Connected and colorful guest bathroom
I love the chance to work on a guest bathroom. Yes, the space is small, but in a small space, you can take bigger risks. Like I wrote in my love letter to mudrooms, bold choices in small spaces can give the wow factor that doesn’t have to impact your whole home vibe. The connected and colorful guest bathroom we just finished is no exception. It’s a bold, colorful, small space with high function and connectivity to the rest of the house.
The initial project scope included installing new custom molding on the walls, fresh paint, and a light fixture. But in looking at the space, I knew the minute we elevated the space around the vanity, the vanity would become the eyesore of the space.
Now…and then. Post renovation guest bathroom with new vanity, new paneling, fresh paint, new light fixture, new rug, and new artwork.
There was nothing wrong with the vanity, per se, but the new color scheme we were discussing was going to have so much contrast and would be so vibrant that the vanity would seem mismatched with the new space. There were other things about it that bugged me, like the inch and a half of counter overhang on the front and right side. Or the fact that the splash back cut into the window trim and was poorly executed. But the single biggest thing that bugged me was the lack of function. The vanity, as designed, was literally just a box with two doors. There was no shelving, no pullouts, nothing to help add organization. Those types of cabinets, especially when they are base cabinets, are ergonomically non-functional as well, making it a challenge for the user to get things in and out.
I knew the client wasn’t prepared for a full rip and replace of the bathroom. Both from a timeline perspective and a budget perspective, what I proposed would need to be functional, high value, and gorgeous enough to get them thinking about investing a little more time and money than they had initially considered.
Initial sketches of the bathroom and vanity
My initial sketches showed a three-drawer wood vanity with a walnut finish, curvy drawer panels and a footed valance and arched paneling on the walls. The beauty of a three-drawer vanity is it brings the items in the cabinet to you, versus you having to go into the vanity to get things.
The client loved the concept and was open to the added spend and time investment, but I needed to make it happen within their top line budget. To make this work, I knew I needed a semi-custom solution, but there were potential obstacles at play.
The existing vanity was a custom width. Most semi-custom vanities were coming in at 24 inches or 30 inches, but even those were few and far between. I could only find one vanity that was in a wood tone with three drawers.
I didn’t know if the tile continued under the existing vanity or if it ended at the vanity. Many, many times, tile only goes up to the vanity. If we removed the vanity and the tile stopped, i would have a 27 x 21 inch space I needed to fill, meaning it had to be built to spec.
To give me some headroom in the budget for the vanity, we adjusted the paneling to a more traditional board and batten. The reduction in materials and labor for the install of the wall details gave me some space to be a little more creative and apply some of the construction costs to the vanity.
I knew I needed to be in the semi-custom price point and now that I had a little bit of room in my budget for additional construction, I could buy a semi-custom cabinet and modify it to fit the needs. Kitchen Cabinet Distributors has a line of beautiful white oak cabinets with a transitional door profile called Brooklyn Fawn. While they didn’t have the exact size or spec, they did have a three drawer bathroom vanity cabinet, with an option for a sink base conversion, measuring at 24 inches wide and 21 inches deep.
In the instance that the tile continued, we could install the cabinet as is. In the instance that it didn’t, I could use a small piece of fill to extend the cabinet to the wall. Plus, with the Brooklyn Fawn line, I could add feet to the cabinet, making it feel more like a piece of furniture, which the client loved. We had a solution.
Design elements coming together. Loving the Italian miniatures.
Now that the vanity solution was coming together, it was time to finalize the remaining design elements, including light fixtures, art, board and batten selections, paint colors and countertops. The client’s style is a blend of traditional and transitional, so finding the Something Old’s for this design was easy. The client already had a collection of Italian miniatures with antique brass framing, which was the perfect way for us to introduce a warmer tone metal in the design that draws on the warmer, richer tones of the deep green-blue paint. Between the two light fixtures, the client immediately reached for the curvy light with crystal sconces, which complemented the mirror already in the space. The full materials list for this install is at the bottom of the post.
With materials selected, we were ready to begin construction. Because we wanted to minimize the time in construction, we decided to wait until all materials arrived so we could go from start to finish with all materials on hand. The project took about 2 weeks from start to finish, and the majority of those two weeks was in waiting for the countertops to go from templating to installation.
The tile DID go under the vanity! From empty square to ready for decor.
With everything finally in place, it was time to add the finishing touches. It’s the little extras in this bathroom that really make the space. The substantial feel of the hardware. The feet on the vanity giving it more of a furniture vibe. The gallery wall of Italian miniatures mixed with a vintage still life and antique mirror. The gentle, rounding arch of the vanity mirror framed by the crystal sconces of the light fixture. And it all came together at the right price.
Gallery wall installation, substantial hardware in a brushed nickel finish, sweet finishing touches like feet on the vanity and the perfect size bathmat.
Materials sheet:
Bathroom vanity: Brooklyn Fawn three drawer vanity cabinet with sink base conversion from Kitchen Cabinet Distributors. First drawer is false front, second drawer was custom cosntruction with a U-shape to accomodate the sink
Countertop: Carolina Custom Kitchen and Bath, quartz remnants
Faucet: Delta
Paint: Sherwin Williams Tarragon, Sherwin Williams Snowbound (board and batten)
Board and Batten: Poplar, 1x6 base, furring strips, 1x3 top trim
Light fixture Amazon
Bath mat: Amazon