I’m again with one other reveal. And this one’s been even longer within the making. In contrast to our kitchen renovation, which got here after a yr and a half of us utilizing the kitchen in its “purchased as” state, we by no means bought the possibility to even use our major rest room.
After we purchased the home, the first rest room appeared like this:
It was coated in pink and teal tile, had a seemingly 50-year-old jacuzzi bathtub, and no bathe. I feel I peed in right here possibly twice. As a result of fairly shortly after we bought the keys, we went straight into demo.
There have been so many issues taking place all of sudden throughout these early months, and designing the first rest room wasn’t one among them. However we did must raise up all of the flooring, stage all of the joists, take away all of the broken wall wooden (from termites and mildew), and run new electrical all through the entire again of the home. And since we had a totally useful rest room within the entrance of the home, it simply made sense to tear out the lavatory concurrently the remainder of the again of the home. Even when that meant it was simply going to sit down as an empty field of subflooring and drywall for…two years and 4 months.
And sit it did. We used the entrance rest room solely, till July 2021. That’s when the bathroom was put in within the major, and we lastly didn’t need to stroll all the way in which from our bed room at the back of the home to the lavatory within the entrance of the home to pee at 2 am.
As a reminder, right here’s how the floorplan of our home has developed:
We began our renovation efforts within the entrance of the home – the workplace (which was our bed room for the primary yr and a half), front room, and eating room. Then we labored on the first bed room (my subsequent undertaking), and TV room. The Main closet got here subsequent. After which, as most of you realize, we determined to drag the set off on renovating the kitchen. In the meantime, the first rest room simmered on the again burner – slowly being designed, however ready for its second.
What I’m about to point out chances are you’ll be disturbing…
This was my first ever rest room design plan. It was fundamental and bought the purpose throughout. Bathe on the again, rest room within the backside left nook, sink towards the proper wall. We had torn out the entire thing, so plumbing might go wherever. We had design carte blanche. Additionally, rent me to attract your flooring plans. I solely work within the refined program known as “IG tales” and I’m very costly.
Once I first began excited about the lavatory vibe, I went in a cleaner, extra trendy route. Easy black and white with clear traces. I feel I used to be feeling overwhelmed by the general chaos of renovating a home, and felt like making a extra trendy house would enchantment to Macauley.
I actually felt I used to be on the proper path. So naturally, earlier than my design plans have been finalized, I went forward and ordered tile, {hardware}, and plumbing fixtures throughout this “clear and trendy” section. As is typical, I used to be set off completely happy, and we weren’t wherever shut to truly putting in the lavatory. So the tiles and fixtures sat within the storage for a yr, awaiting their time.
Throughout this *time* away from the design course of, I actually began to search out the design groove our dwelling via engaged on the opposite house. And I discovered myself being pulled again into the route of cozy conventional. Bogs that appeared extra like this:
JUST LIKE I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN I WOULD. What was a woman, with so many lovely trendy items already ready in her storage, to do? I began frantically looking for inspiration that blended the 2 types. Which loos had black and white tile, clear black fixtures, however nonetheless felt heat and alluring?
Fortunately, craftsman properties are form of excellent for such a blended design. So, I began pinning photos like these, which had just a few key parts to counteract the starkness of the black and whites: cozy woods, heat brass, additions of coloration via particulars, and classic decor:
These photos slowed my panicking coronary heart and soothed my nervousness. I had wiggle room in my design plans, and every thing might work collectively if I made some strategic subsequent steps.
First, it was bringing in a heat wooden factor, and I knew the self-importance could be the simplest place to do that. If I went with one thing too gentle, the lavatory would skew Scandi, so we needed to go walnut-toned. I’d at all times beloved the look of classic dressers turned self-importance, however discovering the precise proper piece for that kind of factor appeared like Mission Inconceivable. So I did the subsequent neatest thing and had a conceit customized made by Ross Alan Reclaimed Wooden.
Right here’s the drawing I despatched – I needed LOTS of storage and a few cute legs. Ross and his crew use all reclaimed wooden, so it’d even be a pleasant approach to herald another classic factor. And since our rest room is so tight on house, by going customized I knew we have been going to get a bit that might match completely. AND IT DOES. The self-importance set us again $2500, however handmade craftsmanship is at all times price the fee if the place can afford it. As soon as I had the self-importance within the combine, the re-design course of began in earnest, and I mocked up this:
Every little thing was feeling higher, together with me.
