Avoid The Hassle Of Painting Behind A Toilet With A Stunning Alternative Solution

Picture this: You've just spent the last few years working up enough scratch to buy yourself a new home that's the platonic ideal of a fixer-upper. Among the biggest projects to fix is an outdated bathroom, though it's really more of a half-bath – little more than a broom closet with a sink and toilet. Putting in more efficient appliances is probably step one, but it also needs a new coat of paint. You could spend an entire day putting down tape and plastic tarps to ensure haphazard colors don't get everywhere, sure. And yes, sure, you could then contort yourself into a pretzel, trying to get a roller or brush behind that porcelain throne. 

Alternatively, you could consider a DIY accent wall. And you could do it using selfie-ready materials like slatted wall panels. Interested?

Whether your home was built before 1978 (likely with dangerous lead paint) or you simply want a whole new style, it's worth considering slatted wall panels. As displayed by Natalie Park, AKA @parkplaceabode on Instagram, they can make a uniquely stylish solution for the dreaded wall behind the toilet, but also one that's far easier than trying to get into that cramped crawlspace with multiple clean coats of primer and color. Faster, too, considering it can take upwards of four days to paint a whole room. And that's before we get into the customization possibilities. 

This DIY project is going to start with your biggest upfront cost: Buying the wood slat wall panels, which will generally range in price from around $100 to $150. You'll ideally want to find panels that are finished for your bathroom, but you could buy in bulk for multiple projects and then apply your own waterproof sealer or varnish to the wood. If you're wanting to paint the slats, preferably do it at this point, before you put them on the wall. 

Once the materials are prepped and you've measured out that awkward wall space, cut your slatted panels with a mechanical circular saw, or if you're more of a beginner, a hand saw should suffice. If applicable, make sure to leave room at the bottom for whatever baseboard is planned to stretch around each wall. Installation is as easy as laying out each panel on the wall behind your toilet — ideally thinner strips for better maneuvering — and then drilling screws hidden by darker inset sections of the slats. Space might be tricky, but a lot less tricky than putting a paintbrush back there and flailing wildly. 

Done right, this accent wall will add a splash of modern charm to any space. Park's video demonstrating the project shows off how well the wooden slats frame one's vision in a mirror, and besides, knowing that you won't have to forever fixate on the fact that there's a secret, unpainted splotch of wall behind your toilet is a relief worth its weight in gold.