The bathroom. The loo. The powder room. Whatever you call it, it’s the same space. However, it’s the way that you style it that sets the mood. I’ve been struggling to write this post because there’s only so much you can say about a bathroom. I needed a brain break to help with my writing block and so I took a long, hot shower. And how fitting is it that after that shower the ideas and thoughts started to flow. I wanted a spa-like atmosphere for our bathroom and so that’s how I designed it. From the textured porcelain tile feature wall to the neutral tones down to the dimmers in the lights to create a calming and soothing experience.
Our original bathrooms were not functional at all. Even if they were, there was no salvaging them. They had to go. And they did. My husband and I decided to combine the two bathrooms on the second floor so that we would be able to have access to a semi-ensuite from our bedroom. It was one of the best decisions we made with our home. By combining the two bathrooms we were able to put in a double vanity and have our own drawers and spaces. Ripping out the tile, breaking the cast-iron tub, and knocking down the walls was the easy part (because I was mostly pointing and giving orders as the general contractor.) Coming up with ideas about how to design a new bathroom would be challenging. We had a blank canvas and of course my husband put his full faith and trust in me to figure it out.
I’ve always wanted a feature wall somewhere in our home. I just didn’t know where I’d want it or how to go about it. I came up with the idea to create one in our bathroom the minute we came across this neutral-toned porcelain tile. I loved the textured finish and the variation in tones. It looked like it would be in a spa and I wanted a spa-like feeling every time we’d enter this space. (It’s also very durable because it’s stain and water resistant, which is a plus when it comes to cleaning!) At first I wanted to use this tile in the entire shower, but then there wouldn’t be a focal point in the bathroom (plus they didn’t make bullnose tiles for them so we couldn’t anyway). I love how it turned out and we constantly get compliments on it! Friends have even been so intrigued by our textured feature wall that they couldn’t help themselves and would touch the shower walls haha! (No it’s wasn’t weird). Because the tiles are neutral I wanted to contrast it with a traditional style dark chocolate vanity. (These cabinets are actually the same as the ones in our kitchen.) We used a speckled neutral corian countertop with white corian sinks to accent the white molding outlining the room. We tied it all together with Kohler brushed nickel fixtures and hardware.
And there you have it. Our bathroom was transformed into a relaxing oasis from what we would consider to be the opposite of an oasis. It’s when it’s bathtime for our baby boy, who loves to splash around, that this space changes from a spa-like oasis to a fun tubby-time experience!
No Space Like Home 