This post has been a long time coming.

A year to be exact.

But the room “fixer-upper” that I hinted at back in last year’s “What I’ve Been Up to” post is finally here!

This modern farmhouse bathroom transformation has been one of my favorite projects up to date and like the entryway transformation, we (my parents and I) DIY’d the whole transforming the lackluster bathroom into a cute, stylish, welcoming room.

Keep on reading to see before and after pics and learn how you can also transform your bathroom on a weekend with repurposed materials!

*This post contains affiliate links (marked with an * ) meaning that at no extra cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through it which helps support this blog*

Farmhouse Bathroom Transformation | 100% DIY’d

When planning the main floor bathroom design, I wanted something that would look fresh and simple, but also cute. As the bathroom is situated next to the entryway, I decided on a bright and modern farmhouse style that would connect and complement both spaces.

As you all know by now, I am obsessed with the modern farmhouse style. I love how bright it is, how it is simple, and as I’m not a big fan of white-on-white decor, I love how I can easily add touches of colour and dimension without sacrificing the cozy and comfortable feel.

As aforementioned, this transformation was 100% DIY and made with repurposed materials, so this was also an environmentally friendly project!

This easy bathroom transformation project was a fun and somewhat more challenging project compared to the entryway because not only is it a larger space but also because I had never made floating shelves or made a mirror frame.

But in the end, it was worth all the trouble and accidentally inhaled fumes! But first, let me share the process of this farmhouse bathroom transformation and how you can also get the look. Plus I’ll be sharing product links to help you recreate the modern farmhouse look.

the “shiplap” walls

One of the things that I love about the farmhouse look, made famous by Johanna Gaines, is the shiplap walls.

They are such a simple design aspect, yet they can give dimension and texture (is that the right word?) to a sad, bland room, so I knew that I just had to give the bathroom shiplap walls.

However, I immediately ran into some issues:

1. It involved buying wood, lots of it. And since my goal is to always get the look without the cost I knew this would be a problem.
2. It also involved screwing/nailing said wood to the walls, making them almost permanent. Which my parents definetly did not agree to.

So I decided on the next best thing, I faked the whole shiplap look without having to screw into the walls. And I am so glad just look at the difference below.

Plus it was so easy!

Making the faux shiplap walls involved white paint, a sharpie, and a level/long stick to get the straight even lines. Here’s how to get the faux shiplap look:

1. Paint the walls a bright, clean white
2. Every 6 inches draw a straight line using a level and a sharpie
3. That’s it. Done!

Yes, it’s that easy. A quick and affordable way to get the shiplap wall without having to deal with nailing paneling to the walls or the cost. As it only took about 2-3 days to paint/make, I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for an easy and quick wall or room makeover.

I loved the look so much that I gave one of my bedroom walls the shiplap look!

While the walls were simple to make and finish, the shelves were a whole different matter.

the shelves

Just like last year’s garden beds and the entryway’s bench, these floating shelves were made from repurposed/reclaimed wood. When my dad showed me these wood slabs, I immediately knew that they would be perfect for this project specifically: stained floating shelves.

And right then and there was when the issues began.

1. They were a nightmare to cut. Cutting them to size was hard enough but, beacuse of my desire for floating shelves, they had to also be cut lenght-wise and oh my gosh.

While using a table saw, the wood started to smoke as if it were on fire. But at that point, I was too far gone and so I kept (well my dad did as I didn’t want to risk setting anything on fire) going, and got them cut.

2. Putting them up on the wall was the other issue. As you can see below, there is a big piece and a thin one for each shelf. The thinner one is drilled onto the wall and then the wood dowel pins are what join both pieces together.

This was supposed to be “easy” but none of the articles or Youtube videos I watched mentioned how stressful the process would actually be. Mainly the whole “shelf hanging on by some little dowels and possibly not being level.

As for the bottom shelf, I found some mason jars and placed them in a galvanized metal tray I had laying around. One of them I filled with band-aids and the other I filled with toothpicks (with the lid on, of course) so they are easily associable but also aesthetically pleasing.

Besides those main issues, it was super easy to stain and contrast greatly against the white shiplap walls. Plus they look so fancy and cute! While I’ll probably never do floating shelves ever again, these ones were definitely worth the effort!

Some alternatives to these DIY’d shelves are these ones* with bottom support or these with black metal brackets*.

the mirror

The mirror, like the shelves, was also repurposed and since the old mirror was just plain ugly I immediately knew what I had to do: make a wooden mirror frame.

After the shiplap wall, this was the easiest thing to DIY. It was super simple and quick to make, plus it came together for under $8!

I used 3 x 1 lumber and then cut it so the top/bottom lengths would be longer than the sides. I glued the frame together, then stained it a lighter shade than the shelves (couldn’t find the same stain).

Then finally attached it to the mirror using adhesive caulk and used a cardboard display board as a backing.

If you want to get the look without the work, then check out this cute 30-inch wooden mirror*

While it is not perfect, I do love how easy it was to make and how it brings the whole farmhouse look together without being overwhelming.

the finished look

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I am so happy with how this fixer-upper turned out!

It surpassed my expectations, especially since it was an affordable bathroom transformation and it was almost all DIY’d.

If you have a bland bathroom that’s currently meh, I recommend trying out the modern farmhouse look if possible, even if it’s just the faux shiplap walls. It can give a room so much dimension and character without having to do anything difficult or permanent.

This farmhouse bathroom transformation has to be one of my biggest and favorite projects to date. If you like other transformation or home DIY posts check out how I transformed a boring wall with wallpaper and refurbished an old rocking chair.

This made a sad, bleak bathroom look like something out of a Joanna Gaines home and I’m proud of my little project. Plus, I believe the faux shiplap DIY made the biggest change of all, adding texture and dimension to bare white walls.

If you loved this bathroom transformation please let me know down in the comments below. I love to read all of your thoughts and comments.

Have you ever transformed a room before? or tried your hand at Home DIYs?

Til next time

Loren Camila