Quiet Chic: Powder Room Makeover

A little over a week ago, I wrote that Ed had started to demo the powder room off the kitchen in our house. It really was in need for some updating!!!

We had company coming for the holiday weekend which was all the incentive we needed to get the makeover done quickly.

Powder room makeover before

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As far as room makeovers go, we got this powder room done very quickly, because not one problem arouse, not one.  All went together seamlessly, even the plumbing realignment.

Powder Room Makeover: AFTER

budget bathroom makeover

We made over the room on a budget of $500. Even the hallway started to get it’s update since the flooring from the powder room extends into the hallway that leads to the garage.

The room needed a new toilet, sink, vanity, faucet, two light fixtures, flooring, wood planks and paint.

Repurposed Furniture Idea for a bathroom

The sideboard was my grandmother’s.  I used it in my previous house as a desk in my kitchen. It didn’t fit anywhere in our new house and I didn’t want to sell or give it away. We were storing it against a wall in our bedroom.

After searching online and seeing that all of the sink vanities that I liked were $1000 and more, the idea to use the sideboard popped into me head. As soon as it did, I ran to get a tape measure.  I was so happy to find out it would fit perfectly into the powder room.

I always feel when things come together like this that they were meant to be. It is a little higher than a regular vanity by about an inch, but as you can see fits quite nicely.

How to paint a bathroom vanity counter

I painted the top of the sideboard a few years ago using a faux Carrara Marble technique. It has 5 coats of buffed wax on it to protect it.

How-to-repurpose-a-piece-of-furniture-and-make-it-into-a-sink-vanity

I used DIY chalk paint using the calcium carbonate powder recipe to paint it.

I decided since it is a small room to keep the decor simple and clean-lined. I also wanted a neutral color scheme so I could add or change the color of the towels, accessories or art. No theme or color scheme to have to match.

I made the tissue box using oilcloth. You can find the tutorial for Powder Room Accessorizing.

powder-room-with-wide-planked-walls

I added the planked wall to accent the room. Adding texture is the easiest way to create interest in a small room, yet keep things clean lined and simple.

Instead of using white on all 4 walls, I used a medium shade of grey from Glidden called, Fossil Grey.  I originally looked at a few shades of white, but they all ended up looking grey, so I figured, why not just go with grey. :-)

Having grey on 3 walls with the white plank wall creates a room with depth and a teeny bit of drama, in a calm and sophisticated way. I like the juxtaposition between modern and elegant, old and new, precious and unfussy. Quiet Chic is what I like to call it.

affordable light fixtures

We raised the electrical boxes on the wall so we could hang new wall scones higher than they were previously.

Powder Room Makeover After-3

To save money, I shopped the house to find items to use. The white baskets are from IKEA. They used to be in the master bedroom of my previous house.

Powder Room Makeover After-4

I will post about how I created the vanity from the sideboard in my next post.

Organizing idea for a bathroom vanity

The room still needs one more thing… a new door.  I plan to add a rolling door to make getting into the room easier. Right now you have to walk into the room and around the door to close it. It is a bit awkward. The rolling door will also make the room feel much larger. I will post about it when we get it completed.

I will be posting tutorials in the next week on how I turned the sideboard into the vanity, planked the wall, and the reason I painted over the wallpaper in the room instead of removing it.

Click here to learn:  How I transformed the sideboard into a sink vanity

Resources:

I spend $469.00 to makeover the bath. The most expensive items were for the flooring and the new toilet.

Vanity: Free since I already owned it. Here is the link to the posts about how I painted the top to look like Carrara marble and chalk paint

Faucet: Moen Caldwell Chrome 2 Handled Faucet – I bought this for $69.00 at Lowes.

Sink: Aragon White Drop-In Sink – $39.00

Light Fixtures: Portfolio Chrome Arm Scone  $16.97 each, plus $8 for each glass shade that I bought at Lowes in the aisle they sell glass shades for pendant lighting. They are not online.

Toilet: Sterling Windham White $139.00

Towel Ring:  Allen + Roth Raleigh $15.98

Toilet Paper Holder: Allen + Roth Raleigh $18.98

Mirror: From my previous house. It was in my studioffice and was gold and white. I painted it glossy white using this paint

Flooring:  Nucore Waterproof Flooring. It is from Floor & Decor.  You can read more in in this post about how to install LVP. It is $2.59 a square foot. $49.57 a box that covers 19.14 square feet.

Wall Planks: 1/4″ sub-flooring cut into planks at Lowes. Tutorial post on this coming soon.

Paint: On walls: Glidden Diamond paint.  It is a new super durable primer + paint sold at Home Depot. Color: Fossil Grey in a satin finish.

Tissue box and waste basket and plywood. Tutorials here: Powder Room Accessories

Before and after bathroom makeover done on a small budget. New flooring, sink, toilet and more. The real money saver was repurposing a piece of furniture into a stylish and chic sink vanity.

