favorite gray: Benjamin Moore London Fog. It has a touch of  taupe in it and I just love it. Click here to read my post about my favorite gray paint. I also removed the backsplash – I think it was a little unnecessary and it was looking pretty beat up.

2. Hung a plank wall. kind of. I would have loved to install a real plank wall but I had to keep things, and (no)budget in perspective. Instead, I hung wallpaper on one wall that looks like wood planks. It’s not the same but it looks really nice. Click here for wood plank wallpaper options.

3. Replaced the large mirror. I found matching natural wood frames at HomeGoods and they were perfect for the space. Although I was a little hesitant to put holes in my new plank wall.

4. Revise cabinets with an open cubby and new hardware. The white cabinet was in good shape but I thought it could be utilized better. My kids didn’t use the center drawers so I removed them and found an adorable navy and white hamper with rope handles at HomeGoods. It fits perfectly and you can’t see all the dirty laundry inside! I added some better storage under the sinks too. Then I changed the cabinet hardware and used silver rope cleats. These make great cabinet door knobs!

5. Replace the faucets and toilet. These were 2 things that were so worth the money. I kept things simple and fairly inexpensive.

6. Bought a new shower curtain. I had to add stripes to this nautical space and the shower curtain was just the thing. I found it on clearance at Target for $14.99.

7. Install a wood heading over the shower curtain. To mimic the look of the plank wall, I distressed 3 pieces of wood and nailed them together to create one long piece. Then I attached it to the wall right in front of the shower curtain rod with corner braces. This heading is a nice unexpected touch to the space.

8. Made a rope towel holder. I wanted something a little different than the standard bathroom towel holders and this was super easy, inexpensive and fits the nautical/industrial look. Click here to see that post.

9. Added hooks. I made a hook rack for this space last year because I have 3 kids and a gazillion towels and you can never have enough hooks. Click here to see that post. I loved these whale tail hooks and ordered one more at Frontage to hang separately on another wall. Doing this really ties elements in the space together.

10. Shelving. I had this old drawer that I picked up at a thrift store. I was using it in my office to hold art supplies but it looks so much better here. When redesigning a room, it’s good to shop your home first versus always buying new things. Somethings you may have a better solution already in your home – and you’ll save some money.

11. Organized the linen closet. This was where I started and it made me feel better about how the space is organized.

12. Replaced the rugs. I found this adorable whale bath mat at West Elm – they’re sold out but you can get a similar one here. It looks great in front of the shower but I also needed something in front of the sinks. It’s a small bathroom and 3 rugs just seemed like a lot in the space. So I made a rug – out of a table runner.

Click here to see that DIY post. It works great – it’s the perfect length for the cabinet and I love the way the natural jute fibers fit with the nautical feel.

13. Updated the lighting. The light fixture was a good size and shape but I didn’t love it. But I also didn’t want to buy and install a new one. So I gave it a little makeover. I removed the bulbs, taped off the sockets and spray painted the shiny metal with a hammered silver finish. I really wasn’t sure how it was going to come out but luckily, I loved it! It looks rustic and industrial at the same time. I also replaced the light covers with simple rustic glass shades and clear bulbs for a more authentic look.

13. Counter top storage. I really wanted the kids to have their daily products easily accessible but leaving them all out on the countertop can get messy. This metal divider caddy works great for keeping all the items organized – and a little hidden. I added a tray from Tommy Bahama to hold all the pieces and has that beachy feel too!

14. Artwork. I made this “swim” art last year. I had seen a similar one in HomeGoods but it wasn’t the right size or color. But the word swim just really spoke to me so I recreated a version to work here. Click here to see that post.

And this adorable lobster print was a freebie (!) that I found online. I just love the watercolor detail. Click here to download the print.

15. Accessories. I kept the nautical feel with the whale dish (similar one found here), a whimsical sailboat (HomeGoods), wood buoys (thrift store), a rope ball and candles (both HomeGoods). And I just couldn’t resist the “wash your hands” soap dispenser at Target.

So that’s my kids’ little bathroom redesign. I had a lot of fun creating this space and seeing it evolve. I’m sure it will keep evolving too. I might try something new for the countertops, concrete maybe? But for now, this space is a big improvement! And you don’t have to spend a lot of money for big home improvements.