I'm A First-Time Homeowner and Painted My Bathroom Myself. Here's What I Learned

FrogTape is a DIYer's best friend.

From the time my husband and I moved into our 1950s ranch-style house in Birmingham, I’ve had a punch list of projects to tackle. Infusing our sterile, all-white hall bathroom with character and color was high on the list, especially given that it’s a place which sees a lot of guests. Here’s how I updated our bathroom with a can of paint, a lot of tape, and as much patience as I could muster.

Related: 24 Designer-Approved Bathroom Paint Colors For A Totally Custom Feel

Why I Painted Our Powder Bath

A full-blown renovation of our powder bath wasn’t in the cards, so I knew I’d have to make an impact in surface-level ways. Originally, I’d set my heart on wallpapering the space, but I quickly realized that even the peel-and-stick variety wasn’t as budget-friendly as I’d hoped. Paint was my next best option, but I wasn’t sure that a solid wash of color would deliver the same kind of maximalist overhaul I was itching for. In a fleeting moment of DIY confidence—and encouraged by an Instagram friend who’d tackled the same project herself—I decided to paint vertical stripes on our walls, in hopes that they’d evoke the warmth and wow-factor of wallpaper without committing to its pricey application.

Related: 7 Creative Ways To Use Peel-And-Stick Wallpaper, According To Designers

How I Painted Stripes in Our Bathroom

I settled on two-inch stripes—large enough to make an impact, but not so wide that they looked like a circus tent. Plus, painter’s tape is available in a nearly-two-inch width, which proved helpful

1. I used a tape measure (though a straight ruler would’ve been a better, less finicky choice) and a pencil to mark out a two-inch stripe.

2. I then used a spirit level and a pencil to draw a vertical line from the top of the tile to the ceiling and then positioned FrogTape Delicate Surface Painter’s Tape, 1.88 inch along this line.

3. I repeated the process until every last stripe was marked and taped.

4. Then, using a paint roller for an even, thorough coat, I painted the stripes (it took less than a quart of Benjamin Moore’s Regal Select Waterborne Interior Paint in Satin/Pearl in Delaware Putty), using a brush to touch up harder-to-reach places, like around the medicine cabinet and light fixture.

5. Once the paint was dry to the touch, I pulled off the painter’s tape and then went back in with a small brush paint to touch up any spots that needed extra attention.

All in all, it took roughly two full days of focused work to complete, which wasn’t as long as I’d anticipated.

Shortcuts I Took (But Wouldn’t Necessarily Recommend)

This is where I’ll say do as I say, not as I do. Because our walls were already painted white and I wanted the stripes to be tan and white, I left the walls as is. That said, they might have benefitted from a fresh wash of white before I got busy painting on the pattern.

I also never sampled paint colors for the stripes—another no-no—and ordered a quart of Benjamin Moore’s Delaware Putty (240) based on images I’d seen online. (Hilariously and ironically, despite all of the times I’ve attempted to sample paints for other rooms, this is the only time that a color has turned out to be exactly what I wanted, so do with this information what you wish.)

Related: 5 Things Designers Wish You Knew Before Starting A Bathroom Remodel

The DIY Mistake I Learned From

I made a classic impatient-DIYer misstep that I won't make again. About halfway through the project, I ran out of FrogTape. There’s an ACE Hardware just a few minutes from our house, so I jumped in the car to pick up another roll. The only problem? They didn’t have stock of the 1.88-inch variety I’d been using. Mid-project weariness upon me, rather than drive to another store, I grabbed a different brand of tape in the right size and called it a day. In hindsight, it would have been worth the extra trip; the other tape I bought didn’t have the same kind of paint-bleed technology, so the lines of those stripes are noticeably not as razor-sharp or clean as those marked off with the FrogTape.

The Final Result

It’s been nine months since I tackled that weekend paint job, and I love our hall bathroom more than ever. It feels so much warmer and more welcoming than the white box it once was, and while my DIY job is far from perfect (nor will it be everyone's cup of tea), it satisfied my desire for a powder room with personality. Plus, people will occasionally compliment the wallpaper—and who am I to correct them?

Related: 40 Best Bathroom Ideas For A Relaxing Retreat

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