Maximize Your Bathroom’s Potential: Complete Makeover Tips

After weeks of planning and some hard work, our DIY bathroom remodel is finally complete. The space has been transformed into a stylish, bright, and functional oasis that is custom-made for our home. To ensure continuity throughout the main floor, I carried the same color palette from the office, into this bath next door.

The Challenges of Our Old Bathroom Design

Bathroom Problem #1- Too Dark

Our original 1/2 bath was dark and mostly brown, and this bathroom doesn’t have any natural light. Moody bathrooms are trending right now, and I ordered some wallpaper samples hoping to follow this trend. But, I ended up going with the unpasted “Black Floral” wallpaper from Timberlea Interiors. Adding this wallpaper really helped to lighted the space!

Problem #2- Disorganized Cabinet

Cabinet disorganization under bathroom sinks is a common problem, especially in smaller spaces. No matter how hard I tried to organize this cabinet, or how many bins I bought, it was still cluttered. This made it impossible to maintain a clean and organized space.

Problem #3- Hardware

Another problem we’ve had is the toilet paper holder coming loose and falling off the wall. I don’t know if this happened so many times because of normal wear and tear, or improper installation, but I was determined to find a better solution. Another problem with the hardware in this bathroom, was the location of the hand towel ring. It was hanging right above the only bathroom outlet, therefore, it was always blocked by a towel.

Design Elements That Transformed Our Bathroom

Box Molding

I added box molding to the lower third of these walls. The boxes are made with 11/16-in x 1-1/8-in PVC Base Cap. The chair rail is 11/16-in x 1-5/8-in PVC Shingle Mould. Molding is a great way to add architectural interest to a room by adding depth and dimension. This is a great beginner DIY project and can even be done without power tools. In the near future, I will write an in-depth post about molding.

Paint color- Duxbury Gray by Benjamin Moore

Wallpaper

All the details on the wallpaper are in my “How to Hang Wallpaper” blog post here!

White Oak Cabinet

This cabinet box is DIY. I like to make my paint-grade doors myself, but I chose to order these so they’d be stain-grade. I ordered these doors from Fast Cabinet Doors and they arrived to Utah in about 11 days. I’m really pleased with the quality of these doors!

Inset cabinets doors can be very challenging to make, due to the precision required for a proper fit. For these to work, the cabinet must be square (I’ve learned this the hard way:). I was really nervous that I would measure wrong when I ordered these doors. Luckily, they fit perfectly! DIY cabinets, measuring for doors, and hinges deserve another blog post! The formula I used for my inset double cabinet doors with a face frame is below. If you have an overlay, this will not work!

I have tried so many hinges to see which ones work best for inset cabinets. These have worked great for me and they are so much cheaper than buying them in a home improvement store.

Hinges- for inset cabinet doors

Measuring for Inset Cabinet Doors

Using this laser measure, I measured the inside height and width of my cabinet opening (remember this is for double inset doors). My opening was 27 3/8″ (width) x 29 3/16″ (height).

Formula-

Cabinet opening height – (reveal x 2) = cabinet door height

Cabinet opening width – (reveal x 3) divided by 2 = cabinet door width

My example (with 1/8″ reveal)-

29 3/16″ – (1/8″ x 2) = 28 15/16” for the cabinet door height

27 3/8″ – (1/8″ x 3) divided by 2 = 13 1/2″ for the cabinet door width

So I ordered two doors that were each 28 15/16″ h x 13 1/2″ w.

Quartz Countertop

Choosing the right countertop can be a daunting task. When making your decisions, it is important to consider factors such as durability, style, and cost. Each time I start a project, I highly research the process and read reviews for products I’m considering. For this bathroom remodel, I wanted quartz countertops. But when I messaged a local supplier, he informed me that he has a $900 minimum for any project. That was more than I was willing to spend, so I did some research on pre-fabricated quartz countertops.

I found this one at Lowe’s- most of the negative reviews were that the countertop is not a pure white. My local Lowe’s had a few in stock, so I headed to the store to see it in person. I loved the way it looked and pure white wouldn’t have matched my wallpaper choice (which was a creamier white). It was so easy to install and it only cost $239 for the countertop, backsplash, and sink. Then I added a side splash for another $33. This countertop also has a double sink option and is a great choice for a DIY bathroom remodel!

Quartz Countertop with Sink

Framed Mirror

I replaced the frameless mirror that the builder added with this one that has a thin black metal frame. This style ties together the overall look and feel of this bathroom. Metal frames are also a great choice because they won’t get damaged by the water splashing from the faucet. The mirror and the globe lights coordinate with the faucet, hardware, and wallpaper design. One simple and budget-friendly way to give your bathroom a fresh new look is by changing out the mirror. Swapping out an old or outdated mirror, for a modern or decorative one, can instantly transform a space.

Mirror

Vanity Lighting

I love the beauty of natural light. The first thing I do each morning is open the blinds to let in the sunshine. Since this bathroom doesn’t have any windows, I wanted to add a vanity light that would brighten this space. The right lighting can truly transform a space and make it feel more comfortable and functional. This 3 globe vanity light is very similar to one at Pottery Barn, but the price is about $100 less. I tried several different light bulbs and I will add a link to the ones I loved most. Switching out a vanity light is another quick and easy way to update your space.

3-Globe Light

Light Bulbs

Overcoming Problems With Your Bathroom Remodel

Adding Removable/Adjustable Shelves

Adding adjustable (and removable) shelves into a cabinet can be a simple and effective way to improve organization in your bathroom (or kitchen). By utilizing vertical space within the cabinet, you can create designated areas for storing necessities like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and more. Adjustable shelves are also convenient because they allow you to customize the configuration of the space, based on your specific needs. Under a sink, it is important to be able to easily access the pipes in case of a leak; these shelves will allow me to do that, if needed.

How to Add Adjustable/Removable Shelves

I used this shelf pin jig to drill the holes for the shelf pins, and cut them to fit between the cabinet doors and the pipes (with a little room to spare). By adding these removable shelves, we won’t run into any obstacles if we have a leak in our pipes. This is a small DIY project that makes a big difference in any under sink cabinet!

Where to Best Hang Toilet Paper Holder

Even though I installed this toilet paper holder upside down, I knew I wanted it screwed into the cabinet. The only toilet paper holder in my entire house that hasn’t fallen, is the one I installed in our basement. And guess where I hung it? On the side of the cabinet! I also like that this is now hidden from view at the entrance to the bathroom.

I’m so happy with how this bathroom remodel turned out! Below are links to most of the products I used in this remodel. Ask any questions below:)

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