This Bold Bathroom Makeover Felt Like a Huge Mistake at First
Nearly every room needed some kind of TLC when Emily Parlove and her husband first moved into their home in 2022. But at the time, they were new to the world of DIY and only gave their guest bathroom a refresh. It consisted of adding some fresh paint and a few fun details, and then they quickly moved on to other areas of the home that needed fixing.
The mini transformation “was perfectly fine, and [it] even had a geometric accent wall that guests loved,” Emily says. “But it always felt like a ‘starter’ project rather than a finished space.”
Improved DIY Confidence and Skills Meant They Were Ready to Try the Transformation Again
But since they moved in, the couple’s DIY skills and confidence in taking on home projects have grown. Which means, they’re finally able to revisit rooms that need a little extra attention — like this bathroom.
“What once felt complete now felt like an opportunity to push ourselves creatively and technically, and to transform the space into something that better reflected who we are now,” Emily explains.
While the Refresh Might’ve Been Simple, the Remodel Was Quite Labor-Intensive
The first thing Emily did in the space was undo the original redo’s work — including the accent wall decals. But right away, it was surprisingly challenging.
“Removing the old Cricut decals from the accent wall turned into a nightmare — torn drywall, bubbling paint, and stubborn adhesive everywhere,” Emily says. “It felt like we had made a huge mistake.”
Instead of giving up or attempting to repair the drywall, the couple pivoted and created a slat accent feature that covered the wall completely. But hiccups came in multiples for them because “the slat wall ended up being far more labor-intensive than expected.”
To help with costs, Emily cut plywood into strips and, “between cutting, sanding, nailing, patching, caulking, and painting, it was a long process,” Emily comments. While it saved a “significant amount of money, it came at the cost of time and effort.” However, Emily likes to look on the positive side and sees how the effort they spent doing everything themselves achieved a professional look and solved the problem that the previous decals created.
Not only was that DIY a first for the couple, but they also took on first-time cabinetry to build and paint new vanity doors, keeping the original base. “It was a slow learning curve, but incredibly rewarding,” Emily notes. They topped off the updated vanity with a discounted calcite countertop remnant they sourced for “a high-end look without the high-end price tag.”
Every Step of the Transformation Felt Like It Came with a Hiccup
“The hardest part was definitely the combination of the slat wall and wallpaper,” Emily says. “The slat wall required far more time and precision than anticipated, and the wallpaper installation tested our patience more than anything else.”
Traditional wallpapering (the non-peel-and-stick kind) is a test of true skill and patience, but the couple chose a bold print that added an extra layer of difficulty because they had to align the patterns across each panel. “It was frustrating and slow, and there were definitely moments where we questioned our choices,” Emily explains.
Cabinet installation was also a stressful step because, at first, the new doors didn’t align with the original base. But the couple figured out how to adjust the hinges and ended up concealing them.
“On the flip side, plumbing, while intimidating at first, ended up being easier than expected once we understood what we needed,” Emily shares. “It was mostly trial and error (and over four trips to the store), but ultimately very doable.”
While each roadblock might’ve felt “potentially project-ending,” Emily and her husband pushed through and were able to find solutions that taught them something new for the future.
The Couple Challenged Themselves to Create a Moody and Colorful Space
The couple realized they’re drawn to “moody bathrooms,” dramatic colors, and color-drenched spaces. But at the same time, their own style is more neutral with pops of color, like the original bathroom update.
So when they decided to redo the 2022 refresh, they made it a challenge to merge moody with colorful in their own unique way. “That became our guiding principle,” Emily notes.
The mix of ideas created the bold bathroom they have now — incorporating the existing gold hardware from the first refresh and pushing themselves to truly DIY everything in the space.
Even though the vanity and wallpaper installation were tedious processes of constant adjustments before they got it right, they can’t imagine the space without them.
Emily and her husband’s favorite part is the cabinetry because they were finally able to add a project to a space that they’d always wanted to try. It “felt like unlocking a new skill set,” Emily notes. Plus, the pink paint color pushed them further out of their comfort zone and created the perfect balance of fun and personal.
“The challenges were part of the journey, and the final result feels exactly like what we envisioned,” Emily says. “This space represents how much we’ve grown over the past four years.”
Emily and her husband are more confident, skilled, and willing to take design risks — “and that evolution is really visible when we look at this room and compare it to how it was when we first moved.”
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