Barnhouse Bathroom Refresh | New Moody Paint & Bold Stripe Wallpaper

Oh how I love this Barnhouse bathroom refresh!! I painted and wallpapered this bathroom years ago, and really liked it (see the bathroom here), but I am on the streak of going BOLD in bathrooms (see here and here), so it was time to give this downstairs bathroom, at the Barnhouse, a new look! Plus, I wanted to see how the new Tulip Ticking Stripe Wallpaper, from my new collection with Chasing Paper, would look in action…and wow, it’s a stunner!

The Wallpaper

I want to dive into my design process, but first, let’s talk about the wallpaper! I knew I wanted to design a stripe for this new collection. My goal was to create something that felt classic, yet had a touch of floral whimsy. So, I began with a ticking stripe as my base, and then incorporated tulip motifs. I think it turned out so sweet!

The navy version of this print is the boldest in the collection, so I wanted to show it off in a space to give you a real feel for its impact. This color quickly became my absolute favorite. It’s so rich and regal in person!

Since we were wallpapering a bathroom, I went with Chasing Paper’s faux grasscloth vinyl wallpaper because it’s super resilient, especially in bathroom. It won’t peel, and since it’s vinyl, it’s easily wipeable. Plus, the textured surface of the grasscloth takes the print to a whole new level! (As a side note, if you opt for the peel-and-stick version, it also features a grasscloth print on the background, giving it that textured appearance even on peel-and-stick wallpaper).

You can buy a sample pack with all the wallpaper designs right here! It’s the perfect way to get a look at all the designs to decide which might look best in your space.

Now back to my design process. I know picking paint and decor items for a room can be daunting, so this is how I approach each space I work on!

My 4-Step Design Process

1. Choose Your Muse

The first step is to Choose Your Muse! I knew I wanted to use this navy blue wallpaper, so I wanted to find a muse that had navy blue in it. When I say “choose your muse,” I mean find something – a piece of art, a rug, some fabric – that has a color palette that you love, something that you’re drawn to, something that makes you excited. And ideally that inspirational muse should have 3 or more colors. My muse for this room was this vintage rug that I just love. It has the navy blue from the wallpaper in it, and then it had a lot of other beautiful colors that I could pull from to figure out the palette for the room. Browns, dark reds, tans, that all complimented the blue.

2. Establish a Color Palette

Step two is Establishing a Color Palette from that muse. So either bring this item to a paint store or pull a bunch of paint chips and bring them back to find ones that correspond with different colors in the rug. Pull out three or four different colors. Narrow it down to three or four paint chips, and this will be your color palette for the room! I already knew I had the blue in the wallpaper, so next was figuring out the wall color. I love how the earthy colors worked with the blue in the rug, so I pulled a few browns, a raisin color, and a tan swatch. I got two of those paint colors and sampled them. And Hasbrouck Brown, from Benjamin Moore, was the winner! It is the most stunning color.

3. Layer in Texture & Pattern

Once you have your color palette set for the room, Step 3 is Bringing in Texture & Pattern. Texture are all those elements that make a room look layered, like the wicker basket hanging on the wall, the art on the wall, a great vintage rug. And don’t forget to incorporate patterns. While the wallpaper already has a bold pattern, but don’t be afraid to add more! Small things like the stripe on the linen towel, or the print on the little tray by the sink each bring so much visual interest to a space.

4. Wow with Vintage

Step 4, which happens to be my favorite part of the whole process, is all about Wowing with Vintage. This is where you create a room that is uniquely yours, something that no one else will have. It involves finding those special vintage pieces that makes a room feel truly special.

While antiquing, the wooden hexagon stool immediately caught my eye with its charming heart cutouts and aged patina. It has areas where the white paint has worn away, revealing hints of red paint underneath, which looks stunning against the wall color. This little piece adds so much character to the room! I also incorporated other vintage pieces, like the wooden stool under the sink, which softens up the cast iron sink. The old mirror that ties in the gold in the room has chips that lets you know it has a story. And an aged crock for flowers with just the right amount of wear. Those are the elements that make a room sing!

I love sharing my design process! I hope this refresh inspired you to go bold with color and pattern. Please let me know if you have any questions. All the shopping info is below!