Well, well, well. If it isn’t the whimsical, traditional bathroom that we all knew I was going to choose. Who guessed right?? Whose bummed I didn’t go with floor-to-ceiling checkered tile?! I tell you who isn’t, and that’s my wallet. Designing the bathroom of your dreams is one thing – pricing it out, sadly, is another.
Welcome back to the second installment of this bathroom makeover. If you missed yesterday’s post, you can go back and read it here, but I’m afraid some (all) of the mystery might be spoiled for you. Or maybe not, who knows! That in itself is a mystery enough.
Let’s quickly revisit the 4 design options. An astute blog reader might have guessed I wasn’t going to go with design #1 (top left) because I already repainted my primary bathroom this color. You got a peek of that in my bedroom reveal post! But, If you really know me, you know that in my soul of souls, I’m a green girl through and through. So something about design #4 (bottom right) really captured my heart. And I’d love to tell you why in this short, but dense blog post.
Wallpaper | Wall Tile | Floor Tile | Trim Tile | Paint | Vanity | Faucet | Mirror | Double Sconce | Toliet | Toilet Paper Holder | Brass Switch Plate | Towels | Soap Dispenser | Blue Vase (similar) | Art (vintage) | Picture Chain | Mini Footed Bowl (unavailable)
Whimsical tree wallpaper meets creamy organic tile, while an elegant white oak vanity sits upon timeless stone flooring. Who do I think I am?! Honestly though, I’m just really happy with how this bathroom turned out. And of course, it’s thanks to a few key people – The folks over at Rejuvenation who collaborated with me on all the bathroom hardware and furniture, my dad who did the entire renovation, and my husband for putting up with my insanity.
I’m traditionally a walnut wood kinda person, so this time I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone and try something new. White oak perchance? We needed a smaller vanity to make the new floor plan work. And this sweet little vanity fit the bill. I customized the hardware and chose a pretty Carrera marble top. We installed the toilet paper holder right onto the side – the benefit of solid wood pieces! I paired the vanity with this white oak bentwood mirror, which I had my dad turn into a medicine cabinet front.
You can see the box he built out behind it here! Just another crazy idea I randomly had, which my dad made a reality.
Choosing the floor tile was the hardest part about designing this bathroom, and I probably had 20 different samples sitting on our dining table at one point. I ended up choosing to go with these green and white stone floors because they felt like a better fit for our home. I decided that anytime I tried to do something more modern or “trendy,” I didn’t like it long term. I really felt that choosing the more traditional option was going to make me happier, and I was right! Know thyself. It was also a much more cost-effective choice, since I picked this flooring up for about $20/sqft.
One place I did empty our wallet was the wall tile. I could have sourced a much more affordable, plain, white subway tile. And I did consider it several times. But I really wanted something warmer and more organic. I didn’t want the bathroom feeling sterile (or looking too much like our primary). So I stuck with my gut and got these creamy tiles which have a little more of a handmade look. I think they do a lot to keep the space feeling inviting. It also really complements the brushed brass shower and tub hardware from Rejuvenation. Gotta say, if you have the ability to add a hand shower to your set-up, it’s a game changer. I use it all the time!
Ceiling Light | Shower Curtain | Curtain Rod | Rug
Even with the toilet moved to the other side of the room, this bathroom is still a small space. So having a vanity with plenty of storage was key. Big cabinet space, plus a shelf for storing extra towels makes hiding kids’ stuff easy, keeping the bathroom guest ready. The mirror is so large as well, that it makes a decent-sized medicine cabinet. Room for both baby products and guest use.
A custom, two-shelf niche in the shower gives us a home for shampoo, conditioner, and soap. We even have a tiny window ledge for any overflow, like toothbrushes. And now that we have a bigger, brighter window, it’s the perfect home for a little plant.
The tub is a new cast iron piece that my dad installed. Since our primary bathroom has a shower only, I knew that this bathroom had to keep the tub. Elio loves bathtime and I can’t wait for him to use this tub. Listen, I know that soon this bathroom will be the domain of many primary-colored bath toys. But at least the rest of the room will still be aesthetic. Though, I do have to admit that since becoming a mom, my desire to keep everything “aesthetic” has really diminished. My priority now is really keeping things simple, clutter-free, and sentimental. And if it isn’t a choking hazard, that’s a bonus! Did anyone else experience this revolution once they became a parent?
Brass Dog Hooks | Brass Rabbit Hook | Wood Shelf | Brass Brackets | Triple Switch Plate | Art (vintage)
Now over on the other side of the bathroom, I did want to have a little design vignette. So we installed this white oak shelf from Rejuvenation, with simple brass brackets. Eventually, it might be a place to store extra toilet paper, but for right now we’ve got a little art and plant moment. I didn’t quite measure correctly when it came to picking the shelf size, but since these shelves are beautiful, solid wood, it was easy for my dad to cut the shelf down to size.
I found this sweet little paint-by-numbers piece from the 1950s on Etsy. And the combination of the trees that matched the wallpaper and the sweet little boy with his dog just felt perfect for a little boy’s bathroom. The mixed media collage is actually a piece that Macauley’s mom made for Elio when he was born!
When I saw these brass animal hooks on Rejuvenation’s website I knew they were the perfect whimsical touch for this bathroom. They have three different dogs, a rabbit, a stag, a moose, and a horse. They feel right for a kids space, but they could just as easily live in any adult space. We actually have the horse hook on our primary bedroom door for bathrobes. They feel just a little old world, and I think there’s something so special about little touches like these.
I wanted to keep these little moments going, so where I could I hid fun little details. Like this little rabbit and ceramic die. This cow painting is something I had been holding onto for ages, and it’s finally found a permanent home in this, now, nature-themed bathroom.
This is a great shot to take a closer look at the trim tile we used to bridge the gap between the wall tile and the wallpaper. The tile I chose didn’t come with any bullnose pieces, so we had to find something else, and I ended up finding these pretty green stone pieces while wandering around the tile store. This is one reason it’s always better to go looking in person when you can. You never know what you’ll find.
This might be my favorite shot from the whole bathroom. Something about the way the light is coming in and how you can see just about every element on a macro scale working together – the white oak, the wallpaper, the creamy tile, the brushed brass, the statement door, and the beautiful marble counter. That basket hanging on the door was a wedding gift, and now it’s a little laundry basket for Elio’s sweet tiny things.
Overall, I’m really pleased with how this all came together. Especially considering how fast I was making decisions! If you’ve read my posts before, you know I’m more of a jump first, pay the consequences later kinda designer. There are a lot of little moments that I really love, and I almost enjoy showering here better than in our primary. Especially in the mornings, when there’s sunlight coming in through the window!
This is the last big home project we’ll be doing for a while, and we’ve now officially renovated every single room in the house! We’ll still always be doing small projects (right now we’re hanging an art rail in the primary bedroom and the dining room) because I’m a plague unto myself and can’t sit still when there are rooms to be repainted or shelves to be restyled. But as far as demo and construction, we’re DONE.
You know, until we’re not.
BIG THANK YOU to Rejuvenation, without whom this bathroom wouldn’t be nearly as beautiful. I can confidently say that every single piece we have from Rejuvenation in our home – from the lighting, to the outlet plates, to the tiny cafe curtain bar in our kitchen – are still as beautiful as the day we installed them and feels so authentic to our home. Another thank you to my dad, as always. Best grandpa in the world. And finally, thanks to EHD and all you readers for taking the time to step into my home! Hopefully, even if this wasn’t the bathroom you wanted to see, it won you over.
*Design and Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp
THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE.
