It’s one thing to paint a wall, add a rug, hang some pictures. Decorating a bathroom or a kitchen are entirely different animals. And they cost money! I believe in the utilitarian purposes of the kitchen and bathroom, and, as I learned from Genevieve Gorder, everything used to decorate these spaces should be functional. That said, that is not the situation in our master bath.
The master bath became the space where I put the things that were in the large box on the floor in our master bedroom labeled “decor.” I knew I wanted candles in the room, but everything else was a matter of finding a home.
We like the concept of an all-white bathroom. We do think it’s silly to have a bath and a separate shower. Why not just have a larger tub with a shower head? I toy with ideas of how to remodel and what would be affordable (meaning, within reach). With the right plans, it could be a tax time sort of project as our office and kids’ bedroom was/is.
Some ideas thrown around…
Vanity
Currently we have a large double sink with good storage.
DIY projects abound. I like the idea of taking a vintage dry sink bought cheaply. We have an antique dresser that would be stunning, but the large over-sized drawers are not very functional, and I don’t think I could bring myself to cut it up. With certain pieces, it seems wrong. Using a dry sink without sentimental value (I bought the dresser just before getting married), would be like updating a piece, keeping it within its intended purpose. In my preliminary search, I found this one online for $65. In person, we quickly saw it was too small (would make a perfect toy kitchen!). We’ll go with it for the sake of the day dream though.
A ceramic vessel sink would keep the original spirit of the thing, and go with the vintage drawer pulls, which I really like. We could paint or re-stain in darker, depending on the preferences of the man.
This plan would be a downgrade in storage, which could be remedied by bringing cabinet solely for storage. In my perspective, going down to one sink would not be an issue, but it is a discussion point with the husband.
Mirror
Currently we have a much too large, spans the length of the vanity, mirror without a frame.
I’ve thought of framing a mirror with reclaimed wood from my parent’s house or taking an ornate vintage frame and having a mirror cut. There are so many options out there for a mirror. I would probably decide after the more expensive details are determined.
The Tub
Currently we have an average side tub, next to a nice size shower stall. I don’t understand having both since I grew up with a tub that had a shower head installed in the wall.
Once we decide the direction to go with the vanity, the other styles would be determined. A vintage piece of furniture re-purposed would yield a tub similar to this, depending on the level of fancy detail on the furniture.
Imagine a shower curtain in a vintage ticking stripe wrapping about this.
Such major projects. I could hunt craigslist for bathtubs, and make it a built over time project since nothing about it is pressing. We would just have to live with floor disorder for a time. A quick search yields several clawfoot bathtubs for around $500, we’d have to be willing to travel a bit to get them, but they’re out there.
I’m sort of drooling as I daydream about this and the surprising affordability. I must remind myself of the installation costs.
The floor
There would be nothing heartbreaking about getting rid of the peel-and-stick linoleum tiles. I actually really like the simple look of subway tile. Seeing it applied in a herringbone pattern is attractive and dynamic.
Or we could use large tiles.
Or dark wood or laminate flooring. I think all other details considered here, I like this one best. That storage cabinet it pretty nice too.
The skies the limit for the floor.
Light fixtures
We already replaced the center light in the bathroom with the light we took from the entryway. The vanity lights are terrible, 8 light bulbs all in a row. If we went with the dry sink vanity, clawfoot tub, a fixture in this style would be about right, I think. Simple, vintage style, with a little schoolhouse feel.
The rest
The toilet would not need to be replaced and the shutters on the windows are standing up better than anywhere else in the house (because I don’t actually move them, just leave them as is).
It’s a dangerous thing to think about these things, more dangerous to search online and see how possible it really is. I hope I can keep my hat on and wait. None of what I have written here are plans, none have been discussed with the man of the house. But it’s wonderful to dream!
I chose these mirrors for their shelves, to lessen the countertop clutter.
The black and white palate is so striking.
Of course, the littlest touch of color goes a long way, I think.
The rose photograph now makes sense.
An antique spice rack to hold bobby pins, hair ties, and some luxury bath goodies. 
And towel hooks for convenience.
What do you think?
It feels like a decorated space now, whereas before there was little we could do to make it our own. In some fantasy, we’d rip out everything and put in a clawfoot tub and an antique dresser turned vanity, but I believe we’ll be happy with this remodel for a long time.
