Small Space Bathroom Redesign – One Room Challenge™ WEEK 2

It’s week 2 of the One Room Challenge™ and I’m here today to share my progress. Boy that week flew by!

If you’re new here, I’m redesigning our small half bathroom. It’s on our first floor and it’s the bathroom that gets used most by visitors, pool-going kids, and it’s also where our laundry area lives. For a small area, it’s serves a big purpose. It needed a little facelift, so I decided to take this room on as a guest participant in the One Room Challenge (ORC). The ORC is an online interior design event that hopes to motivate others to finish a room. I love this because – if you’re like me – staying focused on one room, from start to finish, is indeed a challenge.

This past week I stripped the grasscloth wallpaper and hung new, fresh, kinda chic wallpaper that I’m in love with. It’s called Cosmos Light Grey Dot from Brewster Home Fashions. I had a hard time selecting which one of their beautiful patterns to choose. I knew I wanted gray, because well, it’s gray. I know that’s the trendy color now but I have always loved gray and wished I had stuck with my gut and not been swayed by the beige and maroon trend years ago.

Here’s what the room looked like before.

And I think it’s already starting to look a little more sophisticated and up-to-date.

And a few tips for hanging wallpaper:

• I used wallpaper that was unpasted so I had to apply paste to the walls. I used Zinsser Sure Grip Wallcovering Adhesive. This is a messy process but if you really like the pattern, it’s worth it.
• If your wallpaper pattern is a repeat, be sure to order extra. Lining up the patterns means a lot of paper goes to waste. Something to keep in mind for budget purposes too.
• Use a sharp X-acto knife or utility knife when cutting the paper or trimming it at the ends.
• Hanging wallpaper is time consuming. Make sure you have the time – and patience – to take it on.

Before I hung the new wallpaper, I painted the trim with a fresh coat of white paint. I like to use Benjamin Moore bright white in a semi gloss finish for trim work. This was the perfect time to paint trim woodwork. I didn’t have to cut in at both edges since the wallpaper would be covering any paint that got onto the walls.

I also repainted the vanity in a slightly different gray color to go with the new wallpaper. It’s Benjamin Moore Sparrow. We had installed this vanity a few years ago and I refinished it then along with adding new, fun door knocker-style handles. I love the size of this piece and the color of the granite top. It just needed a color refresh for now.

Here’s my updated to-do list:

• change the wallpaper – currently a pretty grasscloth, but it just doesn’t work anymore for this space.
• paint the trim
• paint laundry closet area
• rethink laundry area storage
• repaint vanity
• new curtain
• new rug
• better storage for under the sink
• new wall art
• add a backsplash
• incorporate plants
• better storage/accessories

Click here to see my backstory from week 1 and my inspiration. You can view all the other talented guest participants here – and view all the featured participants here – head on over and show them some love! I’ll be sharing my progress here every Wednesday so be sure to check back next week. Enjoy!