A tiny powder room transformed into a bright, fresh California Casual space with budget-friendly finds and simple DIY shiplap.
I’m so excited to share this little powder room makeover we completed for a friend. It started as a dated, gold-toned space and now feels airy, calm, and distinctly California Casual—done on a modest budget and with plenty of DIY-friendly touches.
We met Regan’s preschool teacher last year; she recently moved here from California and bought a townhouse that needed some updates. As a thank-you for everything she’s done for our family, we spent a day refreshing her powder room while she was at school.
The project fit perfectly with a challenge to refresh a room using the California Casual aesthetic. We focused on light paint, simple vertical shiplap wainscoting, a clean-lined vanity, and affordable accessories to capture that breezy West Coast look.
I’ll be sharing monthly design challenges featuring Better Homes & Gardens products available at Walmart, showing how to achieve designer style on a budget. My goal is to simplify decorating so you can recreate these looks affordably in your own home.
Ready for the powder room reveal?
If you’re unfamiliar with the California Casual look, here’s a concise breakdown:
CALIFORNIA CASUAL STYLE IS:
- Earthy, neutral color palettes
- Light, open, and airy rooms
- White or off‑white walls to brighten spaces
- Neutral upholstery and light wood tones
- Abundant plants and handmade pottery
- Natural, organic materials and textures
- Sleek Mid‑Century Modern shapes with clean lines
- Ethnic or vintage textiles for warmth and pattern
This aesthetic is popular across many high-end interiors, and it’s easy to interpret on a budget with the right furniture and curated accessories.
Before:
The room looked completely different once we tackled a few key updates.
Installing vertical shiplap wainscoting around the room created instant texture and architectural interest at a low cost. Painting over the gold with a crisp white paint made the space feel calm and fresh.
We swapped the pedestal sink for a Mid‑Century Modern inspired vanity to add storage and a streamlined silhouette. A small vintage‑style Persian rug injects pattern and color while keeping the room cozy.
Stoneware accessories such as a reactive glaze soap dispenser and textured hand towels bring in organic texture and tie into the gray tones of the shiplap and vanity hardware.
Minimalist botanical prints in simple wooden frames help maintain a modern, earthy feel, while a round gold mirror adds subtle glamour and contrast against the black metal fixtures.
On the opposite wall we added floating shelves for practical storage and display. Baskets keep extra towels and toilet paper tidy while plants—faux or real—introduce greenery without maintenance worries.
Before
Carefully chosen decor—stoneware canisters, a small tray for extra storage, a black toilet paper holder to match the fixtures, and a scented candle—finishes the space and keeps it functional.
The transformation is dramatic and affordable: paint and vertical shiplap created the foundation, a compact midcentury vanity added function and style, and curated accessories completed the California Casual look.
My personal style has evolved over the years—from an Old Hollywood phase in college to a farmhouse moment a few years ago—and now toward cleaner lines and lighter, more organic textures. Decorating is a process of trying things, learning what works, and refining your aesthetic.
Do you prefer California Casual, farmhouse, or a mix of styles? If you’re ever unsure about your decorating direction, experiment with small updates: paint, a rug, or a handful of accessories can go a long way in revealing what feels right for your home.
The most important takeaway: it’s okay to make mistakes while finding your personal style. Those experiments lead to the pieces and combinations that truly make a house feel like yours.
