Guest bathrooms often remain unchanged for years because a major update may require new fixtures, tile work, or plumbing changes. Many homeowners focus on the larger rooms first and postpone the smaller spaces indefinitely.
In a project shared by a Reddit user u/mtoomtooThe guest bathroom inside the 1927 house took a different approach. The makeover was completed in two days for about $200, relying on paint and wallpaper rather than demolition, new fixtures or layout changes.
Yellow walls dominate the original bathroom
The bathroom started with yellow walls, white beadboard and dark burgundy trim around the window and built-in cabinets.
None of the finishes were harmed, but the yellow walls, burgundy trim, and white beadboard compete for attention rather than acting as a cohesive design.
Changed every surface below the chair rail in green
Instead of replacing the beadboard, the homeowner painted it, along with the window trim, cabinets and surrounding millwork.
Sherwin-Williams Adamame Replaced the previous color palette and introduced a continuous finish in the lower half of the room. Green combines beadboard, trim and built-in cabinets into one color scheme.
Replaced the wallpaper plain upper walls
Midnight Blue Fragaria Garden Wallpaper from Home Depot transforms plain yellow walls with a dense pattern of birds, flowers and foliage. The dark background contrasts against the Sherwin-Williams Adamame paint used on the beadboard, trim and built-in cabinets, helping each surface work together rather than competing for attention.
A dark background can overwhelm a small bathroom, but botanical patterns draw attention to the walls while green millwork anchors the room below. Together, the two finishes create a stronger connection between the age of the home and the modern look of the bathroom.
Built-in cabinets became part of the design
Before the makeover, the recessed cabinet blends into the wall.
After receiving the same green color as the trim and beadboard, it became part of the integrated design rather than an overlooked utility feature. The cabinet now helps frame the wallpaper instead of blocking it.
Paint and wallpaper did more than new fixtures
The layout never changed. The toilet stayed where it was, the window remained the same size, and the beadboard remained on the walls.
Yet the room looks a far cry from its original version as every major surface is now of the same palette. Green paint connects architectural details, while wallpaper becomes a focal point rather than a trim.
Paint and wallpaper do almost all the work here. The layout stayed the same, the fixtures stayed in place, and the budget stayed close to $200.
Few bathroom makeovers make such a visual change without touching the fixtures. In this case, paint and wallpaper transformed a room that had remained largely unchanged, proving that color and pattern can change the look of a space just as much as a major renovation.
All images belong to Reddit users @mtoomtoo.
