Tag Archives: main bathroom

Bright, traditional, farmhouse bathroom reveal

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“A huge main bathroom with double sinks, a huge vanity and tons of storage. (The cracked sink, 1970s tile, painted paneling on the walls and Care-Bear-colour-palette on the counter top are examples of potential.)”

This is what I wrote about the main bathroom when I first introduced it on the blog thirteen and a half years ago.

I finally fulfilled that potential. The main bathroom renovation is done. And it is so beautiful.

I took everything out–the fixtures, the two tubs, the fake paneling, drywall, insulation, Care-Bear counter top–and redid it all.

My philosophy for the past 13 years was if I was going to renovate, I wanted to do it completely and ensure the end product was exactly what I wanted.

It is.

I’m going to dive into all the details. But first, here are a few before and afters.

Bathroom before and after

Main bathroom before
Main bathroom
Main bathroom before

All the details on our new country style bathroom

Behind the walls are new wiring, pipes and insulation. The walls themselves are beautiful pine V-groove paneling. A big upgrade from the fake sheets that were there before. With every renovation in this house, I’m trying to add more farmhouse style, and I felt like the paneling was a good way to do that in the bathroom.

I kept the walls white (Benjamin Moore Cloud White) to keep the look fresh. The white paint highlights the V-groove which gives a subtle texture and interest to the walls. Plus going with white allows the other parts of the bathroom to stand out.

I can’t decide what stands out most to me. Is it the huge wood storage hutch? The sparkly taps? The beautiful marble? The veins of the tile? The leafy shower curtain?

I love how all of the elements of the bathroom work together so well.

For the floor and tub walls, I chose very large tiles with strong veining. The large size is very practical for cleaning (minimal grout!). The finish is matte, which feels appropriate for the farm and contrasts with some of the other sparkly bits in the bathroom. The tiles themselves are also full of contrast with grey lines snaking and swirling over the warm white background. I also had in-floor heat installed, which makes the floor so comfortable.

Accompanying the tiles is our marble on the shower ledge and countertop. This marble is a statement. It’s dark and light and dramatic. Adding to the drama is the beautiful ogee edge, the sculpted backsplash and sidesplashes and the leathered texture. I’m so glad I added these details.

I’m also glad I added the ledge all along the side of the tub. It was a simple adjustment to make at the construction stage. The ledge gives us so much storage and I much prefer the look over a niche. Bumping the tub out by 4 inches didn’t impact the function of the bathroom, and we still have plenty of space between the tub and vanity.

The vanity is exactly the design I had in mind for years. Drawers, drawers and more drawers. I’m so pleased I was able to find it off the shelf. At first, I was concerned that the drawers would be too small. They are quite shallow and narrow. However, they work really well for most things–the perfect amount of space for toothbrushes, hairbrushes, makeup and lots of space to separate things out. Certain containers or bottles don’t fit. Fortunately we have taller storage elsewhere (more on this below).

The vanity led to the one change of plans I needed to make in the renovation. The sinks I had ordered turned out to be too big. Fortunately, the company I worked with to source all of the fixtures quickly supplied another option, and I was able to make the exchange. The sinks we ended up with are quite small, but they are adequate for most bathroom tasks, like washing our hands and brushing our teeth. Most important they fit with the vanity, the taps, the counter.

The taps were another spot where I was trying to create some of that historic farmhouse feeling. From the beginning I knew I wanted old style cross handle taps. That’s exactly what I found: very traditional and a little bit fancy. Their sparkly finish, cross handles, high arc add so much brightness to the bathroom.

In my initial plan for the bathroom, I had expected to have more of a mix of metals. I had planned for the lights and vanity hardware to be on-trend brass or gold. But as the bathroom came together, I couldn’t make the finishes work. I decided to go with the simple chrome hardware that came with the vanity, and that made the light fixture decision easy–sparkly silver there too.

We still have a bit of a mix with a few hits of black in the hutch hardware, hooks and curtain rod.

Instead of mixing metals, I decided to warm things up with a lot of wood accents. This is another touch of farmhouse style. The mirrors were the very first thing I bought for the bathroom. The wood frame and arched top add softness to the other square lines in the room.

I had always envisioned wood towel rings and accessories. Thanks to Facebook marketplace, some refinishing and a little bit of my own construction, I was able to make it happen.

