Bathroom Design
Before and After: 5 Bathrooms That Rock Wallpaper
See how wallpaper adds pattern, texture and pizzazz to these recent bathroom makeovers
The idea of wallpaper in a bathroom can cause some anxiety. Will steam from a shower cause the wallpaper to peel away or mold to grow underneath it? Experts seem to agree that if your bathroom has a good exhaust fan that keeps humidity in check, your wallpaper should hold up just fine. Applying an acrylic coating to standard wallpaper, using vinyl wallpaper and not papering near splash zones are additional steps to consider.
The designers of the following bathroom makeovers decided to take the plunge and added wallpaper to great visual effect. Check out the before-and-after photos of these five bathroom remodels that rock wallpaper and let us know whether you’d make the same decision.
The designers of the following bathroom makeovers decided to take the plunge and added wallpaper to great visual effect. Check out the before-and-after photos of these five bathroom remodels that rock wallpaper and let us know whether you’d make the same decision.
After: Rendon removed the shower-bath combo, vanity and toilet. An open shower, custom vanity and fresh white color palette with black accents gave the bathroom a lighter, airier look.
A washable, nonwoven wallpaper with a wildflower design covers the vanity wall. “The floral design is so pretty,” Rendon says. “It’s subtle but makes an impact. This particular bathroom isn’t used every day, so we weren’t concerned about moisture. We also have an upgraded fan in here.”
Wallpaper: Wildflower Sprigs, York Wallcoverings
Can You Use Wallpaper in a Bathroom?
A washable, nonwoven wallpaper with a wildflower design covers the vanity wall. “The floral design is so pretty,” Rendon says. “It’s subtle but makes an impact. This particular bathroom isn’t used every day, so we weren’t concerned about moisture. We also have an upgraded fan in here.”
Wallpaper: Wildflower Sprigs, York Wallcoverings
Can You Use Wallpaper in a Bathroom?
Rendon eliminated the medicine cabinet and wallpapered the area for a more continuous look. A pendant with a concrete-and-wood shade hangs over the new vanity seating area.
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See more of this bathroom remodel
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2. Tropical Oasis
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their son
Location: Chicago
Designer: Crystal Blackshaw Interiors
Before: After working with these Chicago homeowners to renovate their vacation house, designer Crystal Blackshaw says, she earned their trust to go bold with pattern and color for their primary home’s renovation.
The previous master bathroom had dated wall tiles and harsh overhead lighting above the vanity.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their son
Location: Chicago
Designer: Crystal Blackshaw Interiors
Before: After working with these Chicago homeowners to renovate their vacation house, designer Crystal Blackshaw says, she earned their trust to go bold with pattern and color for their primary home’s renovation.
The previous master bathroom had dated wall tiles and harsh overhead lighting above the vanity.
The renovated master bathroom now features a new vanity sink with classic chrome legs, a pharmacy-style medicine cabinet and marble subway tiles that cover the lower half of the walls.
A bold tropical-inspired wallpaper covers the upper half of the walls, infusing the space with color and whimsy. A brown pinstriped Roman shade for the window completes the stylish scene.
A bold tropical-inspired wallpaper covers the upper half of the walls, infusing the space with color and whimsy. A brown pinstriped Roman shade for the window completes the stylish scene.
A shower wall and the floor feature thin black tiles in an interlocking pattern, which adds visual interest and complements the rest of the home’s Art Deco style.
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Tour the rest of this house
3. Pretty Peonies
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A family of four and its guests
Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts
Size: 50 square feet (4.7 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Interior designer: Katrina Bogart of Bogart Interiors
Before: This 1950s Cape Cod in Wellesley, Massachusetts, has a bathroom on the first floor that needs to serve multiple functions. It acts not only as a powder room, but also as a second full bath when everyone is trying to get ready at the same time.
The previous space, which had been renovated in the 1980s, was a sea of beige, with a pedestal sink that lacked storage. The room had a tub-shower combo that wasn’t a great fit in a bathroom that doubled as a powder room. And the size of the window didn’t allow for any privacy without a covering. This made things dark and uninviting.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A family of four and its guests
Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts
Size: 50 square feet (4.7 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Interior designer: Katrina Bogart of Bogart Interiors
Before: This 1950s Cape Cod in Wellesley, Massachusetts, has a bathroom on the first floor that needs to serve multiple functions. It acts not only as a powder room, but also as a second full bath when everyone is trying to get ready at the same time.
The previous space, which had been renovated in the 1980s, was a sea of beige, with a pedestal sink that lacked storage. The room had a tub-shower combo that wasn’t a great fit in a bathroom that doubled as a powder room. And the size of the window didn’t allow for any privacy without a covering. This made things dark and uninviting.
After: The design for this renovation began with a marked departure from beige: a beautifully whimsical peony wallpaper by Katie Ridder. “I’m in love with this wallpaper,” designer Katrina Bogart says. “It makes this room so peaceful, bright and cheerful.” White grout that matches the wall tile keeps the focus on the wallpaper.
