Roundup: Handpainted 'Wallpaper' in the Bathroom

We love the look of a wallpapered bathroom. It can transform a tiny space into a serene little jewel box--just check out the powder rooms that Beth highlighted a couple weeks ago. But for us renters, wallpaper is a no no and the temporary kind isn't great for a damp space. So what's left? How about hand painting or stenciling a pattern onto a wall or two. Jump below for some designs you could try yourself:

This bathroom from thisgirlangie could be a simple diy project. Just paint stripes and use a stencil for the chandelier graphic.

Handpainted and gorgeous, this beautiful yellow design probably took forever but if you're going to be somewhere a while, totally worth it. From yampuss flickr set

Go asymetrical with a version of the fun garlands on the wall or on the floor. From margaretrollicki's flickr.

Using a stencil and one paint color you can go complicated like this version from urbanroutine:

Or modify it for a simpler take like Vertical House did:

Even our very own Anh-Minh made this incredible pattern using tape and paint.

Hero image from cursivedesign.

Have you tried hand painting a design in the bathroom? Or wallpapering for that matter?

Comments (9)

I'm fairly sure the 6th photo is actual wallpaper from Ballard Designs:

http://www.ballarddesigns.com/Wall-Decor/Wallpaper-Designs/c/1545?path=1%2C2%2C1468%2C1545

posted by doublek on March 27th 2009 at 3:32pm
view doublek's profile

These are beautiful but I'm confused. If a renter can't put up wallpaper, what makes someone think that painting stencils on would be ok???

posted by n2denim on March 27th 2009 at 3:34pm
view n2denim's profile

You can easily paint over the stenciled walls, wallpaper is a nightmare to take off. That said, I don't have the patience or steady hand to do some of those, thought the 1st 3 look nice.

posted by cherrybomb on March 27th 2009 at 3:44pm
view cherrybomb's profile

I want to do this so badly at my new place but the landlord is a stickler for no painting. Actually, he did say if I really wanted new paint, I'd have to pay for the paints myself and hire out his approved paint contractors. Ugh... I couldn't even begin to imagine how much a stenciled wall (much less whole room) would cost contractors when I could do it myself at the cost of paint (and perhaps my sanity).

posted by Centelleo on March 27th 2009 at 4:15pm
view Centelleo's profile

any idea where i could find the stencil yampuss used (bathroom number 2)? I love, love, love that pattern!

posted by lilers on March 27th 2009 at 6:32pm
view lilers's profile

Yampuss' work is absolutely gorgeous. Great color, composition, and interacts well with the rest of the room.

The Vertical House example is nice but it's definitely wallpaper.

posted by luckypeach on March 27th 2009 at 7:34pm
view luckypeach's profile

Yeah! It's wall paper. She says so herself on the flickr link. Too bad. I'd have love to try it out myself.

posted by Mtlmaven on March 27th 2009 at 8:03pm
view Mtlmaven's profile

Yampuss is killing me. That bathroom is to die for.

posted by kelleyk on March 28th 2009 at 11:45pm
view kelleyk's profile

yep...it is wallpaper, from Ballard Designs. However, once it was in place, and I stepped back I thought "geez, I totally could have painted this! hah!"

But, I do like the way wallpaper looks over time...however, I'm sure it'd be easy to create a stencil and paint that pattern.

posted by verticalhouse on April 2nd 2009 at 3:22pm
view verticalhouse's profile