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37 Comments

  1. Carole Larsen says:

    It looks so much better now. Totally undated and clean. YAY! You guys do great work.

  2. So tickled you got to use your grandma’s sideboard. Such a satisfaction when things like this work out. The room looks great. Maybe you could use the drawer as a shadowbox type of thing.

  3. Kathy Burton says:

    WOW! I love the marble paint idea!

  4. Well thought out and perfect. the finished product is unbelievable.

  5. Sue Bauman says:

    I really like what you have done to your powder room; the gray paint really helps to relieve all the white, which makes the white all the more crisp. Funny how that works! The wood wall planks are just right, too! Your instincts are very good. The rolling door will be just the optimal type of door for that space, can’t wait to see it. Your daughters are so lucky to get your furniture! And I’m intrigued now about your foyer project!

  6. Wow, Diane! You’ve done it again. Beautiful job!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Marilyn – Thanks. It is so nice to have it done. When it was in the before state it was functional, but kind of depressing. Now I smile every time I pass or enter the room.

  7. kristin houser says:

    I can’t wait for the planked wall tutorial!!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Kristin – I have it planned to post next Friday or Monday. I planked another wall in the kitchen so I will be showing that also. :-)

  8. Love this Diane, and that you repurposed your grandmother’s sideboard. Such a great addition to your “new” powder room.

  9. oh YEA!! just w o w…

  10. Great job! It’s beautiful!!

  11. Evan Spirk says:

    That powder room now looks fantastic, That old cabinet fitted perfectly on that place. Only thing I am worried is flooring, I know it is waterproof but somehow I don’t have bad feeling about it in bathroom. I am tiles man for rooms with water plumbing.

  12. I love everything! I can’t wait to read all of your tutorials. It’s truly beautiful, Diane!

  13. Love that vanity. How wonderful you were able to re purpose a treasure and heirloom!

  14. So awesome!! Beautiful, clean and airy!

  15. Absolutely beautiful. I admire your creativity and vision. I would hire you in a minute to work your magic on my home.

  16. Well, I for one am a fan of Quiet Chic! Just wow! Great renovation! I’ll be anxious to see your rolling door! ;)

  17. Elaine Williams says:

    OMG! This is gorgeous! I love grandma’s re- purposed sideboard. You are so clever!. The plank wall is so neat! I so love the before and after pix! Just beautiful – as usual.

  18. Ruth Anne says:

    Your powder room is just charming! Love that you could use your grandmother’s sideboard–it is a lovely piece. Using neutrals for all the basic things is a clever idea–you’ll have fun changing out the accessories for a whole new theme/look whenever the mood strikes. I’m tucking this idea away for my next house!

  19. Cindy Richardson says:

    Oh my gosh! That looks FANTASTIC!

  20. catpainter says:

    One of the best faux marble treatments I have seen. Will check out your “how-to”. I have a hearth that needs a makeover and that would be perfect, if I can get it to look as natural as yours!
    Whole bath is an incredible job for such a small amount of cash outlay – truly impresssive.
    As always, thanks for sharing.

  21. Melissa Leach says:

    Wow, not a single problem came up, you are blessed! The powder room looks great. I love that you repurposed your grandmother’s sideboard as a vanity. The accent wall if my favorite. Congrats on a job well done and on my kind of budget.

  22. Romeogirl says:

    That price is amazing and the finished product is unbelievable. You are my hero!

  23. Another winning post! I just love when something we already own and even better is passed down gets a new life. Fabulous job

  24. I love the phrase, “shopping the house!”

  25. Love this, Diane. As usual, so well thought out and perfect. Love your planked wall and that vanity! I thought you had splurged on real carrera! Going to check out the Glidden paint you used. I’m getting ready to paint my bathroom cabinets & I’m stuck between doing your diy chalk paint or going with a Glidden paint & primer in one. Any suggestions?

  26. Love positively everything about it! I was going to use Glidden’s Fossil Gray for all my interior walls, had we moved last year to a different home. It’s a gorgeous color!

    I love that you made the room so versatile!

  27. Angela W. says:

    I’ve been researching plank walls lately so I can’t wait to see your tutorial on this!

  28. So wonderful. Now on the search for a new vanity. :)

  29. Mary from Virginia says:

    This is the most clever and money saving make over in blogland. You need an HGTV show.

  30. Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.

  31. Love your new bathroom. I really thought the vanity top was marble!!! great job on that! And I love white for the same reason…..changing color scheme easily.

  32. I love it! I’m always amazed at the vision you have for your home and your ability to repurpose family heirlooms.

  33. Catherine D says:

    Really Lovely!!!!

  34. WOW! On so many levels, just wow. I love the vanity and even more because you already had it and it perfectly fit. The icing on the cake is that it is a family heirloom. Our daughter just finished a house and they paid extra to have their vanity made taller. ?