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Designer Sarah Weichel of studio Swike doesn’t always have to renovate on a budget, but when it came to updating her Los Angeles office’s builder-grade bathroom, she was able to transform the formerly cold space into a den of zen for just less than $5K.
“It was an upcycling project more than anything else,” Weichel says of the room’s warm wood paneling, which was inspired by Eltham Palace in the U.K. and replaced the formerly cold cobalt tiles. “I could have leaned into them, but then again, I probably wouldn’t have chosen blue four-by-four porcelain tile for our studio bathroom.”
Instead, she took down the tile and painted the room a creamy white before adding the paneling, a vintage mirror (a find from Counter Space), and a tansu cabinet she scored at Nickey Kehoe. Here’s how she kept the project under budget.
When in Doubt, Skirt It
Even though the cobalt tile had to go, Weichel decided to keep two important elements that would have cost her thousands to move or replace: the sink and the toilet. To give the former a facelift, she added a pleated skirt ($700 for the fabric and fabrication) that adds a traditional feel but also provides extra storage by hiding extra rolls of toilet paper.
Paneling With a Past
That wood paneling? It was all leftover from a Swike project, and she had it measured (twice) and cut to fit the walls perfectly before nailing it to the wall. Because this is a powder room, Weichel doesn’t have to worry too much about moisture near the wood, but she says that if you were to mimic the look for a full bath, adding an industrial exhaust fan would do the trick.
The Stain Jump Scare Is Real
When Weichel first applied stain to the wood paneling, she thought she’d made an epic mistake and gone too dark, even though the reference photos were a rich mahogany. Then she remembered: “Much like with paint, you have to give yourself 24 hours of processing time before you’re allowed to have an informed opinion on whether or not you like it. Once you apply stain over wood that already looks beautiful unfinished, there is a bit of that jump scare moment where you’re like, am I overdoing it? Is it too heavy handed?” Thankfully, after a day, she realized it was just right.