A bathroom locked in 1995 floral wallpaper and ornate trim brought into 2026 as a clean, modern space — in three working days, without touching the fixtures or vanity.
The Brief
The homeowner had a master bathroom that hadn't been touched since the home was built. Floral wallpaper, heavy ornate trim, and aged paint made the space feel small, dark, and decades behind the rest of the recently updated home. Budget was limited — full bathroom renovation wasn't on the table — but they wanted the bathroom to feel current.
The Challenge
Wallpaper removal is the most variable part of any bathroom refresh. Sometimes wallpaper peels off in clean strips. More often (especially in older Florida homes where humidity has bonded the paper to the wall), it requires steam, scoring, and patience. The drywall underneath might also have damage from the original install — ripped paper, exposed gypsum, or compromised seams — all of which need repair before paint goes on.
What We Did
Day 1: Wallpaper Removal
Score the wallpaper with a paper tiger to create perforations. Apply enzyme-based wallpaper removal solution. Steam the paper. Carefully peel and scrape. Any damaged drywall behind the paper repaired with joint compound and sanded smooth.
Day 2: Prep & Prime
Caulk gaps at trim and fixtures. Patch holes from the original wallpaper's adhesive. Stain-blocking primer applied to the walls to seal in any residual adhesive and create a uniform paint surface. Trim sanded and prepped.
Day 3: Two Coats & Trim
Two coats of Sherwin-Williams Emerald interior acrylic in a satin sheen applied to walls. Trim sprayed in semi-gloss white for a crisp clean look. Final walk-through with the owner. Tile, fixtures, and vanity (all kept) wiped down and protected during work.
Products Specified
The Outcome
The bathroom feels twice as large and a generation newer — without touching the tile, fixtures, or vanity. Total project cost was a small fraction of a full remodel. The same fixtures the owner was tired of suddenly looked appropriate in the cleaner, more current space.
Total professional. His detail and expertise was incredible... true craftsmanship.Verbatim from a recent Google review · Interior painting client