the ldl home: diy half bathroom remodel

hi friends!

I have SO much to share with you and so many things drafted here on the blog – it’s time to pull some of those things out of the drafts!

At the end of last year, I finally decided to start on a project I had been scheming in my head for at least a year prior. Our main floor half bath is probably one of the most used spaces in our home. But it was just a boring, builder-grade blank slate, circa the early 2000s. I wanted to make a big impact in our half bath remodel, but it needed to be on a DIY-friendly budget.

I chronicled this project on my Instagram and TikTok, but I wanted to gather all the links from the project in one place here for you. Here’s what we started with…

Before

a little design background

I fell hard for the all-white, clean, mid-century modern aesthetic circa 2017 when we completely remodeled our home in Scottsdale (the OG #theldlhome). And to be honest, although I know that’s not the trend anymore, I’m not really over it.

We still have many of those same furniture pieces in our current Colorado home, and I chose all white walls when we moved in back in 2022. To me, white feels clean, modern, and timeless. I still love that look for our main living spaces.

But if there was ever a space to go bold, it’s the powder room, amiright?

We haven’t done much to this new home since moving in – just paint and some new carpet – no big renovations yet. So this bathroom felt like the perfect place to start.

Here’s what I came up with for my inspo board initially, on the left. At first I was scared of going all dark and moody, so I kept the flooring and wallpaper light. But eventually, as you’ll see as we go along here, I did lean into the fully dark and moody vibe on the right. Which do you prefer?

from builder-grade to bold: our diy powder bathroom remodel

After staring at this small but highly used space for over a year, at the end of last year I finally said, “Let’s just do it.” With a little help from family, a few YouTube tutorials, and a whole lot of determination, we turned our basic half bath into something modern, moody, and totally unique to our style.

This was my first time tiling and doing board and batten, so if you’re new to DIY — you’re in good company. Let’s break down what we did, what we used, and how much it all cost.

step 1: demo day

We started by removing all the early 2000s builder-grade fixtures: the pedestal sink, the plain mirror, the light fixture. Out they went.

Once we had a clean slate, we patched the drywall, sanded where needed, and deep-cleaned everything before beginning the fun stuff.

step 2: tiling the floor (a first-time tiler here!)

At one point during this project, a friend asked me for my best tips for tiling. I had to laugh because before this project, I had zero experience. I watched a few YouTube videos, said a prayer, and jumped in. It wasn’t the easiest DIY, but I had help from my family (shoutout to my brother-in-law who does know what he’s doing), and we made it happen. And now yes, I do have tips!

what we used:

• HardieBacker subfloor and cement board tape

• Matte black hexagon tile (similar)

• MAPEI Ultracolor Plus FA grout – I used the color Charcoal – 5047

• Pre-mixed thinset mortar and floor trowel

• Tile saw, float, sponge, buckets, disposable respirators for mixing grout

Tips for fellow beginners:

• Start with a sturdy underlayment. We used HardieBacker, but FYI – this is not fully waterproof. If you are doing a full bathroom (with a tub or shower) you will want a waterproof underlayment rather than this.
• Using the pre-mixed thinset is more expensive, but for a small space like this, it was worth it to me not to have to mess with the mixing ratios and risk messing it up.

• Dry-fit your layout before you start applying adhesive. You will want to think about the direction of your tiles and how they will finish. I started at the entryway to the room, since the rest of the edges would be covered by the baseboards.

• Rent a tile saw. I was nervous to use one, so here again is where my brother-in-law was a lifesaver in cutting the small pieces to fit round the edges. We rented from a local rent-all company, but most big box store like Lowe’s or Home Depot also do this type of rental.

• Read up on the exact grout you’re using (they all behave differently) and be sure to follow the directions exactly. I read the package directions quickly, thought I got it, and then mixed it wrong, 3 TIMES. I eventually had to look up technical data sheet for this product online and watch a few YouTube videos. But the 3rd time was a charm, and I finally got it right!

• Don’t rush the grout stage – it’s what makes the tile pop. Be sure to wipe away all of the haze – this takes several passes, and therefore some patience.

