With a few simple changes, this bathroom went from builder’s grade blah to teenage boy approved. Be inspired for an easy bathroom transformation that is cost effective and doable in a weekend. This bathroom is full of DIY inspiration AND with the included tips and tricks, color selection just got easy.
Where do you start with a bathroom makeover?
My son picked out elements that he really wanted in his bathroom. His top items: a wolf shower curtain, a ceramic shark made in elementary school, and a picture of all the brothers body boarding when they were young. It was then up to me to pull it all together. I consulted him often to get approval since this is his space and I wanted him to love it.
What will give the most impact?
Bathrooms are relatively small spaces with set features like a shower/tub, toilet and sink. We weren’t looking to spend a lot on a bathroom demo and reconstruction when it was otherwise in perfect condition. Select colors, a change of lighting and hardware, and raising the shower curtain closer to the ceiling made for visual impact but spared the wallet. It’s unnecessary to rip out permanent fixtures when they are functioning well otherwise. Side note, my husband DID NOT want the wood vanity to be altered.
How do you choose color?
All of the elements were pulled together with color choice. There are a lot of gray paint colors out there and he wanted one of them, we just had to find it. When choosing paint, chances are that you started with a large collection of paint chips from the store. That works up to a certain point and then you need to see the paint color in a larger swatch. The grays were narrowed down to ones that had a more blue undertone so as to better relate to the accent color of the peacock blue.
I hate buying numerous small jars of paint and being left to store them in the cupboards where they mostly just take up a lot of room. My aunt suggested trying something we had both seen online, Samplize.com. It is an online store that you can order 12″x 12″ peel and stick paint samples made with real paint. Applied to different areas, even around corners, these paint samples give you a good idea what your paint will look like in different lighting around your room. The best part? There are no jars to store or paint to clean up when testing out the paint color. Also, the sample stickers are no more expensive than a small jar of paint. You can get a coupon for $5 off your first order and orders over $15 ship for free.
But wait. Samplize only carries paint colors for Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, and Farrow and Ball. What if I want another color from a different paint company? Here’s where I have a painting hack to top all painting hacks.
How to get just the right shade of paint (aka, painting hack)
First, google the Hex Color Code for the paint sample color(s) you are most interested in using. Second, copy down the color codes and put them into the search tab at encycolorpedia.com. Once you search the color it will tell you all about the color. Things like: what it is comprised of color-wise, the saturation, color variations, related name colors, color schemes, and similar paints in all of the different paint brands.
This is how I found the peacock blue shade. At the store I found a color card (Sherwin Williams “Moody Blue”) that was close to what we wanted but wasn’t quite dark enough. I plugged in the Hex Color Code for Moody Blue into the encycolorpedia website and found a shade that was darker. When I clicked on that, I only had to find the paint brand to know which paint to choose. We ended up with Sherwin Williams “Riverway.” Guys, this is a game changer. Instead of buying ten different paint samples, I could narrow it down online through this website.
Once two colors of gray and two colors of the blue were chosen, I ordered the 12″ x 12″ peel and stick samples from Samplize. I chose two colors for each because it is nice to compare and eliminate. In the meantime, I had thrown some borrowed paint samples onto the wall for additional color comparison. It was so easy!
Transformation checklist:
- Paint Selection:
Choose paint colors, get samples, figure out how much paint to buy, purchase paint in correct paint sheen
- Change Placement of Anything Permanent:
Changing where shelves and towel rods are or installing the shower curtain rod higher up on the wall can be done now so any errant holes can be filled prior to painting.
- Remove Items Prior to Painting:Â
Take down shelves, towel rods, light, anything that you don’t want to paint around later.
- Fix Anything in Need of Repair:
A section of baseboard near the tub was pulling away from the wall. I nailed it back in place and re-caulked it.
- Remove:
Vents, lights and towel rods, tape off and paint ceiling and walls
- Paint:
The ceiling was color matched to the baseboards to lighten the room. The majority of the walls are in Sherwin Williams “Magnetic Gray” (7058), the accent wall is in Sherwin Williams “Riverway” (6222).
- Paint Chalkboard Wall:
Rust-Oleum Clear Chalk Board paint was layered over the Riverway painted accent walls. Let chalk board paint cure for three days.
- Replace:
Towel rods, toilet paper holders or shelving with new desired accents. Shelf over toilet, shelf brackets and towels hooks are all from Hobby Lobby. Use the 40% off coupon! Towel rods and toilet paper holder are from Lowes.
- Â Change Out Lighting:Â
Removing the light bulb bar and replacing it with a higher end light fixture helps to upgrade the space. This Sussex Double Tube Sconce is from Potterybarn, I purchased it from the outlet store at 65% off retail.
- Replace Hardware:
Replace cabinet hardware, or add hardware if there isn’t any to give a more finished look. The pictured hardware is from Home Depot (I bought them individually in the store.)
- Furnish the Room:
Hang pictures, accent shelves with decorations, hang new shower curtain, replace rugs and towels. Rugs and towels are from Costco, faux succulents and planter are from Hobby Lobby. The wolf shower curtain is from DenyDesigns.
- Condition Chalkboard Wall:
Rub chalk on and then wipe off with a paper towel. Now the wall is prepared to write on. We chose to not smooth the wall first because my son isn’t totally convinced of the chalkboard idea. This way, if he hates it, we just paint over it.
You may notice that the sink’s faucet wasn’t switched out. That is something we still want to do but need to find just the right faucet. It was decided that we could switch it out later and do a tutorial for you all at that time. Sometimes making a house a home is a step-by-step process. Just know that I am here for you and you can do it!💙