Of course, the big wood storage hutch is another standout. As I wrote 13 years ago, the bathroom had tons of storage, mainly a large linen closet. Unfortunately, its open shelves were ugly and not super functional. Replacing the closet with this hutch adds so much to the bathroom.

Storage of course. I designed the hutch to have 6 super deep drawers. Towels, bottles, soap, medicine, first aid supplies and more all easily fit in the hutch. The upper section with its four shelves holds towels, toilet paper, sheets, blankets with lots of room to spare.

Beyond storage, the hutch adds so much beauty. The maple wood looks perfect for the farm.

The final finishing touch was the shower curtain. This is our only bit of colour in the bathroom. I chose a watery blue leaf fabric that has a beautiful mix of dark and light that echoes some of the tones in the tile and counter. I sewed the curtain myself. I wanted it to be traditional, so I added some pleats at the top. This gives the curtain lovely fullness. It’s also full length from ceiling to floor which makes the bathroom feel so much taller.

This bathroom renovation was not quick. I began taking the room apart in April and finally hung the shower curtain at the end of September. Beyond those 5 months is the 13 years.

It was worth the wait.

I documented the bathroom renovation on my Instagram as well. You can check out all of the videos at Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. Thanks to everyone for following along on the blog and on social media and cheering me on through this project.

Bathroom sources:

Tub
Sinks
Taps
Mirrors
Tile
Lights
Vanity
Wall panelling
Baseboard
Casing
Paint
Marble counter and shower ledge – Arctic Ocean
Hutch – Custom
Shower curtain – Custom DIY
Towel rings, bars, paper holder – Facebook Marketplace

Trades & Suppliers (with sincere thanks)

Waterdown Plumbing
Agentis Electric
Almar Flooring Inc. (tile installer)
Centura (tile supplier)
Granite By Design
EMCO Burlington
Cambridge Crown & Trim
Mennonite Furniture & Gifts

Wood storage hutch in the bathroom

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The bathroom is slowly approaching the finish line. Another big piece arrived a little while ago. And it is literally big.

Our new storage hutch.

The bathroom is a good size, and it had a large linen closet. But the closet lacked both style and function. I tried to stack things neatly and used baskets to conceal less attractive things. The shelves could store a lot, but they were just one type of storage. With this renovation I was eager for an upgrade.

Main bathroom

I decided I wanted a wood cabinet with a mix of drawers and shelves. I was envisioning an antique pine piece, something like might have been in an old farmhouse. I spent some time looking online and in antique shops and didn’t find anything the size I wanted, let alone with the storage configuration I was looking for.

Next I tried cabinet makers, but I struck out there too. Then one day I was driving by a local Mennonite furniture store and I pulled in. Maybe they did custom work?

They did.

They took my drawing and measurements, showed me wood options, and gave me a quote. It was $3,400, including finishing, delivery and set up. For a fully custom piece this size, that felt like a very reasonable price. I paid my deposit and carpentry began.

And finally it’s here.

The whole cabinet is 22 inches deep (the same as the vanity counter), 42 inches wide and 8 feet tall. It is huge. It fits perfectly at the end of the vanity. Thank goodness (says she who did all the measurements).

The cabinet has six drawers on the bottom. After living with the open linen closet, I wanted some closed storage. I was very specific about the measurements for the drawers, as I planned to store shampoo and other bottles standing up. So the four bottom drawers are 12 inches high. The top two are 8 inches. They hold so much.

The top of the cabinet has four shelves behind glass doors. I liked the idea of some more open storage, rather than closing off this corner entirely. The shelves are where I’m putting towels and toilet paper (stacked neatly, of course). The baskets from the previous linen closet (which are actually from our previous house) work well here too and hold things like sheets, Christmas towels and other less coordinated items.

I chose black hardware to contrast with all of the polished chrome we have elsewhere in the bathroom. There are bin pulls on each drawer and small knobs on the doors.

The wood is wormy maple. It has lots of character with darker sections and actual worm holes. For the stain, I chose a finish that matched the wood frames on our mirrors. I feel like it has a bit of the warm antique tones I was going for.

The wormy maple is the one thing I’m questioning on the hutch. The drawer fronts are a little stripey, which I don’t love. I’m wondering about going back to the builder and asking for plain maple fronts.

But overall I love the hutch. It holds so, so much. Plus the beautiful wood tones add so much warmth. The vision that I had for our new bathroom is coming together.

Have you ever had custom furniture made? How do you mix wood tones into your house? What do you think about the wormy maple?