Subsequent, I needed so as to add one thing particular to the design. One thing that might really feel just a little previous world. I had a dream of constructing a small arched inset into the wall above the bathroom, such as you see within the hallways of previous property properties or church buildings. Somewhat reliquary for extra tiny classic issues. I actually NEEDED this factor, and my contractor (dad) delivered. You’ll be able to see it constructed out within the picture beneath.
Now there have been solely two steps left within the un-modernization of the lavatory.
Initially, the lavatory was going to remain shiny and white. However at this level I felt I wanted a tone on the partitions, to herald the heat I used to be so determined for. I proceeded to mildly lose my thoughts throughout this section of the design course of.
I feel I spent about $200+ on paint samples. Once I thought I had the proper coloration, my dad painted the entire house. Just for me to understand it was the very mistaken coloration. TYPICAL. Extra paint samples, extra $$$. Turned out the proper coloration was my first selection from the mock-up all alongside. Hearken to your abdomen organs individuals, they collectively know you higher than your head organ does.
The ultimate step on this total course of was bringing in classic parts so as to add again in some soul.
Right here’s the way it seems to be all put collectively…
It’s nonetheless trendy, however with a HEAVY dose of #somethingelsekindaold.
Being a room in the midst of the home, the lavatory initially had zero pure gentle. We amended this subject by putting in a Velux skylight proper in the midst of the house. And greater than something, I feel the pure gentle has modified the house. There’s one thing about waking up and preparing in an area that has pure daylight streaming in that simply makes my mind happier. And there’s nothing higher than taking a sizzling bathe, whereas a delicate breeze wafts in from an open skylight overhead.
Vainness |
Our self-importance turned out precisely like my drawing, and is basically lovely. It’s bought a contemporary form, however the coloration and texture of the wooden preserve it feeling heat and nearly delicate in a approach. I needed to go with the wooden with a pure stone countertop. One thing with a conventional edge reduce to maintain the entire piece from going too midcentury trendy.
Discovering the proper stone was an ordeal. Stone yards simply don’t promote slabs sufficiently small for a conceit of this measurement. So I ended up having to drive round to all of the completely different fabricators within the Valley, trying via their “remnant slabs.” These are items of bigger slabs which might be left over after the fabricators reduce out all of the counter items individuals want for his or her properties. The fabricators get to maintain the offcuts (much like when you’ve got cookie dough left over after chopping out shapes), and so they’ll promote them to individuals like them (have crazed, determined 30 yr olds who know nothing about stone, however every thing about why that piece they preserve telling me is basically good simply isn’t THE VIBE). I lastly discovered this piece of quartz on the fifth fabricator, and so they reduce and put in the highest for about $1200.
The mirror was the subsequent massive hurdle, as a result of discovering one thing that was the precise proper measurement was exhausting. Admittedly I assumed we might simply have a customized one made, that might simply have the holes reduce out for the sunshine fixtures, similar to I imagined in my head. However, as talked about above, something customized goes to value a customized worth (appropriately). And after creating the self-importance of my desires, a customized mirror was simply not in our funds. So I scoured the web for a classic or ready-made mirror that might match size-wise (it was tougher than it sounds).
The mirror itself was $200. As soon as it was delivered, I took it to a glass store in Highland Park, the place they took it to a particular man who sandblasted the sunshine fixtures holes within the glass, precisely the place they wanted to go so our Rejuvenation sconces might sit ON the mirror. It was an entire factor and value one other $242, however the finish consequence matches the house completely.
Toilet Faucet | Sink | Rain Bathe Head | Hand Bathe | Bathe Deal with | Rest room | Rest room Seat
Ultimately, I’m actually pleased with our plumbing fixtures and assume the modernness of them provides the lavatory just a little little bit of an edge. All of our plumbing (together with the bathroom and sink) have been offered by Kohler. They’re completely lovely, and the softest, smoothest matte black fixtures you would think about.
The rain bathe head is nice for Macauley. Crouching below a bathe head isn’t a favourite pastime of his, however at 6’1” it occurs loads. Not in our home although, as a result of he can stand all the way in which up in our bathe with room to spare. And I gotta say, having a hand bathe is a luxurious that I luxuriate in. Cleansing my bathe has by no means been simpler, and I like utilizing it on days that I don’t really feel like getting my hair moist.
Subway Tile (with the Portland Edge in coloration UWM) | Flooring Tile (with the Portland Edge in coloration P4)
Each the ground tiles and wall tiles are from Pratt & Larson, a very pretty tile firm up in Oregon. I went with Emily to go to their manufacturing facility just a few years in the past and fell in love with each the corporate and the tiles. Regardless that I ordered the tiles through the trendy section, I nonetheless had the sense of thoughts to go along with their natural Portland edge on each tiles, which give them a little bit of a rougher, extra undone look. The ground tiles are a matte end as nicely, making them much less slippery for security, and fewer shiny for aesthetics.
