Small Bathroom Makeover

Slowly but surely the house makeover marches on! When I bought my little bungalow, I was drawn to the practical stuff like the all-brick exterior, the wood floors, the wiring, and all the other stuff that most folks would find boring. If those things are in place, then the cosmetic fixing-up is do-able. So far I have managed to completely remodel the kitchen and spiff up the dining and living rooms. The next “public” space was the hall bathroom and it sorely needed a makeover.
The largest bathroom, the hall bath, is a very narrow room that has the bathtub/shower immediately to the right, then the toilet and the vanity are just on the other side of the half wall. The vanity is small…measuring at just 24 inches. (Because the room is so small, it was very difficult to get good pics. Sorry about that.)


When I first saw the bathroom, it was the floor that really caught me eye. The original black and white tile floor is in great shape, but the tub had an enclosure that had to go.
The space that was occupied by the tiny vanity and toilet was even more crowded with a boxy medicine cabinet and an over-the-toilet cabinet. Not only did it feel rather claustrophobic but the shelf unit over the toilet was sitting right on the tank lid. I have no idea what the plan was to repair the toilet if need be. I had to unscrew the shelf unit near the floor to remove it. The vanity was really just a very large sink sitting on a a very small cabinet. There was no counter space and very little storage. And we won’t even discuss the lights!
Along with stripping the toilet of its shelves, removing the vanity, medicine cabinet, and the shower enclosure, I also had to scrap the walls. The walls in this house are plaster and it appears as though the last person who painted failed to prep properly. When I scraped the walls and woodwork with a putty knife, sheets of paint fell off. Such fun. But as much pain in the arse as prep work is, don’t skip it! In any remodeling project, more time will be spent on good prep work than the remodeling itself. But it is essential or your paint might just fall off the wall!
After properly prepping and patching the walls and applying a fresh coat of paint, I installed beadboard paneling and added some moldings. The paneling measures 4′ x 8′. I had Home Depot cut each panel in half and used paneling glue as well as a few nails. I used a chair rail molding for the top, a base for the bottom, and a corner molding to cover the gaps at the corners of the room.
The vanity and countertop/sink were ordered separately. The vanity offers some counterspace and more storage than I had. The granite top and shiny chrome faucet looks pretty spiffy. I added a bamboo Roman shade, new lights, and a mirror for finishing touches.
The before and after shows a nice improvement. The room is brighter and feels more spacious.
There are more details on the website!
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  • Bryan's Workshop Bryan's Workshop on Jun 02, 2017

    I love small bathroom makeovers! Great work with yours! I love what you did!

  • Pamela Blunt Pamela Blunt on Aug 24, 2018

    Love this! Thanks! Getting ready to redo one of the bathrooms in a home built in 1905 and the paneling/wainscoating is a perfect idea.

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