In this episode, we’re tackling the hall bathroom of Chelsea’s mid-century home.
We recently wrapped up working on her home’s exterior where we painted the home, covered the gable with cedar shakes and replaced the windows and front door. Be sure to check those projects out here!
Now that the home has curb appeal, Chelsea can start to move inside and make her new family home their own.
We’re giving the hall bathroom a modern facelift with a retro twist!
Demolition and Prep Work
We’re taking the blues out of Chelsea’s hall bathroom! These wall and floor tiles are dated and institutional, so we’re replacing them.
The bathroom, while being a decent size, isn’t as functional as Chelsea needs it to be for her three children.
It has a single vanity and a cramped entryway where you have to scoot around the counter to be fully in the room. With the new design for the bathroom, this won’t be an issue anymore!
I called in some help from my construction company to demo the old tile while I got to work on expanding the wall into the hallway.
The way the vanity is situated in the bathroom is awkward. To fully enter the space, you have to scoot around the corner of the vanity into a cubby-like area. The expansion into the hallway will create more space for a vanity and address the awkward door.
Installing Mold-Resistant Drywall
Once the old tile, plaster and door are gone, the construction crew adds new Purple XP drywall. Its superior mold and mildew resistance are ideal for a bathroom.
Installing Low-Maintenance Wetwall Panels
All of the wall panels in Chelsea’s new hall bathroom are from Wetwall, a Wilsonart Company.
Chelsea chose a natural stone pattern to mimic an upscale hotel bathroom’s appearance. That trend would follow with her choice of flooring.
Instead of isolating these panels to the shower enclosure, Chelsea decided to cover all the walls. Wetwall is durable and easy to clean — all you need is soap and a damp rag.
That’s especially helpful when you have three young children!
Laying Retro Penny Tile
Chelsea chose a swanky, retro penny tile to complement the walls and pay tribute to when the house was built.
These tiles are easy to install because they come on squares of mesh backing that you can cut with a utility knife. Trowel some SimpleSet Pre-Mixed Thinset Mortar onto the subfloor, lay the tiles and then grout with Prism Ultimate Performance Cement Grout.
Because of their linear appearance, you need to carefully lay these tiles. Even the slightest mistake would be noticeable if several rows are crooked.
Fortunately, Chelsea has a great trick to keep everything even. Simply line up the current mat you’re working with and the one just laid and drag it into place!
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Building and Installing a New Vanity
One of the must-haves on Chelsea’s bathroom renovation list was a new vanity. The single vanity did not function for space or her three children.
Chelsea made this new vanity herself after seeing a similar item — for a high cost — at Pottery Barn. This vanity ties the room together perfectly and it’s quite a conversation piece.
The countertop—which was engineered at Delta Stone LLC, a local business—is made of quartz and complements the walls nicely.
Watch DIY Pottery Barn Inspired Vanity for more information.
Production Thoughts
Before, Chelsea’s hall bathroom was full of boring blue ceramic tiles and tight spaces.
The single vanity was not functional for her kids and guests and the entryway made it difficult to get into the bathroom.
Now, Chelsea has a beautiful new hall bathroom that her three kids and guests can enjoy. The modern yet retro design makes the space pop with the penny tile she chose and the Wetwall panels.
Chelsea now has another portion of her Ranch Revival complete and it complements the rest of her home perfectly!
Other Tips from this Episode
 | Simple Solutions Easy Water Spot Remover for Your Shower |
 | Best New Products This Toilet Fill Valve is Built to Last |
Products Featured in this Episode
- Merola Tile
- Delta Bathtub
- KOHLER Toilet
- Delta Shower/Tub faucet
- Delta Sink faucet
- American Standard sink
- Purple XP drywall
- Glacier Bay vanity mirror
- Quoizel wall sconces
- Liberty cabinet knobs
- Hampton Bay switch plate
- Ambrelle outlet cover
- BEHR Marquee Interior Paint & Primer
- SimpleSet Pre-Mixed Thinset Mortar
- Prism Ultimate Permanence Cement Grout
- Wetwall, a Wilsonart Company
This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product from these links, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Where are the directions to make the vanity cabinet? Please provide the specs, material, time element, where to purchase the material, etc. Is this a beginner’s project? Thanks.
Hi, Vedez!
Here’s more information about this project: https://checkinginwithchelsea.com/video/diy-pottery-barn-inspired-bathroom-vanity/
Happy home improving. 🙂
Loved the bathroom remodel…. always get new ideas. My only question…. why did you use chrome faucets and sconces and gold pulls and towel ring on the vanity?
Hi, Cathy!
To mix metals or not to mix metals…that is the question for homeowners everywhere.
While using all gold items or all chrome items achieves consistency, mixing metals can prevent one look from overpowering the space.
Happy home improving. 🙂
Couldn’t wait for Chelsea’s bathroom remodel. I really enjoy watching her ranch revival. Chelsea has great taste. BUT, here in the Milwaukee, WI area there was a paid program on when she should have been. I’m not on instagram or whatever else. Where can I watch the show? Thanks.
Hi, Rose!
Thanks for letting us know about ‘Today’s Homeowner’ TV not airing as scheduled.
Affiliates occasionally have special events (like breaking news, network broadcasts and sports) that they are obligated to run over regularly scheduled programming.
When this happens, they usually air our show in an alternative timeslot.
We recommend checking your TV listings, week to week, for these alternative air dates and times. In the meantime, our affiliates director is looking into this.
I like your show, and try to schedule it on my “To Do” list when not working. I enjoyed Chelsea’s bathroom remodel. It looked like you did some caulking at the back of the sink vanity back splash. But the scene was so quick, I’m not even sure that’s what you were doing. I did some caulking along my kitchen counter/back splash. Part is perfect, parts should be removed and redone. I hope you have a project one day that will include caulking back splashes. Thank You!
Thanks for sharing your experience with the TodaysHomeowner.com community, Marsha!
Chelsea I can’t find ms.muffit I live in Michigan. I get a lot of big ugly spiders and I have 2 dogs I worry about
Hi, Susan! You can purchase Miss Muffet’s Revenge directly from the manufacturer.
Here’s the link: https://store.wetandforget.com/1-2-gallon-miss-muffets-revenge-currently-not-available-in-ca/
Good luck with those spiders. 🙂
I am looking to remodel my upstairs bath which has the same footprint as Chelsea’s!, which makes that episode especially helpful for me! I was planning on tiling the tub/shower surround but like the idea of the wall panels. However, when I looked at the Wetwall website & Lowe’s, all I saw was panels that went floor to ceiling. So would I have to buy the taller panel & install the tub afterwards? I don’t think that the tub would fit in the space I have with the extra thickness of the panels, especially on the sides where it would be doubled! I couldn’t tell how the panels were installed with Chelsea’s tub/shower from the video. Can you advise me how these panels are installed with an existing standard tub/shower?
Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed this episode, Deborah!
Your home has unique needs, so it’s always best to discuss these details with the manufacturer.
Here’s where you can contact Wetwall, a Wilsonart Company, for product-specific questions: https://www.wetwall.com/contact
Happy home improving! 🙂