I had my dad construct this little ledge in the back of the bathe, although we had a nook in-built over the bathe faucet. I assumed it could make the towel space really feel extra intentional, and in addition be the right place to place extra issues – I’ve loads of them.
Blue Vase | Hand Cleaning soap (comparable) | Knobs and Pulls | Hand Towel
I made a decision I used to be going to combine metals on this house. All of the Kohler plumbing I had ordered was black, and I had gotten actually excited after I had discovered these black hex knobs and pulls at West Elm that might match the ground and plumbing. However after I bought all bizarre in regards to the design plan, I needed to herald extra heat tones. Including brass to the combination felt like a great way to do this.
Outlet and Switchplate Covers | Bee Sconce
So whereas our plumbing and {hardware} are black, our electrical elements and mirror body are brass. I select these very conventional brass switchplates from Rejuvenation which might be simply too fairly to photoshop out. And I discovered this tiny brass bumblebee sconce that basically added the contact of caprice to the house that I wanted.
Rug (classic) | Rest room | Rest room Seat | Toliet Paper Holder
The final piece of the puzzle was bringing in heat soulful particulars via classic and distinctive items. I stuffed as a lot of them as I might into this small house. The rug is a bit that’s been with me since my first condominium bed room with Macauley, again in 2017. It used to stay in our self-importance nook, however has discovered a brand new everlasting dwelling right here to herald some hits of pink and blue. The self-importance nook was the primary clue to what my actual design model was going to be, and I’d 100% not change a factor about it.
I additionally love the standard and chic form that our rest room has. The sting of the bathroom lid is so lovely. I by no means thought I’d say that a couple of rest room. You additionally must know that our rest room seat is heated, so I by no means once more need to cringe sitting down on a chilly seat very first thing within the morning. It’s the small issues, of us.
All Artwork (classic) | Candle | Field
My little nook thought turned out higher than I might have imagined, and I discovered the right beehive-shaped sconce to stay above it. Hilariously the primary sconce we bought had a faulty screw, and we went via TWO lampshades earlier than we realized what the problem was. That is sconce shade #3, and hopefully will survive for much longer.
I discovered that tiny Angel Gabriel portray for $45 the exact same morning I used to be going to shoot this house, on the Rose Bowl Flea. It was a last-minute discover, however feels prefer it was at all times meant to go there. And my porcelain bust lastly has a worthy dwelling. All of the orange blossoms are clippings from my entrance yard tree and is one among my favourite scents in the entire world.
The oval mirror I one thing I picked up at an vintage retailer in North Carolina, and the portray above it’s one thing I picked up at a classic retailer in Atlanta (the identical place I bought my painted canine tray I’ve within the kitchen). The vintage procuring outdoors of California is insane and so good. I feel the mirror was like $20, and the portray (FRAMED!) was $15. It’s such a lovely portray too! And I’m obsessive about my tiny, brass, dancing individuals towel hook.
The massive bathing women portray was one other Rose Bowl discover from just a few weeks in the past, and I nabbed it for $50 (however then spent $160 getting it framed). I like the hits of blues, pinks, and reds that it brings, and the tiny floral particulars all through. And that wooden and rattan lamp is made up of two completely different classic items I put collectively (beforehand dwelling on our bar cart within the eating room). We’ve got loads of completely different lighting choices on this house, and I like having the desk lamp possibility for a moody bathe vibe or a late-night restroom journey, so I don’t wake Macauley up.
Oh, and the paint coloration we ended up going with? It’s known as Highway To Todos Santos, by Backdrop. A creamy, heat, sage inexperienced that jogs my memory of Victorian parlor rooms and lazy summer season days. In a brighter, extra open house it’s going to look extra like a muted sage. However in our tiny rest room, with all of the brass and wooden it goes a bit yellower.
There you’ve got it – My trendy rest room, turned conventional, with a splash of classic whimsy. A real assembly of the minds between Macauley (graphic, trendy, and clear) and me (whimsical, conventional, and filled with numerous issues).
And in case you’re curious what our rest room seems to be like on a traditional, non-shoot styled day, pop over to Em’s tales on Instagram for a peek 🙂
*Design and Pictures by Sara Ligorria-Tramp
**Styled by Emily Bowser
