Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting the content that keeps Jojotastic going.
Welcome to my first makeover reveal of 2022 in our cabin! Last month, I teamed up with my friends Better Homes & Gardens exclusively at Walmart to spruce up my bff’s cabin rental. So for February, I wanted to tackle our small bathroom and give it a dramatic and budget-friendly refresh! For this quick makeover, I decided to go BOLD… can you tell?? Let’s dig into the before photos + everything that went into making this project happen.
Before & After: Our Small Bathroom Refresh
Before Photos:
I have two sets of before photos because this is actually the second time I’ve painted the room! The first group of photos above is from when we touched the house during the buying process. As you can see, it’s a very odd layout because the vanity is actually in our bedroom instead of in the bathroom itself.
I have plans to change that, but right now, my goal is to make the bathroom more stylish on a day-to-day basis without spending a ton of money.
A few other things to note about the bathroom:
- The ceiling is angled and very low in the area by the toilet
- The sole window is North facing, so during the winter months it doesn’t get a ton of natural daylight
- There was literally no storage in the bathroom whatsoever
And lastly, I decided to tackle this space as my version of a Valentine’s Day surprise for Sean. His love language is acts of service, so by sprucing up the space we use every day, it shows him that I’m thinking of him!
The photos above are of the bathroom once we had moved in and before I painted it the first time. Yup, you read that correctly. I’ve painted this tiny bathroom twice now! Originally, the walls were a yellow-y tan color that almost felt institutional. It made me really sad, so I impulsively decided to paint it one day with a color we already had on hand from another project.
… and that’s when I realized that the pale blue did not work! Ordinarily I like this color, but in this application it didn’t work for me at all. Because the floor is already a faded, pastel color, it just felt very blah and not my vibe at all — which is why I took a risk and went bold in my new paint color!
I was also really eager to tackle this project so that it could feel more finished. When I painted the bathroom for the second time, I removed the door from it’s hinges so I could paint it… and then we never put it back! Which means we have not had a bathroom door for over 8 months. Not great!
Makeover Reveal:
The new wall color is rich, huh?? I really wanted to go bold in this boring bathroom for a few reasons: first, everything in both ‘befores’ felt so faded and washed out, like the room was practically begging for an injection of color. Second, because we’re planning to totally gut the space eventually, I knew it was time to go big and have some fun. I’ve always wanted to paint a room an orange-y hue, so this was the time to do it.
Paint Color: Clay Spice
The biggest change is the paint! I chose a color from Better Homes and Gardens’ paint line at Walmart. The color is called Clay Spice and I chose the semi-gloss finish which is ideal for a moisture-rich environment like a bathroom. It’s hard to tell in the photos, but I mixed a custom, toned down color for the ceiling by mixing white paint in with the Clay Spice paint. I wanted the result to feel lighter so that the space didn’t feel as small. While it doesn’t come across in the photos, it’s noticeable in-person and helps the bathroom feel less cramped!
I wanted a rich shade of terra cotta or persimmon to bring some warmth to the bathroom. Plus, it’s a really unexpected color which totally scratched my itch for doing something wild. Once I chose my wall color, I chose to offset it with a chambray blue shower curtain. I love the juxtaposition of the two together!
Added storage and organization
I also wanted to add some functional storage into this tiny bathroom, which is why I chose this simple storage cube organizer. The shape is such a classic and, luckily, it fit perfectly in that spot behind the door. The wood tone helps to soften the bold Clay Spice by bringing in a natural element that I mimicked with elements of rattan and caning.
In terms of organizing our toiletries, we use various canisters, trays, and baskets including:
- Rattan storage basket
- Faux marble tray
- Set of 3 glass canisters with wood lids
- Glass apothecary jars
- Hammered metal tray
This cube organizer is also a great place to keep extra towels (we love these American-made bath sheets). I rolled our towels so that it would feel a bit more like a spa. Little things like that always make a difference!
Because we don’t have a sink in this tiny bathroom and haven’t actually installed our new vanity, I created a small area on top to serve a similar purpose. The tiny mirror is just enough to tide me over until we actually finish installing the vanity!
Styling & Decor
And lastly, I put on my styling hat and decorated our bathroom so that it felt more ‘us.’ That includes adding a few hooks to hang additional towels and robes, vintage artwork, and lots of houseplants. I wanted the space to feel eclectic and fun. For me, the vintage artwork really helped to round out the overall aesthetic and tie it all together.
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I know this is a lot bolder of a color than I typically go for, but this felt like an opportunity to really have FUN and go BIG. Plus, it’s always nice to step outside of your comfort zone — especially when it’s a space that will eventually get totally demo-ed and re-designed one day. But until then, I’m really happy to have a more finished, cheerfully bright bathroom — and finally a bathroom door again!
So what do you think of our budget-friendly small bathroom makeover?? It’s a big change, so I’m still getting used to it, but loving the brightness of the space (plus additional storage)! I hope it inspires you to tackle your bathroom and maybe even venture outside of your comfort zone.
