English Cottage Bathroom Makeover Full of DIY Touches and Vintage Charm

Today I am so excited to finally reveal our English cottage bathroom makeover with you all!

Alright guys, it is finally time to share the reveal of our downstairs English cottage bathroom makeover! This space, oh my goodness, it pushed us in so many ways and stretched us in so many ways. We overcame so many challenges, and I just want to throw it out there that this cottage bathroom renovation was not an easy makeover.

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I know you guys see the finished product, and it’s probably tempting to think, “DIY is so simple for them.” No. No, no it is not. We had a lot of challenges and found ourselves way out of our comfort zone. It seemed as if everything that could go wrong did go wrong in this tiny bathroom space. But I’m thankful that it is finished. I’m so thankful that it all came together, and I love our new bathroom.

I thought it would be fun for someone reading this blog, maybe someone who doesn’t know anything about this space, to go backwards and kind of share where we started. I believe I first shared this space with you in May, maybe even April. I shared my design plans and gave a tour of the space, talking about our cottage bathroom ideas and inspiration. You can watch the full video here!

So it’s been like 2 or 3 months of slowly but surely working on this English cottage bathroom makeover. We’ve done a lot in here. The whole space got a total facelift from light fixtures to our bathtub to the floor tiles; I don’t think there’s a square inch of this bathroom that we haven’t touched, so I thought it would be fun to go through it all and show everything we’ve done to make this space work!

A Look Back

When we moved into this home in 2012, this bathroom was really scary. It was one of the very first projects we tackled. The photo below is a perfect example of why haha green carpet, a dark black marble vanity, and an overall dated feeling.

In 2020, I gave it a sort of band-aid makeover. I painted pretty much every surface: the shower tile, the tub using a Rustoleum kit, the floors, beadboard, and the walls. That little makeover lasted about five years, and it was great—but after 13 years in this home, I thought it was finally time to really invest in this bathroom and create a space I love, full of old world cottage charm and a neutral color scheme that would inspire relaxation.

English Cottage Bathroom Makeover: The Process

First, my husband demoed the shower. We took out the existing tile, and once we did that, we had the tub professionally reglazed. We’d reglazed it before with a DIY kit, but that finish just didn’t hold up. The professional finish, like the one in our upstairs bathroom, has held up for years, so we wanted the same here.

After reglazing the tub, my husband moved on to the flooring. We worked with Edward Martin and chose a beautiful checkerboard pattern for the floor. I absolutely love the way it came together.

Next, we added an arch above the sink area. It was a lot of work, but it instantly added so much charm to the space. Mike had never done it before, but it turned out beautiful.

I then repainted all of the beadboard in a custom sage green with a hint of blue to match the wallpaper. I took the wallpaper to the paint store and had it color matched. The beadboard, original cubby, and door were all painted in that gorgeous color. A close match would be Wandering Willow by Sherwin Williams!

Window Upgrades

Once the new shower tile was installed, I didn’t want the window to feel like a distraction. So, we spray painted it a dark brown to match the tones from the floor and added extra trim detail and window mullions. We made our own grids, spray painted them, and added stick-on privacy paper for a clean finish.

Wallpaper Magic

I went back and forth on wallpaper—I’m a play-it-safe kind of girl when it comes to design. But I thought, “This is a small space. Let’s have fun with the square footage.” I ended up choosing Anton Sage Green from Samberg, a Swedish company known for timeless, nature-inspired designs.

Samberg sent a full wallpaper kit and tutorial. It was easier to apply than I expected—even easier than peel-and-stick. You can move it around on the wall thanks to the glue application. It turned out to be one of the simplest parts of the project.

English Cottage Bathroom Makeover: The Vanity Area

Previously, my dad and I had built a vanity using clearance fence posts for $15, but it had no storage and was hard to maintain. I searched for a new vanity, but everything was expensive and lacked charm. My sister suggested using an antique piece from our bedroom. Though I was hesitant to drill into it, it turned out to be the perfect size and our storage issues were no more.

We added a vessel sink and brass faucet, and Mike did some plumbing adjustments. It now has usable drawers—perfect for toilet paper, toiletries and other accessories. We also added a little brass wall pocket for holding toothbrushes.

The mirror above the vanity was my mom’s as a little girl. I added a dark wax finish, and it looks beautiful. I’ll link all the lighting fixtures we used too—everything was chosen with a timeless look in mind.

The Ceiling Transformation

While waiting for the shower tile, Mike tackled the ceiling. I had a vision for a plank ceiling with wood beams. We had one beam left from a friend’s old barn, and my dad had unused tongue and groove boards. They fit the space perfectly.

This ceiling is probably my favorite part of the bathroom. There are even initials carved in one board—100-year-old wood with so much history and charm.

English Cottage Bathroom Makeover: The Shower and Final Details

Once the tile arrived, we installed subway tile around the tub. Each tile is unique, with a beautiful old-world feel, also from Edward Martin. We used brass fixtures, and instead of a shower door, we hung a linen curtain from Target on an oil-rubbed bronze rod.

For extra storage, we repurposed a wood cabinet from our kitchen and hung it above the toilet. It adds character and is perfect for bathroom essentials.

We also added wooden pegs and brass hooks for towels, and styled the room with a few antiques—crocks, baskets, and even an old shaving cream container. The rug and towels have waffle textures, adding cozy layers to the room.

Wrapping It All Up

I absolutely love how this bathroom turned out. It’s filled with character, history, texture, and so much heart. I’m so thankful to my husband for his hard work and to Samberg for the stunning wallpaper.

Let me know what you think about the finished bathroom in the comments below! If you’re new here, I’d love for you to sign up for my free mini homemaking course for more home decor tips and tricks!

Thanks for reading!

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