Be My Guest: A (Pattern Lovers) Teeny Tiny Guest Bathroom Makeover

A couple of weeks ago, we had a bunch of friends (7 friends to be exact) staying at our house for the weekend. And I almost don’t want to admit this, but up until literally seconds before everyone arrived, I was still getting last minute things in order and throwing together finishing touches.

It was one of those times that I just wanted everything to look nice because most of our friends hadn’t seen our place before. But outside of decorating, on the more practical side of things, I had to get some stuff accomplished just to accommodate that many people at our house. The main guest bathroom being at the top of that list.

Full disclosure, I had actually made over this space once before, but it was a long time ago and most of the things that had once looked put-together were no longer looking all that great. That paired with the fact that I’ve been itching to do a wallpaper accent wall, meant it was makeover time once again. But this one is here to stay! I partnered with Delta Faucet to bring the whole thing to life and even managed to switch out my leaky showerhead in the process (all by myself, I might add). Hallelujah!

I’ve always had trouble making this bathroom what I wanted it to be – a playful but calming place for guests that I can use too, to get ready when we don’t have company. But I think it’s coming together, with the wallpaper, patterned towels, new artwork, etc. Something about it feels completely fresh and new now and more a reflection of our style.

That said, are there still some things I wish I could change? Yep. Definitely. But we’re renting, so as much as I can’t stand the sand colored granite and out-of-place contemporary cabinets in there, I can’t rip ’em out. So, I’m working around them as best I can.

Personality

The wallpaper was the first thing I found that I knew I really, really wanted. So I started with that and worked everything else around it – pulling in black and white accents in other places where I could (one of the towel patterns, an art piece, etc), to make the space feel cohesive. Then, I brought in some pops of color to give it a little more personality and stay away from an all-neautals bathroom. Not that there’s anything wrong with a neutrals-only bathroom.

Renter’s note… If you’re wondering how I got permission from my landlord to install wallpaper, the answer is I didn’t. 🙂 Instead of using wallpaper paste to make things permanent, I went with a temporary option – trusty Command strips (at the top, sides and bottom of each piece of wallpaper).

I lined up the pattern the same way I would if I was installing the wallpaper the normal way, but used the Command strips to attach the wallpaper to the wall and then used a sharp blade to cut off the excess from the top and bottom of each strip once everything was hung. This way, I can remove everything easily when I move out, without damaging the walls. Highly recommend this option if you’re renting and want to add wallpaper.

Practicality

Our guest bathroom showerhead had been leaking for a while and I wanted to switch it out before everyone arrived. I went with a Delta In2ition Showerhead H₂Okinetic® Technology, which actually saves water (yay!) and is easy to install. You can control the speed, movement and droplet size of the water, to create the feeling of more water while actually using less.

I wasn’t sure how long the showerhead would take to replace, since I admittedly had never switched one out before. But it was so, so easy! It literally took all of five minutes to remove the old leaky showerhead and get the new Delta In2ition Showerhead installed and ready to use. No handyman required!

Renter’s note… I kept the old showerhead too, so I can switch them back out when we move to a new place and take my new showerhead with me. Thumbs up.

And that’s pretty much it. All in all, it took a few hours to get everything from the showerhead installed to hanging artwork and wallpaper in before everyone arrived. The wallpaper was the bulk of that time. But now it’s done and good to go for guests, etc.

Photography Amelia Tatnall Lawrence

Source List

Delta In2ition Showerhead H2Okinetic ® Technology available exclusively at The Home Depot // wallpaper CB2 // black + white pattern towels Target // blue and white pattern towels Target // hand towel Good Hood // swimsuit girls print Leah Reena Goren // one thing at a time print Young Blood // pink striped print Kiki and Polly //  turquoise painting and abstract blue, red, and yellow piece are by me // ceramic bust vintage // triangle mirror (similar) // white vase CB2 // radio Tivoli //terra cotta pot Ferm Living // moon art piece Fine Little Day // beauty tray Madewell (similar)

Do you have a room in your house you’ve been meaning to makeover? What challenges have you faced decorating-wise while renting?

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This post is in partnership with Delta Faucet. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Paper & Stitch running.