Bathroom countertop is in

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I am so excited to be back with a bathroom update. The countertop is in! Our fabricators were here on Friday installing the counter, backsplash and shower ledge.

The counter was making me very nervous. You may recall in the last update, I talked about selecting each element of the bathroom on its own and then hoping they all look good together. The countertop was allllll of that.

I loved the marble in the yard. But would it look good with our tile? Would it look good with the vanity? Would I like it in our bathroom? Would the fabricators lay everything out in the way I liked? Would everything fit?

The answer to all of that is yes. 1000% yes. It is fabulous.

I chose Arctic Ocean marble in a leathered finish. I saw this marble in March on our first visit to the stone yard and immediately fell in love. When we went back in July to finally pick our slab, I still loved it.

The Arctic Ocean is a busy stone with lots of veining and a big range of dark and light. I wanted the counter to be more dramatic, and AO was a perfect fit.

The leathered finish is super cool too. The stone has a texture. It’s smooth, but it’s not perfectly flat. It’s also extremely matte and not shiny at all. I feel like this highlights that it’s a real stone, which is a good fit for the farm.

The other thing I wanted was a fancy backsplash. If you recall my inspiration picture, the counter comes with an ogee edge and some cutouts. I drew a few different designs and then quickly picked one and passed it off to my fabricator. They did a fabulous job of bringing my vision to life.

The backsplash was another source of worry though. I wanted the splash to go up 6 inches behind the sinks. Our faucets are quite tall, so I wanted the splash to look proportionate to them. But our mirrors are also very tall. Would I have room between the top of the backsplash and the bottom of the lights for the mirrors (which were one of the first things I picked for the bathroom)? We do. It’s a perfect fit.

The fabricators made two side splashes as well for either end of the counter. These have the ogee edge, some swoops and perfect corner joints to the backsplash.

The installers had a moment of confusion when they arrived and said, “Um, Miss? This counter is supposed to go wall to wall.” The second “wall” will be the wood storage hutch which is still with the carpenter. The installers left me a tube of silicone and I’ll install the second side splash myself when the hutch arrives.

The one wrinkle with the countertop was the sinks. When our fabricator came to measure a few weeks ago, I showed him the sinks and he said, “Those won’t fit.” The sinks were too wide (front to back) for our vanity. So I quickly went back to my bathroom supplier and ordered the narrowest sinks they had. The sinks are a bit small, but there’s room for the backsplash, faucets and mirrors–and we get to see more of the beautiful marble.

The final bit of marble we have in the bathroom is the ledge in the tub. I love that I decided to do this full-length ledge. It will hold everything we need and the marble is such a beautiful feature in the tub. This ledge highlights what a good match the Arctic Ocean is for the tile and also the colour variation of the AO (see the hint of blue by the taps?).

All of this marble is so special. It’s definitely a major showpiece in the bathroom. Even better, with this installation, we are definitely nearing the end on this bathroom renovation.

Do you have any marble in your house? Do you like dramatic veining or a more quiet pattern?

Bathroom renovation update

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Anyone want to go to the bathroom? (I realize that may be an odd question, but I really hope you say yes, because I have things to show you.)

Our main bathroom is looking so good. We are still under renovation, but I’m making progress (one of the realities of DIY is that things usually take a while).

My last update took you through demo, plumbing and electrical rough-in, tile and the start of the wall panelling.

Now, the panelling is up and painted. The vanity is in place. And the electrical is complete. Today I’m going to share the details of how it all went.

This bathroom has been a stretch for me in terms of my skills, and panelling was something I’ve not done before. I chose a pre-primed, tongue and groove, pine V-groove for all the walls. I started installing it behind the door so I could hide any mistakes, but everything worked out fine.

I prepped for the panelling by installing blocking between all the studs about halfway between the ceiling and the floor. This gave me an extra spot to nail the boards and ensure they were fastened securely. I used my Dad’s long level to make sure each board was straight and a rubber mallet to make sure the joints were tight. Then I face nailed each board top and bottom and one nail through the tongue into the blocking.

Once the panelling was up, I moved onto the trim. Trim was essential because it covered all of the gaps with the V-groove. I did window and door casing, baseboard, flatstock along the ceiling, and corner pieces over every outside corner. There are a few spots that still need trim, but I’m waiting until the vanity and hutch are complete before I install these finishing touches.

Trim is slow and challenging because I had to be super precise with every measurement, every cut and every install. But it turned out really well and finished off the panelling beautifully.

