
Welcome back to Week 2 of the One Room Challenge! This week has been all about planning, demo, and figuring out how to bring my vision for our half-bathroom/laundry room to life. With my son’s high school graduation approaching, I’m determined to make this space feel inviting before we welcome a house full of guests!

The Plan
When we first moved in, I gave this bathroom a quick paint job in what I’d call an emergency design situation. It helped temporarily, but the space remained uninspired. Now that I’ve updated other areas of the house, it’s finally time to give this room the attention it deserves.

I’m going for a light and airy coastal-inspired design with a blue-and-white color scheme, fresh millwork, and possibly even a new marble tile floor. The goal? To create a functional yet beautiful space that blends seamlessly with the rest of the house.
This Week’s Progress
This week has been filled with demo, research, and a few unexpected challenges. Let’s break down the major hurdles I’ve encountered so far.
1. The Bi-Fold Door Dilemma

On the opposite side of the bathroom, a set of bi-fold doors conceals the washer and dryer. When our washer needed replacing, the new one ended up being either too high with its pedestal drawer or too low without it—creating an awkward and mismatched setup.

While I don’t necessarily care about making the laundry area picture-perfect, I do want it to function better. The previous homeowners extended the washer/dryer area into the garage, pushing back the bi-fold doors and leaving an awkward, oversized space in front of them. As a result, laundry baskets pile up in the open area, making the space feel cluttered and chaotic (thanks to three laundry-producing teenagers!).
My solution? Move the bi-fold doors forward a couple of feet, allowing laundry baskets to be stored behind them rather than in plain sight. The bathroom itself will still be a fine size, and the laundry area will be much more practical.
To get started, I removed the trim around the bi-fold doors to see how they were framed. Next, I’ll need to remove drywall to get a clearer idea of how to reframe and shift them forward. Fingers crossed this part goes smoothly!
2. Fixing the Flooring

The existing linoleum floor has seen better days. It’s buckling at the seams, and I’ve tripped over it more times than I’d like to admit. The plan is to leave the linoleum in the washer/dryer section and glue down the trouble spots, but I’ll be replacing it with new tile flooring in the bathroom portion.
3. The Toilet Placement Issue

I originally planned to install square board-and-batten millwork, but there’s a problem—the toilet is positioned directly against the wall.

My hope was that when I replaced the toilet, I could shift its placement slightly away from the wall. However, that would require moving the floor’s plumbing—a much bigger and more complicated task than I anticipated. Since that’s not an option, I’m working on a Plan B for the wall treatment. The walls are painted my new favorite white (which looks like cream here, but is actually a great, true white without strong undertones). Stay tuned!

Small Wins This Week
Despite these challenges, I’ve also made some progress:
- Baseboards Removed: The existing baseboards came off easily, and I’ll be replacing them with more substantial ones that match the trim I’ve added in the foyer and living room.
- Fresh Paint: The walls are now painted in Simply White by Benjamin Moore—a crisp, true white with no strong undertones. It looks warm in some lighting but remains beautifully neutral.
- Faucet Upgrade: This actually happened a while ago, but I’m counting it as progress because I need to feel like I’ve accomplished something this week!
The To-Do List
Here’s what’s left to tackle in the coming weeks:
✅ Remove old baseboards
✅ Remove bi-fold doors
⬜ Reframe and re-install bi-fold doors
⬜ Install board-and-batten or alternative millwork
⬜ Caulk and paint walls
⬜ Finish painting the vanity
⬜ Remove linoleum in the bathroom section
⬜ Install new tile flooring
⬜ Install cabinet knobs, hinges, towel ring, and toilet paper holder
⬜ Decide on a window covering
⬜ Update lighting
⬜ Add art and accessories
It’s a long list, but I’m optimistic that some major changes are coming soon!
Looking Ahead
Thanks for following along as I navigate this bathroom transformation! If you’re also participating in the One Room Challenge, best of luck with your project this week. Be sure to check out the other amazing projects happening this season over at Calling It Home.
See you next week for another update!