home decor

One of the biggest negatives of my house was the narrow master bathroom or primary bathroom.

Don’t get me wrong: we were very happy to have an en suite bathroom.

But in our case, the bathroom seemed to be an afterthought in the design process. It was incredibly narrow and cramped (especially as compared to my kids’ giant bathroom! Check out the modern vintage bathroom makeover I gave it!)

Not to mention, it was falling apart. Literally. Tiles were coming off the wall, the ceiling was totally cracked, and there was a giant hole in the wall where the door handle smashed into it.

Because of that, we had to do a gut renovation (as opposed to my usual “lipstick on a pig” approach to all things home!).

We hired professionals to do this because we did not have the time or skills to take on a project of this scope.

With their help, we maximized this narrow small bathroom layout and upped the style points significantly!

Before: The Small Master Bathroom with Leaking Shower

Every good renovation post starts with some before photos. You have to get an understanding of what we were working with!

In this photo you see the single sink vanity with lights and mirror hung too low (my husband couldn’t see the top of his head. Maybe that was a good thing for him – not sure – LOL).

And here was the super small shower. It was like a telephone booth and very claustrophobic! Despite the bathroom having incredibly tall and angled ceilings, this shower had a soffit in it that made it about 6.5′ tall.

The shower pan was tilted improperly, too, which caused water to pool in one corner instead of drain. We had to shove water over to the drain after every use, and there were still problems with leaking in that corner and tiles falling off. The shower was a mess.

The Bathroom Renovation Plan: Add Some Space

Directly outside of this primary bathroom was a closet. From the moment we moved in, we wondered if we could someday make the closet part of the bathroom.

We decided to never use that closet so we wouldn’t become dependent on it. (Well . . . except to store some random shopping bags and a gnome stuffed animal.)

After consulting with three design / build firms throughout the summer of 2022, we decided that there would be enough space to annex the closet as part of the bathroom (and not negatively impact the bedroom layout).

We signed our remodeling contract in October 2022, and started picking finishes in December 2022.

I knew that I wanted dark hexagon floor tile (to coordinate with the hex tile in the kids’ bathroom), a walnut vanity (to coordinate with the slat wall fireplace in the bedroom that we had just finished), and stacked tile going all the way to the ceiling in the shower.

A designer at the firm we worked with helped us get all of our choices together, and helped design (what would become and what I think is) the most gorgeous vanity ever. 🙂

The Renovation Process

On May 8, 2023 our bathroom renovation officially began! In one day all of demo was finished. We couldn’t believe it! (Compare that to the four days of demo in the kids’ bathroom and master bathroom renovation at our old house!)

For the most part, work went smoothly. The only hiccup was when we realized the floor tile had been sent in two different dye lots. There was a distinct line that looked terrible.

While I wish the contractors would have checked the tile boxes prior to installation, I’m thankful they were able to take it out and fix it with the correct tiles!

Near the end of June the bulk of the work was finished, and thank goodness because our dumpster could not take anymore!

On July 17, 2023 our shower glass was installed, and that was the official end of this bathroom renovation!

The Completed Renovation: A Long, Narrow Bathroom With Style

I have included product links in this post in case you’re interested in the products used (see complete list at the end of the post). Some of these links are affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy for more information. Also, thank you to Tokeshimi for providing the gorgeous, tall mirrors and Kichler Lighting for providing the beautiful brass lighting.

To sum it up, we are in LOVE with our new bathroom.

Eliminating the closet and moving the entrance door to the adjacent wall gave us more space to add a second sink and larger vanity.

Because the bathroom is quite narrow, making the entrance door a pocket door really helped, too. The extra inches of not having a door open into the room really count!

This walnut vanity exceeded my expectations. It is the perfect depth for our bathroom, and because it was assembled on site (delivered in multiple boxes), it was not an issue to get it up the tight stairs.

And, as for the shower . . .

running that tile all the way up the tall, angled ceiling and enclosing it fully in glass really helped it feel so much larger! We chose a sliding glass door because of the narrow space: no swinging door protruding into the room.

I didn’t want a niche in the wall to hold our toiletries (I don’t really know why, but I’m not a huge fan of shower niches), so we opted for slotted corner shelves instead. I like how the water drains through them instead of pooling.

One other compromise we made for this narrow space is using a standard toilet instead of an elongated toilet. It would have stuck out too far into the room.

Even though we have a small, narrow master bathroom as compared to many others, we are so thankful to have an en suite bathroom, and now, one that looks like this!

Shoppable Product List

In case it helps, here is a list of the materials used in our bathroom. If you have any questions or something is missing from this list, drop me a comment!