Then came paint. While I hadn’t installed panelling before, I had painted it in the mudroom. There, I rented a sprayer to ensure I got into every groove. I didn’t love the sprayer. The rental process was not straight forward, and my spraying technique wasn’t great. For the bathroom, I decided to try a roller and brush and hope I could get into the grooves and achieve a good finish.

It ended up working out really well. I cut in around the ceiling, floor, corners, door and window with my brush. It was tedious, but I covered everything well. Then, as I hoped, I was able to squish my roller into the V-grooves between each panel, so they were completely painted. Then I carefully went over the whole board with the roller to smooth out any excess paint.

I chose to paint the bathroom white. I’m not a white room person usually, but I really like the warm white we have on trim and furniture throughout the house (Benjamin Moore Cloud White). I thought it would look good for the bathroom. The V-groove adds a lot of texture to the walls, so there is good visual interest. Plus the white lets the other elements of the bathroom–the tile, counter and wood hutch–stand out.

I used Benjamin Moore’s Advance line. This is my go-to cabinetry paint, so I figured it would be extra durable for the bathroom.

Next up was the vanity. I picked the vanity design a very long time ago (before Ellie was born). I had stumbled across an image of a vanity with cabinets under the sinks, but they were shorter than usual. Under the cabinets were drawers. I loved the idea of drawers for extra storage, rather than wasting space with a big cupboard.

I knew I wanted simple shaker doors and it was going to be white.

When I ordered all of the bathroom fixtures, the consultant I worked with looked at my plans and said, “You’ll need custom for the vanity.” So I called numerous cabinetry companies and tried to find someone to make my dream vanity. When I finally found one to give me a quote, the estimate came in at $9,000 and they couldn’t build it until the fall. Umm. No.

I hopped online and was amazed to discover a vanity very close to what I wanted at Home Depot. It was the size, colour, profile and even more important drawers I wanted. It was half the price of the custom vanity. And it could be here in a week. Sold.

The vanity did need some adjustments. It’s meant to be free-standing, but I wanted it tight to the wall and the hutch I’m having built. To make that happen I had to cut off a bit of trim at the top and bottom on either end.

Cutting into a brand new vanity is a bit nerve wracking. The amputation also required turning the vanity upside down, which was too heavy for me to do on my own.

So I exercised my phone-a-friend option and that friend, her very precise engineer husband, and weight-lifting son came over to help. They removed the necessary pieces and then carried the vanity inside. It was a tight fit, but they made it into the bathroom, and I was so pleased once I saw it in place.

One of my concerns with the vanity was the colour. Would the white be too cool against my creamy walls? Would I have to paint the vanity? The white looks great. It’s not an exact match to the walls, but it is definitely on the warmer side. The surgery worked and the vanity fits tight to the wall. All of the nicks and cut marks will be hidden.

One of my other concerns with the vanity was the hardware. The online listing said it came with brushed nickel hardware, which was not the look I was going for. I planned to source hardware that fit the pre-drilled holes. But as I unscrewed the hardware (it was installed backwards for shipping), I discovered it was polished, so I decided to install it.

The decision to go with the polished hardware solved another dilemma–the lighting. In my original mood board for the bathroom, I had thrown in a light, but I really had no idea what kind of light I wanted.

I planned to mix metals. Chrome on the taps and maybe towel bars? Black on the hutch hardware and hooks? Brass on the lights and vanity hardware?

I searched through so many lights online and couldn’t find ones that seemed exactly right. I wandered lighting boutiques and big box stores. I added to my Pinterest board. I polled my family with various options.

I finally ordered a gold light that I liked. But when it arrived, it turned out I didn’t like it that much. The gold was very brown. Almost copper. It blended with the frame of the mirrors, when I wanted it to stand out. It was not the look I was going for.

The polished vanity hardware helped me decide to skip bringing brass or gold into the bathroom. I would still have the touches of black I was planning, but the lights were going to be shiny silver.

I went back to a light I’d seen at Home Depot. It had white milk glass-esque shades like the schoolhouse lights we have in the hall and kitchen. It had bright shiny polished metal. Even better, it was in stock at my local store–critical since the electricians were coming in 5 days.

So I bought the lights. When I unpacked them at home, I decided I still liked them.

The electricians came and installed the lights, plugs, floor thermostat, timer for the fan and dimmer switch for the lights. So electrical is done.

