We don’t talk about our bathroom. Well, we didn’t until now. When renting, you inherit so many things that you must make work. Dated materials, bad layouts, little to no natural light, etc. Our main bathroom checks all of those boxes, and then some.
This space stands in at approximately 32 sq. ft., with no window, just a vintage exhaust fan that I’m sure my neighbors can hear every time it runs. For reference, the listing read 1 and a 1/2 baths. When we saw our main bath, we thought it was the aforementioned 1/2. (“Great! Can we see the full bath now?- You’re standing in it. - Oh.”)
Luckily this home and neighborhood had everything else we needed! A small bathroom seemed like doable compromise. Fast forward to September 2021, I had implemented small changes to make the space feel a little less 'blah'. (You might have heard me talk about some of these changes via Stories, if you follow along.) New/old mirror (thrifted), new curtain (homegoods), hooks in replacement of the cheap towel bar, and some shelves to replace the strangely placed towel ring above the toilet.
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*I also replaced the light shades with these ribbed ones I scored from Habitat for Humanity for $1! (The brass detail on the rim is what led to my decision of mixing brass and polished chrome.)
Some of these changes did help the function, but I felt that this space still needed a wow factor. I used the leftover tile from last year‘s kitchen refresh to install a straight checkerboard pattern on the floor.
It was shortly after that, I knew I needed to paint. I had decided I would treat this space like a powder bath. They are typically windowless, have a small footprint, and very little storage. (Check, check, check!) Another theme I’ve noticed in most powder baths that I wanted to lean into here: drama! Designers tend to lean into the dramatic when it comes to tiny and/or windowless spaces. Either with wallpaper, or moody paint. Why not do that here? What does this small windowless room have to lose? Nothing but gains here:
The Aesthetic (Finishes and Materials):
Moody Olive Green Paint
Polished Chrome Faucet
Polished Chrome wall mounted toothbrush holder
Brass Towel/Robe Hooks
Polished chrome toilet paper holder
Warm Wooden Toilet Seat
Warm Wooden Antique Mirror
Black and White checkerboard floor
Vintage Art hanging throughout space
“Materials Board”
I’ll admit, mood boards are very useful. (And if you don't already have your materials selected, I highly recommend making a moodboard!)
But considering the fact that none of the rooms I’ve ever decorated have emulated their accompanying moodboards, I decided to skip that part of re-decorating this space.
Instead, I gathered all of the materials I’ve collected so far for this room and laid them out in a flat lay. I just love how tangible a flat lay is. Seeing the living materials playing together makes my heart sing.
To Do:
Remove old fixtures. Spackle and sand holes.
Paint! (walls, ceiling, and trim all the same.)
Install new fixtures: (Toilet Seat, Faucet, Hooks, Mirror, TP Holder, Toothbrush Holder)
Organize closet
Decorate! (Artwork, Soft Goods, Accessories)
I’ve partnered with Clare Paint to bring color into this space and I cannot wait to see this transformation unfold! We have a small gathering scheduled for this weekend, so fingers crossed I can finish this project before then! Follow along as I update on my Instagram.
And come back here for the final reveal!