Hooray! It’s cottage bathroom makeover reveal day!
Here’s a quick look back at the inspiration and ‘before’ photos…
…and here’s what we had fun coming up with over the past five months!
We’ve been calling it the “bird bath”, and my favorite part is definitely the sky-themed wallpaper.Ā I love the movement and sense of whimsy it adds to the room!
After it was installed, I started to bring in all the “fun stuff”. The first thing we hung up was the mirror. I found it on Lowes.com for about $175 less than one just like it on PotteryBarn.com. I love it because there’s no frame to compete with the painted paneling behind it. I also love that its little chrome brackets tie in with the chrome faucet and toilet paper holder. (Note: I *may* switch out the toilet handle for a chrome/porcelain one in the future- but I’m still undecided on that because I like the way that ties in with the door knob, and I like all of our oil-rubbed bronze doorknobs. #ToBeContinued)
And speaking of the toilet paper holder…
I knew, the second I saw it, that this was holder for me:
See how it mimics the shape of the hooks on the bent wood shelf above the toilet?
I LOVE that! #LittleThings
And speaking of the bent wood shelf…
I found it on Ebay about a year ago, and I really like how it brings the warmth of the wood dresser, up to eye-level…
…and to keep things nice and cohesive, I also brought in some warm wood behind the bathroom door:
It’s the top portion of an old apple-picking ladder-turned-towel/magazine/book holder, and I got it at the Nashville Flea Market for $10 a few years back.
To counter the darker tones of the dresser, shelf, and ladder, I brought in some lighter earth tones, too.
Numbered toothbrushes, soaps & sea sponges, and a couple of hanging items- all of which we moved over with us from our last house.
Obviously most of these things probably won’t get used in this room because there isn’t a tub or shower in here, but it was a super cost effective way to decorate the room (#free), and I like really the character and texture (and scent!) they add to the room.
As I was hunting for hand towels to use in this room, I noticed that I was more drawn to dish/teaĀ towels than regular bath towels- so I decided to go with it, and man did I have fun looking for them! There are so many great ones out there! From Etsy, to Ebay, to Ikea and Walmart- I’m smitten, and I love the extra cottage-y energy they bring in to this tiny room.
…and since it is so small, I didn’t want to introduce too many contrasting colors when it came to the decor in here, but I did bring in the color navy to keep things from feeling too “soft”. There’s such a crispness that comes along with the color navy, and I really think it did the trick in here.
I shot little videos of the makeover along the way, but make sure to click the little Settings button and select 720p HD if you decide to watch it…it looks fuzzy if you don’t:
It isn’t a “how-to” video or anything…just something I put together to document the process, with a few little tips along the way. (Email subscribers will have to visit TheLetteredCottage.net to view the video below.):
(Click here to view the video on YouTube)
So there ya have it- from builder basic brown, to bird bath blue- it’s been a fun room to play with, and now it suits our personalities to a T!
Before I sign off- here are links to all the half bath makeover-related posts I’ve published since we started this series back in February…
1.Ā Half Bath Redo
2.Ā Tile and Wood
3.Ā Paint and Paper
4.Ā Sink
5.Ā Barn Light
…and here’s a room resource list in case you’re shoppin’ for something similar:
Bird Wallpaper: Hygge & West
Pine Paneling: Lowes
Paint Color: Wedgewood Gray (Benjamin Moore)
Hex Floor Tile: Overstock
Dresser: vintage
Vanity Top: Home Depot
Glacier Bay Teapot Faucet: Home Depot
Gatco Frameless Pivot Mirror: Lowes
Wall Shelf: Ebay
Ladder: Nashville Flea Market
Bird Planter: vintage
Navy & White bowl: vintage
Honeycomb Soap: Etsy
Sea Sponge Soap: Etsy
Sea Sponge: Etsy
Soap on a Rope: Etsy
Hanging Brush/Stone: World Market
Calendar Tea Towels: 1canoe2 for Anthropologie (but I got mine on Ebay!)