• Choose a grout color that works with your lifestyle. Gray hides dirt better than white. And go a shade darker than you think. I like how this came out, but I did think it would be darker finished (once it dried it was lighter).

step 3: board & batten makeover

For this part of the project, I partnered with Lowe’s Home Improvement to add custom board and batten to the lower half of the walls. All the materials for this part of the bathroom only cost around $200 and made the room feel way more polished.

materials:

• 1″x 3″x 8′ MDF boards for the horizontal and vertical boards on the top edge

• 1″x 6″ x 12′ MDF boards for the baseboards (we chose 6″ because this most closely matched the baseboards in the rest of our house)

• Construction adhesive

• Brad nailer + 2″ 18 gauge nails

• Wood filler

• Caulk

• Cabinet foam roller

• Valspar Signtaure Satin Base paint in “City Arbouretum- 6006_4c”

We measured out our grid then cut the boards to size. Mistakes were made here and we had to re-cut some pieces! Highly recommend that whole “measure twice, cut once” adage. We then attached the boards to the wall with Liquid Nails and one of us would hold them in place while the other person used the nail gun to affix them to the wall. Technically, a true board and batten would have a flat plywood type board behind the MDF boards (I honestly do not know which one is considered the board and which the batten). Either way, I skipped the flat plywood boards and just embraced our walls as-is. Yes, they are textured and yes, I HATE that. But in this case and with the dark paint color, it doesn’t really bother me and I doubt any of our guests have noticed.

After everything was set and dried, I then filled the nails holes with the wood filler, did some slight sanding, and cleaned off all the dust before painting. This paint is a paint + primer in one, but two coats was definitely necessary! This DIY is a little tedious, and does require some math-ing, but totally doable – and the finished look is so high-impact.

step 4: peel-and-stick wallpaper (the showstopper!)

This might be the most asked about part of this project. I used Loomwell’s peel-and-stick wallpaper, designed by Anna Black Creative, and it completely changed the vibe in the room.

We’ve used Loomwell before – HERE in my daughter’s rooms, in my oldest’s room HERE, and my youngest’s HERE before – and I love their products. This peel and stick wallpaper is easy to install, easy to remove, and perfect for small spaces like a powder bath. I will say, it does take some effort to match up the seams, and is easier if you have a buddy to help you out but I did most of each of these projects solo.

why i love it:

• No paste = no mess

• Removable and reposition-able

• Works in rentals or permanent homes

• So many beautiful, patterns and unique artist collaborations

Tip: Always measure twice before ordering! See above, and just trust me. I also messed up on this order and forgot to calculate the square footage above the door, then had to order one more panel.

Code: Use LOVEDESIGNED at checkout to save 15% anytime, and keep an eye out for their seasonal sales, where my code often stacks with the latest offers!

step 5: finishing touches + styling

Once the big installs were done, it was time to style. We went for a mix of warm wood, matte black and gold hardware, and neutral decor to balance the bold walls and tile.

decor + fixtures:

• New vanity with wood finish and gold hardware

• Matte gold faucet and matching drain (not included with the vanity!)

• Gold framed arched mirror

• Globe dimmable vanity light

• Gold towel ring & TP holder

• Framed print, hand towels, soap dispenser, and gold switch plates

Most of these were affordable finds from Lowe’s, Wayfair, and Target. For a quick visual shopping experience, use this handy tool:

what we spent: diy bathroom cost breakdown

When I googled “how much does it cost to remodel a half bathroom,” I saw answers between $1,500 and $15,000. So I’m really proud that we kept our total to just over $2,200, especially with how custom it looks now. Keep in mind, this project was completed in 2025, and materials costs always seem to be rising, so prices could be different in your area.

We also kept our existing toilet because… it works just fine!

final thoughts

This little half bath might be small, but it was a big learning moment. We stretched ourselves with new skills, made mistakes, and kept going — and I love how it all turned out.

If you’re thinking about upgrading your own powder bathroom:

• Don’t be afraid to try something bold

• Start small

• Give yourself time

• And always measure twice 😉

As always, let me know if you have any questions in the comments below! Or feel free to reach out to me via social media. xo