Our Teeny Tiny Half Bath Redo
When we moved into our house I knew that two of the bathrooms would eventually need some work. I made each of them as clean and cute as possible, but the time came when the “clean” part just got really difficult. Quick fixes usually wear out..well, quickly.
I don’t have an original photo of this tiny (and I mean tiny) half bath in our hallway but let me tell you, it looked like something out of a space ship when we moved in. A huge mirror with a built in plasticy shelf thing, and fluorescent lighting on top made it uglier than heck. The blue tile was old and dingy. My quick fix: take down the space ship mirror, hang some cheap but cute wallpaper and paint the tile white. It worked for awhile, like I said-but then the tile started getting dull and chipping in places and I had to constantly touch it up, the sink would constantly leak and drip in spite of many plumber visits till we just turned the whole thing off, and the toilet was just gross it was so ancient and would break constantly also. This bathroom was used a lot and so the wear and tear was considerable. The other caveat-there was a window in the bathroom that opened to the kitchen eating area. I made a cute curtain for it so there was privacy, but who wants the chance of..well- UNprivacy.
Here’s what it looked my quick fixes looked like. It was cute…and looks better in this photo than it did in real life.
After 6 years of my make-do half bath, I finally hired someone to rip out the entire thing…we replaced the tile, the toilet, the sink, the mirror (all from Lowe’s). I picked out a new wallpaper. I had the carpenter close off the window, but had him keep the space on the inside and turn it into some recessed shelving. I love it all…mostly because it is SO SO SO easy to keep clean. I still need a few finishing touches but those will just have to be found gradually.
(It is honestly so small it is hard to take good photos-I have to shoot from outside the door-this is the best I can do!)
One bathroom down, one to go-which is a much bigger job-and much more inconvenient since five children use it daily for baths and showers and early early morning routines. I think I might have to wait till school gets out for that one.
PS. I am sorry I don’t know anything about the wallpaper-I found the book at Sherwin Williams.
It's gorgeous, Sarah!!! Love it all.
Emily@remodelingthislife
What a clever idea to put shelves in over the old window space. I wonder if we could do something like that over our toilet. Looks good Miss Sarah!
What a clever idea to put shelves in over the old window space. I wonder if we could do something like that over our toilet. Looks good Miss Sarah!
What a clever idea to put shelves in over the old window space. I wonder if we could do something like that over our toilet. Looks good Miss Sarah!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
That wallpaper is amazing…and I love the tile too! Great job!
It looks great! I habe to chuckle …our half bath is like a tiny rectangle. It's been fun trying to potty train two kids (so far) in it. It was especially fun trying to get in it while pregnant or trying to get out with three kids crowding in! I don't care the year the house was built…who in their right mind makes a main bath so small? Haha.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Nice. Love the window turned shelving – very smart.
Love the tile and the wallpaper. It fits your house so perfectly, too:-)
Looks great!
Love the wallpaper! Where did you find it?
So pretty! I am afraid of wallpaper-I love the look, but fear the day I will have to peel it off! O silly, I know-if I like it, I should do it! Did you ever put in the bath downstairs? I have a fuzzy memory of a post talking about one in the basement? Was that my imagination?
Pretty! I love that tile! And the idea of the shelf – genious:)
Love that wallpaper!
I love how you kept the sink in the same period at the house instead of updating it to a pedestal sink. Give it character!
P.S. The toilet paper is supposed to go over, not under! 🙂
LOVE the wallpaper and the tile.
Great choices.
Hope you're feeling well! 🙂
You did a great job! Love the shelving and the wallpaper choice is so pretty. OH! the floor – love! 🙂
I absolutely love it!!!! That was a really great idea to turn the window into shelving. Who puts a window from a bathroom into the kitchen?
I really love your tile floor in there. I've been looking for something similar to that to put into our downstairs bathroom when we get to it. We bought an old house out in the country and have been remodeling for a year and a half. At this point, I feel like I may be doing this the rest of my life! Ha!
LOVE it! Great job!!!
What a fun pick me up Sarah! It looks SO good! I love the little shelf you put in – that will come in so handy. And the tile is the same I have in my girls' bathroom. I love it! It's so easy to keep clean. YEA for new remodeled spaces!! 🙂
What a fun pick me up Sarah! It looks SO good! I love the little shelf you put in – that will come in so handy. And the tile is the same I have in my girls' bathroom. I love it! It's so easy to keep clean. YEA for new remodeled spaces!! 🙂
gorgeous!
It's lovely! I love the wall paper too–just not sure if I dare in our house. Did the old come off easy?
We call that type of bathroom here a powder room, not a half bath. Interesting!
I love the floor. I love it all. Mostly I love that you HIRED someone to come do it. I am all for DIY projects, but sometimes when I see this awesome bathroom that someone just "took a weekend" to redo themselves I am thinking, "that ain't happening here." So kuddos to you for waiting and making do for years….and then having a professional come do it. That is something I CAN do. Enjoy your beautiful bathroom!
Gorgeous! Fantastic wallpaper.
oh, that wallpaper is sooo cute! love it! i would have never thought to paint the tile. our half bath gets so beat up. i feel like i can't keep it nice.
Beautiful job :-)….love the wall paper and the shelves
The wallpaper is very interesting… I really like it.
Blessings,
Audrey Z.@ Timeless Treasures
It looks great Sarah. I LOVE the wallpaper. 🙂
sarah,
i really like it!
i luv everything about it!! where did you get that wallpaper?!?! it's magnificant!
Love the wallpaper! ~ good luck with the move!
Oh gosh. Your wallpaper is beautiful. Would you be willing to share where you got it. I'm in LOVE!!!!!!
It looks really cute I like it
I adore that wallpaper. And the hex tile. So smart to close up that window and I love how you choose everything that fits with the classic style of your house!
i love, love, love it…I LOVE that wallpaper!
I love the wallpaper! The deer are so cool! Now I want to redo my bathroom 🙂
Gorgeous! Love the wallpaper. I wanted to wallpaper my half bath and got scared. I also love the wall niche- so much better than a window!
I love the floor tiles! It all looks wonderful, and I think it's brilliant to have left that nice nook where the window was.
I love the wallpaper too! Since your recommendation of Downton Abbey I am absolutely hooked-and I recognized a similar wallpaper in an episode I just watched!!!
I love that blue wallpaper, so peaceful!
We're using that same tile in our boy's bathroom 🙂 I love your bath… great job!
When I saw your wallpaper, I thought- wait! I think it's the same print as a fabric headboard that I posted on my blog today. Well, it's not the same, but couldn't be any closer. Hope you take a look. You'll probably love it.
I'm a new subscriber to your blog.
When I saw your wall paper, I thought-wow! I just posted a photo of a fabric headboard with the almost exact same print. SO CUTE! Hope you take a look. You'll probably love it.
I'm a new subscriber to your wonderful blog.