A few months ago, we wanted to spruce up our half bath in our home. Oftentimes, people will say your half bath should be a statement when it comes to interior design as that’s the first room, and sometimes only other room, guests see in your home.
If you follow me on Instagram Stories, you saw we were trying to decide between wallpaper and board and batten prior to starting this project and welcomed feedback from you all on which route to go.
As our style has evolved, we have been trying to incorporate more earth tones, neutrals, and black into our home. We decided to make our half bath a dark and moody space. We went for board and batten, and since this was our first time, we went for a simple and achievable design.
We do have textured walls. Although some people online recommend not doing board and batten on textured walls, we did and thought it looked fine. Those who recommend otherwise suggest wood paneling the wall before doing board and batten designs. If you’re contemplating trying this at home, it really is up to you and what you think looks best. After all, it is your home. 😉
Because of our textured walls though, we chose not to pursue wallpaper. We were interested in wallpaper with a design or pattern, so it would’ve been difficult to obtain a flat look. Some of you also said that wallpaper in a bathroom is usually a no-go because of the moisture – it may come off the wall or deteriorate quickly.
The Process
If I’m being frank, my husband did most of the work. He loves woodworking, so this was a fun task for him. He measured and used a miter saw to cut the wood. We purchased 1/2 inch thick wood from The Home Depot for the board and batten.
My husband used a staple gun to adhere the wood onto the wall. After the wood was placed, he caulked the seams and taped the edges so we wouldn’t get caulking on the other walls. He recommends cutting a very small hole for the tip of the caulking as that will minimize the chances of getting it everywhere.
After this, it was time to prime and then paint. This is where I was able to contribute the most. 🙂 We primed the wall with a gray primer called KILZ from The Home Depot, which works for both interior or exterior jobs. We used roller and paintbrushes to get in all of the crevices. After priming, we were ready to finally paint. We used Glidden’s Black Magic Satin paint to make the room really pop. We chose satin paint because they tend to be easier to clean, and the guest bath tends to get utilized a lot in a home.
The Finished Product
After a few coats of paint, we caulked again and did touch-ups. My husband had extra wood in the garage from another project, and we decided to repurpose it for the light wood shelves above the toilet. We also found a few items at Home Goods to decorate them. I also purchased this canvas from The Canvas Hut to complete the look, if you use my code ATHOMEDANIO, you get 20% off. I will say their shipping is a little delayed, which is why waited to do our reveal so just keep that in mind when you make your purchase. During a grocery trip to Walmart, I grabbed this matted frame to match.
Below are also some of the items we used and sources for the items in our half bath. I linked what I could for you. As always, let me know if you decide to try a board and batten project at home. If you have additional tips, let us know in the comments.