The bathroom feels extremely bright with our new lights and white walls. We went from two bulbs to six, which is a big glow up. Fortunately, we have the dimmer switch. We also went from one plug to two. And of course there’s the heated floor. So many upgrades.

I’m really glad to have one trade completely finished. The biggest tasks that I had to tackle are also done. I managed to finish the painting before Ellie finished school for the summer. All of my jobs now are very manageable.

As more and more pieces come together, I’m thrilled with how everything looks together. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted in the bathroom and how I wanted it all to look. But when designing a bathroom, you pick these big, really hard to change things like a tub, tile, vanity, countertop mostly in isolation. Then you cross your fingers and hope they all look good in the room together. So far, they do, which makes me very happy.

I’m documenting the bathroom reno and sharing it in a series of videos on Instagram. Follow me at juliaon129acres, and catch up on all the construction in the bathroom highlights Part 1 and Part 2.

Have you ever modified a brand new piece of furniture? How do you feel about the metal mixing trend? Are you a polished or brushed person? Are you a white room person?

Home Goals 2025 mid-year report

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I introduced this year’s home goals by saying, “I am really, really excited by the projects I have planned.” Mid-way through the year, I am still excited about these projects. I’m also really, really excited by how much progress I’ve made.

What a year it’s been so far!

Coop

The coop is finished. The birds are in residence. It is awesome. I love having birds again. Seeing them walking around makes me happy. I am so proud of the coop and how well everything has worked out. I will likely continue to make tweaks depending on what the birds need (like repairing the turkeys’ door after they take it apart–again), but I am comfortable saying that for now, this project is done.

My office

Another project that’s done? My office. Transforming, decorating and organizing this space was fun, and I love having my own working, writing, crafting, sewing, creating, whatevering space.

Ellie’s playroom

A dedicated play, crafting, creating space for Ellie is still on the list for this year. She’s been collecting paint chips in anticipation. Can you guess what her current favourite colours are? This room will likely be our fall project.

Main bathroom

The bathroom renovation is well underway, and what a transformation. I’ve been able to do a lot of the work myself, which feels really good. My vision for the design and function of this space is turning out beautifully. I am really happy. More updates to come.

2025 is a big year. I don’t think I’ve had this many projects on the go since early days (perhaps years) or moving to the farm. It’s been tiring, fulfilling, challenging. But mostly it’s been fun. I love working on the house and the property, making it ours and making it beautiful.

I hope I can keep up the momentum for the rest of the year.

Have you tackled any project around your house so far this year? What’s on your list for the rest of 2025?Anyone else having a big house year? What’s exciting you about your house right now?

Bathroom renovation has begun

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Our bathroom renovation is underway.

(If you want to check out some before photos, check out this post or this one. If you want a refresher on what my plans are for this space, this post has a moodboard, floorplan and more details.)

I started taking the bathroom apart at the end of April. I took down the tile and panelling. I pulled out the tubs (there were two, one layered over the other), vanity, floor and linen closet. Everything came out fairly easily, and I am really proud that I was able to do it myself.

Demo is where you find all of the dirty secrets–dirty being both a literal and figurative term. I confirmed that some water had been leaking at the edge of the tub. I had expected that and the damage fortunately was very minor (one moldy stud). I discovered squirrels or other critters had set up a clubhouse under the tub at some point. There were walnut shells, bones, candies, a cigarette pack and all kinds of disgustingness under there.

Everything cleaned up and I had a blank canvas to begin to put it all back together.

I put in new insulation and vapour barrier on the exterior wall. I adjusted the framing around the tub, as I’m adding a ledge for shampoo and soap all the way along the wall.

The plumber came and roughed in all the pipes and drains. He had to shift the taps and drain for the tub slightly, as the ledge pushes everything out a few inches. The plumbing under the sink was very tangled. Now it’s tidy and tucked between the studs. We installed the tub and removed the toilet.

I chose the deepest alcove tub I could find. I wasn’t able to make space for a longer tub, but baths should be a bit more comfortable with the new tub.

The electricians came and roughed in all our new wiring. One vanity light became two, one plug became two. They wired the floor for heat. We also got a new circuit panel, as our old one was maxed out.

Then the project came back to me for a few days. I installed tile backer and drywall.

The tilers came and they brought our beautiful new tile with them. It was exciting to see the first pretty things go in the bathroom. They installed the heated floor membrane, tiled the tub walls and then the floor.

