After kitchens, bathrooms are the most expensive rooms to fully-update. With our limited budgets and goals for this project, we knew gutting and completely remodeling the bathrooms were not possible. However, with some crucial choices, anyone can give their bathrooms a face-lift!
Initial Impression: The two bathrooms of the house needed some big changes to meet the homeowners wishes. The Hall Bath’s oak cabinets were dated, the brassy hardware screamed 80s décor, and shower curtain didn’t reflect the homeowners’ tastes in style or color. The small Master Bath had a Kohler Portrait pedestal sink in the room—lovely and expensive, but not-so-practical. And, the 4” tile in the showers and floors was surely from when the house was initially built in the 70s.
Photo Credit: Gary Castaneda
Mom’s Priorities/Wishes: We really needed storage and function for the bathrooms! That was the number one priority. With 2 kids and guests sharing the hall bathroom, and having a very small linen closet, we needed drawers, cabinets, and room for towels. But on my wish list? I wanted to feel like the house had a bit of luxury when guests used the bathroom. I didn’t want them walking into monkeys on the walls or unicorn soap dispensers. Is it possible to have anything feel luxurious when you have children?
For the small master bathroom, I needed more storage, and I wanted it to feel like a little escape. When doing my hair and makeup each morning, counter space is very important. After breaking several make-up items when they fell off of the pedestal sink, I knew it had to go!
Linda’s Inspiration: I asked the client to choose a shower curtain for the Hall Bath that gave her the feeling she wanted for the bathroom. She wanted it to feel more like a powder room for guests, so the curtain had to be fancy and decorative. She found the one pictured online, and I chose compatible paint color (Sherwin Williams 9146 Faded Flaxflower) and accessories from there. For the Master Bath, inspiration came from the color choices of the master bedroom, with lavender tones accenting grays, so we painted the walls Sherwin Williams 6268 Veiled Violet and chose towels and accessories from there.
Hall Bath
Photo Credit: Gary Castaneda (left), Kim Hoover- Apple of Our Eye Photography (right)
Photo Credit: Kim Hoover- Apple of Our Eye Photography
Master Bath
Photo Credit: Gary Castaneda (left), Kim Hoover- Apple of Our Eye Photography (right)
Photo Credit: Kim Hoover- Apple of Our Eye Photography
The Results: Storage, storage, storage…and a bit of luxury! With storage as the main priority in these bathrooms, both vanities were changed. The new, larger vanity in the children’s/guest bathroom now has 5 drawers and a main cabinet for toiletries, hair accessories, towels, cleaning supplies, and more! A matching wall cabinet, mirror, and light fixture were also chosen. For the master bathroom, we were able keep the hanging cabinet, mirror, and lighting. The vanity replacing the pedestal sink has 2 large drawers and a shelf for baskets of towels. The marble backsplash in the master bath and the custom tile backsplash give a sense of luxury, while the blue and lavender tones create a sense of calmness and tranquility.
Mom’s Comments: I am so so grateful for all of the storage and function in the bathrooms!Everything has its place, and it’s easy to hide even the kids’ stuff from guests. We have gotten so many compliments on the bathrooms and how they look totally different and new, when we didn’t change any of the tile or toilets.I just love them!
The Spend: None of our projects were DIY, and professional painters, electricians, and plumbers were hired for the work. Still, we were able to give these bathrooms a facelift for under $2000 for labor, materials, and decor!
Home Series Week 1: Design Challenge & The Designer
Home Series Week 2: Bathrooms
Home Series Week 3: Girls’ Bedrooms
Home Series Week 4: Boys’ Bedrooms
Home Series Week 5: Master Bedrooms
Home Series Week 6: Living/Family Rooms
Home Series Week 7: Family Home Makeover & 7 Tips for Decorating in a Family-Friendly Way
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