Powder Room Overhaul on a Budget Plans

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With a little nudge from my husband, I am happy to say that the first DIY project for 2018 is finally underway. In fact, we have decided to begin the new year with a budget-friendly,  powder room overhaul and I am sharing the design plans and progress with you today.

Now for a little dose of honesty: over the past month or so, I have felt almost zero motivation. I don’t know if it is the colder than average weather, exhaustion from all of the holiday traveling or just a case of the winter blues, but I would be perfectly content to spend my weekends laying in bed, stuffing my face with junk food and wine all while bingeing on Netflix.

But in the words of Kendrick Lamar, “Get your ass up and be inspired” , and that is exactly what my husband forced me to do as he began demolishing the contents of our powder room (without my permission) – forcing me to get it the f**k together.

Below is what the half-bath looked like before he ripped everything out…..

Powder Room Before:

This room may just win the award for smallest bathroom ever, and the depth of the vanity was not helping matters. Not to mention, the transparent design of the vanity exposed all of the ugly plumbing: even if we replaced the PVC P-trap with a prettier chrome version, you could still see the workings of the stopper and the hot and cold water hose.

To make more efficient use of space, I knew I wanted a custom-built, floating vanity. Building the vanity to specific, more shallow dimensions will help the space to appear less crowded. Plus, all of the floating wood vanities currently on the market, including the one on the design board below, were about $1000 (totally not happening after all of the holiday spending) and my sweet husband insisted on having a wood vanity.

Powder Room Inspiration:

Amanda Barnes Interiors, photo: Alyssa Rosenheck

Given the powder room is directly off of our kitchen, it is the most commonly used bathroom by guests,  so I knew I wanted the space to be extra special.  And while I wanted to create a beautiful and uniquely designed space, I would need to do it while keeping costs at a bare minimum.

Over the past year, I have been crushing hard for cement, Moroccan tiles and when I came across  this beautiful bathroom from Amanda Barnes Interiors , I knew I had to incorporate them into my design. I also loved how the brass fixtures popped against the white and grey tiles- understated elegance at its finest.

Unfortunately, my husband and I have zero experience laying tile (and hiring any outside help was out of the question), so I knew I would have to think outside of the box if I wanted to incorporate the Moroccan vibe into my design scheme. Then while browsing on Etsy,  I found removable wallpaper that resembles Moroccan tile (click here to see it). And so, the foundation of my design plan was formed: floating wood vanity,  Moroccan tile wallpaper and brass fixtures.

Here are some progress photos of the DIY floating vanity. Once the project is complete , I will be sharing the full tutorial in a separate post.

DIY Floating Vanity Progress:

The next step will be adding a lower shelf (which sits on top of the floor) and finding the perfect stain to achieve a modern finish. We will then install a rectangular, vessel sink on top of the vanity.

With the exception of the art work, all of the elements of my design have been ordered.  Below is my finalized design plan. For your shopping convenience, I have included affiliate links to the products.

Cali Cool Design Plan:

Lights / Wallpaper / Faucet / Vanity / Mirror /  Baskets

In a perfect world,  I would  hire a plumber to install a wall -mounted faucet and an electrician  to re-wire the space to allow for sconces, but much to my dismay,  I haven’t won the lottery yet.

sigh…..

I must admit… I am a little nervous to see how the wood vanity and the brass fixtures will look together in “real life”. While my inspiration photo includes the brass fixtures, the vanity is white. I realize the safer bet would be to incorporate chrome or black hardware, but I loved the glam factor of the brass .  Although I will not be purchasing the  vanity on my design board, I included it in the design plan to get a feel for how the wood plays off of the brass. It works here, so hopefully I will love it just as much in person.

Powder Room Product Sources

As far as the “tiles” (aka wallpaper) are concerned, they will be placed on the wall behind the vanity while the rest of the walls will be painted in Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore. Chantilly Lace is a crisp, bright white.

In terms of art, while I am still undecided,  I know I want it to be personal and have meaning for our family. Given we are dead heads, I really want to find a way to incorporate Grateful Dead artwork. I just cannot decide how to do it tastefully (which is why I am leaning towards this black and white print of the 13 point bolt.) Only time will tell.

I cannot wait to share all of the progress as it comes. But until then, get out there and design some good vibes, babes.

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