I chose a very large tile (32 inches by 32 inches) to minimize the amount of grout I have to clean. Just two tiles covered the full length of the tub. Nine tiles did the whole floor.

Then the project came back to me again for the wall paneling. I’m installing pine V-groove paneling. It’s similar to what we used in the mudroom and a big step up from the fake 1970s era paneling that was in the bathroom before.

And that’s where the project is at currently. I’m slowly working my way around the room putting up the walls.

For the past month, I’ve been trying to stay ahead of my trades and have everything they need ready to go. Now the pressure has eased a bit, and I’m working at my own pace. Though I definitely want to keep moving and complete most of the work before Ellie finishes school for the summer.

Despite the pressure–and a few disgusting moments–I’ve been having fun with the renovation. I’ve waited a long time for this project, so to finally be underway is very satisfying. It’s also fun to see the elements I’ve chosen (tile, tub, taps, vanity) arrive and (slowly) be installed. So far, I’m loving my choices and it’s so exciting to see this project coming together.

I’m documenting the bathroom reno and sharing it in a series of videos on Instagram. Follow me at juliaon129acres, and catch up on all the construction in the bathroom highlight.

Main bathroom plans

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Renovating our main bathroom has been a long time coming. I’m really excited to finally tackle this project this year.

I am planning to do as much of the work myself as I can. I have a great plumber who worked with my Dad (and by extension me), and he’s going to be my main resource. When I called him at the start of the year to talk about the project he said, “I assume you’re going to be doing most of this yourself?” I love it when someone knows me and trusts that I’m capable.

The vision is for a bright, fresh, farm bathroom. For me, this means white, wood and chrome. It means paneled walls, natural stone (no more Care Bear countertop), shaker cabinets, and cross handle faucets. Here is a moodboard of some of what’s in my mind.

This bathroom from Heidi Callier continues to inspire me. I love the edging on the countertop, the V-groove on the walls and the wood-framed arch mirrors.

Source: Heidi Caillier
Country bathroom inspiration
Source: Heidi Caillier

The layout of the bathroom is going to stay the same, but everything is getting a major upgrade–including insulation, electrical and storage. I’m also going to finally fix that creak in the floor in front of Ellie’s sink.

I have two months between when I finish teaching this spring and Ellie finishes school, so that will be my renovation window. My mission between now and then is to have everything ready to go. So I’m lining up my trades (I want an electrician and a tiler, along with my plumber), making all my decisions and ordering all of my materials.

I’m hoping that I can make the final result as beautiful and functional as I imagine.

Do you have any bathroom reno tips to share? What makes a farmhouse bathroom for you? Do you have a project you’ve been waiting to tackle at your house? What’s the biggest project you’re doing this year?

Home Goals 2025

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I am really, really excited by the projects I have planned for this year. This year will bring a lot of new and big things for us and the farm. They’re all centred around how we live, how we use the house and what we want for our lives here.

Here is what I’m hoping to accomplish in 2025.

Coop

Source: Feathered Acres

Having birds has been a goal since Matt and I were thinking of buying a farm. I made really good progress on the coop last year (updates are coming), and I’m aiming to finish it soon so we’re ready to welcome some new feathered friends this spring.

My office

Source: Ampersand Living

Following our big cleanout last year, Matt’s office is ready to become my office. I am excited to have my own space for working, writing, crafting, sewing, whatevering. This will be the first project of the year. (In fact, it might already be underway.)

Ellie’s playroom

Sources: Lush Home & Young House Love

A dedicated play, crafting, creating space for Ellie is the second step in the game of dominoes that is our whole home reorganization. After I move into my new office (and remove all of my things from Ellie’s old bedroom), setting up this room just for Ellie is next on the list.

Main bathroom

Country bathroom inspiration

Source: Heidi Caillier

Yes. We are finally redoing our main bathroom. This will be a large project, and I’m hoping to do a good amount of it myself.

After last year’s reset, this year’s goals are big steps forward. I’m hoping we can stay on track and keep up the momentum for 2025.

What’s exciting you about your house right now? Do you have any home goals for this year? Anyone else have big plans for 2025?

Cooling down the bathroom

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A couple of weeks ago, I broke down and arranged for a plumbing repair… before our bathroom had a break down.

As I’ve written several times before, our main bathroom is in rough shape. For the last year, the tub’s cold water tap has been barely functional.

I’ve cooled Ellie’s bath with jugs of cold water carried from the kitchen. I’ve showered downstairs when I couldn’t adjust the temperature beyond scalding. Usually I resorted to turning the tap on and off with a screwdriver.

