In this post: We’ve updated our powder room no less than three times since we moved here two years ago. But finally, we have a powder room makeover we love!

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If you’ve been reading our blog or following us on social media for very long, you might be confused. Maybe you remember seeing a powder room makeover already at our house? 

You wouldn’t be wrong.

This is the third time we’ve actually made over the same powder room. 

Why Another Powder Room Makeover?

Just over two years ago, when we first moved here, our main floor powder room/half bath was painted orange….with a mauve cabinet and brown accents. I kid you not. It was dubbed the ‘fall bathroom’ by our daughter.

I loved having a main floor bathroom, but I hated how this one looked. 

Almost immediately, I painted the room black (Sealskin, by Sherwin Williams) in the hopes that that would disguise, or at least tone down, the purple-y cabinet. It was somewhat helpful. 

bathroom vanity before

Then a little later, we painted the cabinet white and added a new sink and counter. What we didn’t fully realize was that the cabinet I loathed so much was a weird custom size that had been built in-place. Which meant it didn’t actually fit a regular countertop and sink! There was a crazy amount of overhang at the front which left the bathroom feeling crowded and small. The room was definitely nicer, but still not great at all. 

bathroom vanity after

But alas, as much as I disliked the look of the bathroom, as is often the case with things like this, there was no budget at the time to fix it. 

Until Now. 

What Prompted this Makeover Now?

When we found out that CRAFTSMAN was launching their tool line at  Lowe’s, RONA, Reno-Depot, and Ace retailers, Dean really wanted to check them out. I, of course, got thinking about new projects that we could use CRAFTSMAN tools to create! And we finally had a bit of budget to do a real makeover. 

For ages, I’ve pictured installing cedar plank ceilings in our master closet, laundry room and main floor powder room. Since I still really didn’t love our powder room as it was – even after two makeovers – I also imagined installing classic beadboard paneling on the walls in there.

These projects popped to the top of the list, when Dean got the the CRAFTSMAN 3 Tool & Air Compressor Combo Kit! 

CRAFTSMAN 3 Tool & Air Compressor Combo Kit

The 6 Gallon Air Compressor features an oil-free pump for maintenance-free operation. The 18 Ga Brad Nailer drives 18GA nails from 5/8-in. to 2-in. in length and is perfect for small trim, shoe molding, and baseboards. The 16GA Straight Finish Nailer drives 16GA nails from 1-in. to 2-1/2-in. in length and is perfect for shoe moldings, baseboards, and crown molding. The 3/8-in. Stapler drives heavy duty staples from 1/4-in. to 9/16-in. for multiple applications. 

We mainly used the Compressor and Brad Nailer for our powder room makeover. 

Craftsman Compressor

craftsman nailer

Farmhouse Style Powder Room Makeover with Beadboard Walls & a Cedar Plank Ceiling

So, how about we look at how the powder room makeover turned out?!

main floor powder room entry

half bath beadboard wall and cedar ceiling

open shelving gothic mirror bathroom

farmhouse master bathroom

We left the toilet and flooring in place. There was nothing wrong with them, so there was no need to change them. We also re-installed our open shelving above the toilet. 

The vanity was replaced and we got a new faucet. We also got a new light fixture and moved the mirror into here from the dining room. 

vanity farmhouse

ikea sink

farmhouse sink and vanity from Ikea

This is now one of my favorite rooms in the house. I know it’s silly, but it’s just so pretty! 

hooks and door

open shelving in farmhouse bath

Tips for Installing a Cedar Plank Ceiling & Beadboard Paneling

Depending on your room, installing a cedar plank ceiling and beadboard paneling on the walls isn’t too difficult. Here are a few tips we learned along the way:

  • Remove everything from the room, so you don’t have to work around any obstacles. 
  • Use reliable tools to get the job done. Have you checked out the other product line up available from CRAFTSMAN? They have an extensive product line up so you’re sure to find everything you need for your project.
  • Start with the ceiling first. 
  • Tack the cedar tongue and groove up one piece at a time. Then neatly add more nails when it’s all in place. 
  • When you get to the last couple pieces of cedar tongue and groove, get them fitted and then nail them in place. 
  • Remove baseboards before installing the beadboard panels. 
  • When you start the beadboard, start with full pieces in the most visible spots. Try to place seams where they’ll be less visible. 
  • Use a good nailer for the installation!
  • Caulk the corners where new panels meet, but not where panels meet on flat walls. 
  • Fill nail holes in the beadboard with hole filler. Sand smooth before painting. 
  • If you’re installing crown molding, like we did, caulk along the bottom of the crown where it meets the beadboard. But do not caulk where it meets the cedar tongue and groove. 
  • Caulk the top of the baseboard where it meets the beadboard for a nice neat seam. 

dean with nailer

Dean with nailer and beadboard

beadboard, crown molding, cedar ceiling detail

light fixture ceiling

Powder Room Makeover Video Tour

Because this bathroom is on the small side at only 5′ by not quite 6′, a video tour may give you a better idea of how the space actually looks and flows: 

farmhouse powder room makeover pin

Want to give your bathroom a little spruce up, but not quite ready for a full makeover? Check out these 10 ways to freshen up your bathroom without a big renovation!

Have you made over any rooms in your house multiple times? If so, which one? Have you ever installed beadboard or cedar tongue and groove?

 


Source list (contains affiliate links)

  • Paint color – Sherwin Williams Pure White
  • Vanity – Hemnes/Odensvik by Ikea
  • Shelf brackets and shelves – Dean made them at his work
  • Faucet – Amazon
  • Light fixture – Amazon
  • Mirror – Amazon
  • Toilet paper holder – Amazon
  • Hooks – Ikea, via Amazon
  • Letterboard – Winners
  • Rae Dunn style letters for letterboard – etsy

shannon photo and sig oct 2022