Powder Room Bethany’s

Was it easier or harder than you anticipated?

Harder. This was my first time doing any kind of tile work, and I had the added challenge of an old home where the floors aren’t level and nothing is square or plumb. There was a moment when I thought I had ruined everything because I couldn’t get the black grout residue off the white tile, and then we watched a few more YouTube videos and found another cleaning step I had missed!

What was the total cost of the project $1,800

What did you like best about the undertaking?

By Amber Bouthot

Every month, we highlight do-it-yourself projects from our readers. Do you want to see your project featured in our magazine?

Email ambouthot@the-papers.com.

This month’s Reader DIY is by Bethany Pruitt. She and her partner Bryan are both Fort Wayne natives. They bought their historic home in 2015 and have been up to their eyeballs in DIY home renovations ever since. They love working on their house, hiking, hanging out downtown Fort Wayne, and spending time with their cats.

What was your inspiration for the project?

The wallpaper. I fell in love with wallpaper when I installed it in my dining room, and I knew I wanted to do something bold in the powder room. I picked out the pattern first, and everything else was chosen to compliment that. Our house is historic, so I also wanted to choose as many elements as I could that would reflect the historic character of the house.

How long did it take from start to finish?

3.5 months.

I am so pleased with how bright and playful the room has become. It’s a small space (4ft x 5ft), and I made some bold choices, but it all feels like it fits together perfectly with lots of fun little details.

What was the most challenging aspect?

There are always surprises with old houses. We ran into some plumbing issues primarily that all of the plumbing for the sink ran through the floor rather than the wall. My original vision was to install a pedestal sink, and I couldn’t do that with floor plumbing, so I had to pivot. In the end, that is what led to finding the swan faucet (my sister calls her Farrah), so I’m more than happy with the result.

Where did you source the materials?

The wallpaper is a Rifle Paper Co. pattern made by York Wallcoverings. The vanity, tile, flooring materials, and baseboards all came from Menard’s. I discovered the faucet at Home Depot. The towel bar and toilet paper holder are from Anthropologie. The mirror is a 1940s antique found at Vintage Treasures. a