I hate the idea of fixing the bathroom when I’m going to renovate it (hopefully, relatively) soon. But the renovation is probably still a year away, and I was concerned the cold water tap wasn’t going to make it.

So I called the plumber.

Fortunately, he’s a plumber who worked with my Dad, and he (a) understood I was looking for a band aid solution not a fix, and (b) he’s a big believer in the friend and family discount.

He arrived with an assortment of parts to see what would work, gave us a new cartridge and a makeshift handle, and ended by saying, “How about you give me $40.” (I gave him $80 happily.)

It’s not pretty, but showers and baths are much more comfortable now, and our bathroom will limp along a little longer.

Anyone else have a makeshift solution at your house? What’s your fix versus renovate philosophy?

Imaginary One Room Challenge – Phase 1 bathroom makeover

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The One Room Challenge kicked off last week. I’m not a regular participant in the challenge, but I wish I was. It’s such a good way to update a space and actually complete a project. I love the rooms that I’ve done in the past (check out the laundry room, master bedroom, my office and dining room). I also love following the ORC, seeing everyone else’s makeovers.

This fall, I will mostly be an observer rather than a participant (though I do have plans for a few updates this month that I’ll hopefully be sharing soon).

But I’ve been having fun doing an imaginary makeover.

I started thinking about the main bathroom and how I could update it in advance of our big gut makeover (which I’ve talked about before and is still a someday project).

Main bathroom

I’m not a big fan of phase 1 renos. I feel like they can be a lot of work and potentially a lot of money, only to be ripped out in a few years.

However, we’ve lived here for more than 7 years and the main bathroom still looks exactly the same as when we moved in. A few updates a few years ago could have made it a more enjoyable space. (Although we have added a baby to the tub, which gives a whole lot of joy.)

Baby in a bathtub

Here’s the bathroom as it looks now. It’s a big space with a nice window, lots of storage, counterspace and everything you need in a bathroom. However, it’s dated and some parts of it–tiles, caulking, faucets, even one of the sinks–are actually broken.

Main bathroom before

Main bathroom before

Bathroom Before Collage

To fix all of the issues, we will need to do a full gut. However, there are some simple updates that could make the bathroom look a lot better now. Here’s a moodboard with some of my ideas.

Moodboard for phase 1 bathroom makeover

Sources: Vanity | Mirror | | Floor tile

The biggest change would be simply painting the walls. They are fake paneling that was painted yellow who knows when. The yellow clashes with the purple-ish tile and the Care-Bear-esque countertop. Fresh white paint would help the tile and counter and would also make the paneling look more like on-trend vertical shiplap.

If I painted the walls, I’d want to take down the big sheet mirror. The silvering is deteriorating in a few spots and the mirror is very dated. I could frame it out, but I like the idea of injecting some wood tones and different shapes with a pair of arched top mirrors.

The makeover could easily stop here and I’d be happy. But if I was going to make this project worthy of the ORC, here’s what else I’d do.

Build wood shelves over the toilet. These could add some decor and storage. It would be nice to get the bins of Ellie’s bath toys, washcloths and soap off the counter.

To go with the wood shelves, I’d update the linen closet by facing the shelves with wood strips and covering the floral shelf paper with plain white.

The white cabinetry is looking a bit dingey. If the walls go white, the vanity might be a place to introduce some more contrast and make the colours of the tile and counter make more sense. (Aside: This photo shows how a frame can make a big mirror look more current.)

Grey bathroom vanity

Source: Juniper Home

The current floor introduces yet another colour to this room. Beigey taupe, which, of course, goes with nothing else. There are so many options out there today for simple peel-and-stick tiles, which could simply be laid over top of the existing vinyl. This could be a place to introduce some fun pattern, although I don’t want anything too busy to clash further with the counter and wall tile.

An alternative to new flooring would be a better rug. A nice runner that would cover more of the floor and serve the function of a bathmat could be a good option.

While I’m updating the floor I would also remove the terrible metal transition strip in the doorway. Not only is it ugly, it’s also not screwed down properly, so it rattles every time you step on it–every time for 7 years.

Alas, it’s likely going to be 7 years and counting for this bathroom. The dreaming is fun though and I know one day this room is going to be everything I imagine.

Are you participating in the One Room Challenge–for real? Or do you have an imaginary makeover happening as well? How do you feel about phase 1 makeovers?