“Ball” Perfect Mason Jar Tea Towel: Lemonade Makin’ Mama on Etsy
Plaid Dish Towels: Walmart
Navy & White Dish Towels: Ikea
Barn Light: Barn Light Electric
Arran Apothecary Hand Wash: World Market
Toilet Paper Roll Holder: Pottery Barn
Toothpaste: Marvis Classic Strong Mint
Wooden Toothbrushes: Izola
Seafoam Green Step Stool: Etsy
Happy Decorating!
What are the dimensions of this bathroom? We are trying to add a small half bathroom in our house somewhere and we don’t have much room at all. this one looks perfect!
I love how it actually looks bigger even though you’ve added more with a larger vanity! Oh, and the mason jar tea towel and blue ball jar holding some flowers are the perfect finishing touches!
Amazing transformation! So inspiring …
š Linda
Just lovely! I can’t wait to order some Honeycomb soap!
Layla, love the finished product! Wondering if you know of a product that could be used in a full bath since there would be steam from shower etc. as planks. I dont think MDF would work either and sadly most of the people at HD and Lowes are not informed.
LOVE it!!
It’s gorgeous Layla!! You guys did an amazing job as always!! I’m loving that vanity!!
Gorgeous! I love everything in it but if I had to pick, my favorite piece is the shelf above the toilet – so unique!
Oh am I ever lovin’ your half bath, it’s gorgeous, breath taking, all of that. Love the wainscoting and colors and that wallpaper, come on you’re killin’ me here. Sure glad I didn’t have to wade thru 122 comments to leave you mine.Wow, that’s quite a response, great for you. Love your blog, you and hubs are so cute together. Love makes world go round. Happy weekend and rest of your summer.
Absolutely stunning. The room even looks bigger. I’m a fan of the ‘cottage’ look, but only when it’s not overdone. Your powder room is perfect! Love it!
hi layla,
i just LUV your renovation of this half bath! the details really make it sing š plus, i admire how you scoured etsy and antique shops/fairs for just (!) the right pieces.
i would like to know, how to choose the right style of wainscotting for a room’s purpose; including 1 5/8″ slats to 3″ slats to board n baten and picture framed wall woodworking and beyond. does it come down to personal taste for any given room? do you need to stay to just two styles or so for a whole house? i adore the woodworking and its almost instant charm & character it adds to projects that i could really use some guidance. i wouldn’t want to have things looking ‘hodge podge’ in this aspect; its got to flow throughout a home.
i’m smitten with a thin slat style for my kitchen but i can’t see that ‘busy look’ in an adjacent room. plus, what happens when you toy with a ceiling treatment?
i’m hoping you can give me some suggestions š
with gratitude,
sharon
p.s. oh how i love the sea sponge tucked into the soap product; so interesting and perfect!
I love this bathroom, and we used it as our inspiration to update our half bath. I linked back to your site. Come check it out when you get a minute;o)
http://fussymonkeybiz.blogspot.com/2013/08/half-bath-makeover.html
If you build walls around the cut out area on the top two drawers, you can still use them for storage. I love this bathroom, very serene and creative!
Thank you, Hilarie!
We use the drawers for toilet paper and bigger items, so we haven’t had to build the little walls yet, but that is a great tip for the future! š
Wow! Love the idea of using a dresser for the vanity and I can’t wait to try this in my bathroom. Your new space is beautiful! I also like your furry little helper. š
I just LOVE everything you put your hands on……wish I could take you home to my house….it could use your touch! It’s so beautiful…..and you are beautiful on the inside too. š
Hi Layla,
This is a lovely transformation. I love how you play with the accessories to complement the wallpaper.
Glad you mentioned in your video how you found a way to make that cabinet sink functional, that is so clever. š
Iām excited to see more of your transformation works.
This is my favorite half bath makeover ever. Really. I am smitten! š