Bogart replaced the tub-shower combo with a more generous shower stall. She replaced the window with a smaller one that provides privacy thanks to its high placement. The glossy white surfaces bounce natural light around the room.
“The pop of blue on the ceiling is an unexpected twist that adds a little whimsy,” the designer says. She plucked the color from the peonies in the wallpaper.
Bogart replaced the tub-shower combo with a more generous shower stall. She replaced the window with a smaller one that provides privacy thanks to its high placement. The glossy white surfaces bounce natural light around the room.
“The pop of blue on the ceiling is an unexpected twist that adds a little whimsy,” the designer says. She plucked the color from the peonies in the wallpaper.
The bathroom is traditional with a few modern-day touches that update it. “The faucet is so pretty. It has a very traditional feel in polished nickel,” Bogart says. Another pretty touch is the beveled mirror with scalloped details on the corners. These elements add shine to the room.
See more of this bathroom remodel
See more of this bathroom remodel
4. From Bland to Glam
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: Interior designer Elizabeth Walther of Design Studio and her husband, Jimmy
Location: Covington, Louisiana
Size: 157 square feet (15 square meters)
Before: At 157 square feet, this Louisiana master bathroom was luxurious in size but not so much in style, homeowner and designer Elizabeth Walther says. “When we built the house, it was cheaper to install closets instead of cabinets for storage. So our bathroom had a lot of doors,” she says.
The two white doors seen here open to small closets. The Walthers were also tired of the fluorescent lighting, cultured marble countertops and boring color palette. “We couldn’t take it anymore,” she says.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: Interior designer Elizabeth Walther of Design Studio and her husband, Jimmy
Location: Covington, Louisiana
Size: 157 square feet (15 square meters)
Before: At 157 square feet, this Louisiana master bathroom was luxurious in size but not so much in style, homeowner and designer Elizabeth Walther says. “When we built the house, it was cheaper to install closets instead of cabinets for storage. So our bathroom had a lot of doors,” she says.
The two white doors seen here open to small closets. The Walthers were also tired of the fluorescent lighting, cultured marble countertops and boring color palette. “We couldn’t take it anymore,” she says.
After: The footprint of the bathroom remained the same, and Walther kept the plumbing fixture locations. She removed the closets, creating more floor space within the bathroom for beautiful custom cabinetry.
For a good part of her career, Walther worked in commercial design. This gave her the idea to use a durable commercial-grade vinyl wallpaper in the bathroom. “Not even Windex will hurt this wallpaper,” she says. She found a dramatic pattern that resembles a dark, glittering slab of stone.
For a good part of her career, Walther worked in commercial design. This gave her the idea to use a durable commercial-grade vinyl wallpaper in the bathroom. “Not even Windex will hurt this wallpaper,” she says. She found a dramatic pattern that resembles a dark, glittering slab of stone.
The wallpaper inspired the use of grays and golds, including the gray vanity cabinets with shiny gold knobs. The sconce backplates look like tortoiseshell and are framed in gold.
See more of this bathroom remodel
See more of this bathroom remodel
5. Wow-Worthy Window
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their four daughters
Location: Mill Valley, California
Size: About 70 square feet (6.5 square meters)
Designer: Jennifer Messina of Dreamlife Design
Before: The previous attic bathroom in this California home included off-white walls and wallpaper that looked dingy and dated. The wood floors and claw-foot tub were in good shape but needed a refresh as well.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their four daughters
Location: Mill Valley, California
Size: About 70 square feet (6.5 square meters)
Designer: Jennifer Messina of Dreamlife Design
Before: The previous attic bathroom in this California home included off-white walls and wallpaper that looked dingy and dated. The wood floors and claw-foot tub were in good shape but needed a refresh as well.
After: Designer Jennifer Messina removed the old wallpaper on the lower half of the walls in favor of white beadboard. She then added a more modern, bohemian wallpaper to highlight the window’s striking angles.
The designer also refinished the tub in a watery blue and restained the wood floors in ebony.
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The designer also refinished the tub in a watery blue and restained the wood floors in ebony.
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More on Houzz
Before and After: 4 Bathrooms That Ditched the Tub
Shop for a pedestal sink
Find a bathroom designer
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Felice Quisol
Location: Murrieta, California
Size: 55 square feet (5.1 square meters)
Designer: Joselyn Rendon Interiors
Before: Once her recent kitchen renovation was complete, this California homeowner felt her bathroom needed a makeover more than ever. “I would go from the wonderful kitchen to this space and think, ‘Ick,’ ” she says. She reached out to designer Joselyn Rendon for help.
The former bathroom had brown walls that did little to help brighten the windowless room. “The wall color was making everything feel gloomy,” says Rendon, who previously helped the owner renovate the kitchen and bar area of the home.
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