A DIY Makeover Takes This Farmhouse Bath from Vintage to Modern

Check out how one homeowner used creative, DIY solutions to renew her vintage farmhouse bath and bring it into the modern age.

wallpapered bathroom

Patterned wallpaper and beadboard gave this bathroom a dated look. Not only did it not fit with the rest of the historic farmhouse, but the homeowner had no room for modern-day amenities, like a walk-in shower. But with a can-do attitude—and a bevy of tools—the homeowner created the bath of her dreams.

After: Vintage Renewal

bathroom DIY

Considering form, function, and floor space, the homeowner swapped out a pedestal sink in her primary bath for a homemade storage-rich vanity that wraps around a vintage sink found curbside. The outside bottom of the vintage sink is painted with the same navy paint used on the walls to bring the color scheme full circle.

Get Inspired: More Farmhouse Baths

Make it Mine

bathroom vanity

The DIY vanity is made from pine boards stained a shade of dark walnut and includes an ample countertop, shelves, and cubbies. Visit the homeowner's blog, That's My Letter, for detailed instructions on how to build the vanity.

Past Meets Present

bathroom

By tearing out a linen closet adjoining the tiny first-floor primary bath, the homeowner made way for a much-desired walk-in shower. Hexagon floor tiles, board-and-batten wainscoting, and warm wood finishes reference the past, while a vivid buffalo check pattern painted on walls gives the room modern-day appeal.

Paint Master

bathroom DIY

Different paint sheens partner with stained finishes to lend the walls eye-catching contrast. The window trim and wainscoting were painted with white semigloss, while the room's buffalo check wall treatment features matte paint. A walnut-stained floorboard reinvented as molding crowns the window wall; its flat profile is perfectly in keeping with the home's Colonial roots. IKEA towel hooks further the vintage feel.

Get the Look: How to Paint Buffalo Check

Reuse and Repurpose

bathroom shelf

The homeowner turned weathered floorboards—gifted by a friend and finished with walnut stain—into a display shelf above the commode. The shelf not only looks pretty, but it adds practical storage space. Fresh greens bring life into the space.

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