Skip Painting Behind The Toilet And Try TikTok's Clever Design Trick Instead

Everyone knows that one of the quickest and easiest ways to transform a space is with a coat of paint. The bathroom is no exception, with a fresh paint job completely changing how this frequently used space looks and feels. However, one thing that stops many people from painting their bathroom is that it almost always requires the toilet to be removed and replaced, which can be intimidating to a DIY novice (even though it's not hard to remove a toilet) or more of a project than a homeowner wants to take on.

Although there are some rather challenging options for attempting to paint behind a toilet without removing it, one clever TikToker, thegibbyhome, shares how she created a design statement behind her toilet without all the headache. She avoided the toilet issue altogether by pre-painting shiplap panels and sliding them behind the in-place fixture. Her lovely accent wall features vertical shiplap in a deep blue green with natural wood floating shelves behind the toilet instead of a typical paint accent wall, which would have required maneuvering around the fixture.

To achieve the same TikTok look, prep by first painting the ceiling or adjacent walls if desired. Purchase shiplap panels with vertical grooves on the reverse side, like this one from The Home Depot. Flipping the boards over to showcase the textured grooved side, pre-paint the boards before installation. The TikTok video features a grayed-out dark blue green called Le Luxe by Behr. Just be sure to select a paint finish that is easy to keep clean, like satin or semi-gloss, since it will be in the splash zone!

Beginning in one corner, work your way across the wall, interlocking the panel edges and securing each board with a nail gun. Slide each panel down behind the toilet before clicking it into the previous panel. A major caveat to this DIY is that you must have enough space, about an inch, between your toilet and wall to maneuver and install the roughly ¾" deep panels. For the final board, cut it to size and remove the interlocking edge so that it simply sits flush against both the corner and prior board. Touch up paint as necessary to finish. The TikTok video shows how the user added natural wood floating shelves on the accent wall, but you could also just showcase a gorgeous piece of art — this design is easy to customize to your taste. In just an afternoon, you can create a stunning accent wall without having to move the toilet.