VANITY AREA

• MCM-style walnut bathroom vanity (custom design)
• Brass drawer knobs
• Quartz countertop
• Tall matte black bathroom vanity mirrors (measure 30″ x 40″ but come in multiple sizes)
• Brass vanity lights with fluted glass shades

BATHROOM ACCESSORIES

• Vintage Green Runner Rug
• Wood In-Shower Corner Shaving Bench
• Matte Black Dual Towel Bar
• Matte Black Robe Hooks
• Matte Black Toilet Paper Holder
• Brushed Gold Hand Towel Holder
• Framed Landscape Art
• Green Fluted Glass Soap Dispenser

TILE AND PLUMBING

• Charcoal hexagon floor tile
• Square mosaic shower floor tile
• Elongated subway shower wall tile
• Kohler Hydrorail
• Shower Hose
• Kohler Rain Shower Head
• Kohler Hand Shower Head
• Matte Black Sink Faucets
• Toilet

***

Thanks for checking out our primary bathroom renovation! I hope you found something you like in this space!

Though we moved in to our home over two years ago, we had not done a thing in my tween daughter’s room. (Hey, I’ve been busy doing things like painting kitchen cabinets, limewashing fireplace stone, and covering all of the mirrored surfaces!)

The time finally came this summer to give her a bedroom she loves. With her input on all of the design, she settled on a pink boho bedroom with a “bookish” twist. (Note: it’s much easier to design a kid’s room when he or she is little and has no opinions. Ha!)

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

This bedroom makeover was done on a strict budget, and because of that, it’s filled with money-saving makeovers and projects. At this point in time, I haven’t written tutorials for all of the projects, but I will link them as they are posted!

Benjamin Moore Odessa Pink Walls

My daughter wavered between painting her room green (Benjamin Moore Rosepine) and pink (Benjamin Moore Odessa Pink). She ultimately landed on pink because it scared her (I’m not even kidding) and because she thought it would look best with her plants. (OK, whatever floats your boat!)

Odessa Pink is part of Benjamin Moore’s Historic Color Palette, and it’s a really sophisticated shade of pink that leans to the warm side of the hue.

It also works well with the honey oak trim in the room, which I haven’t gotten around to painting yet. (And being honest, which I may never paint.)

We brought in green tones with the plants, block print floral bedding, pillows, bench at the foot of the bed, and more.

Furniture Updates with Peel and Stick Wallpaper and Paint Samples

To give the earthy feel we all associate with boho decor, I added a neutral, grasscloth textured-look peel and stick wallpaper to the white dresser, nightstand, and headboard.

I also swapped the plain white drawer knobs for these pretty pink and white ceramic knobs.

Then, I repainted the bench at the end of her bed with the leftover Rosepine green paint sample. This bench has had a lot of looks in its lifetime. I previously blogged the time I painted it with butterflies for my daughter’s room when she was five!

(If you visit that butterfly bench post, notice “Lambie” her favorite stuffed animal. Lambie is still around today! Can you spot her in any of the photos?)

Keeping the furniture she already had saved us a ton of money!

The Bookish Boho Reading Nook

Because my daughter LOVES to read, we had to create a little reading nook in her room.

I found a very cool MCM vintage chair on Facebook Marketplace, which was perfect for this spot! I love how the brown ties in to the honey oak trim.

I made a cute little foot stool, popped on a plush green velvet pillow, and framed quotes from her favorite books on the wall.

The hanging plants above the chair were an absolute must-have for my daughter. She insisted on real plants, but when she realized how difficult it would be to water them, she let me pop in fakes. Phew! I was having nightmares of dirt all over the already-dingy carpeting! The real plants stay in easy-to-reach spots.

The Fairy Light Ivy Wall

Above the bed, I wanted to hang a large piece of art, but my daughter vetoed that idea. Instead, she insisted on ivy and fairy lights: a look that is (apparently) very popular these days.

We DIY’d this fairy light ivy wall in an afternoon, and I have to admit that it looks pretty cool when it’s glowing at night!

This project was, admittedly, not one I would have put in my own room. BUT, I worked really hard to let my daughter design a room that SHE would love. I kept reminding myself it wasn’t about me. When I saw how excited she was about this ivy wall, I knew that was the right decision.

Other Budget-Friendly Boho Bedroom Elements

In order to give this room a fresh new look without spending too much money, we did lots of other inexpensive DIY’s. Some of them were:

• Spray painting the ceiling fan blades to take them from a reddish brown hue to a neutral cream color. This was an awesome update.
• Using Antique Gold Rub n Buff on her existing mirror to change the color slightly so that it would work with the new wall color.
• Adding my favorite inexpensive curtain panels to soften up the window. This is the second room I’ve used these panels in. They are such a steal!
• Purchasing pillow covers to give her old pillows a new look (instead of buying new).

This pink boho bedroom is everything my daughter wanted for her space. I know she loves it, and I love the memories I have of working on it with her!

A huge selling feature of our home was the sunroom or three-season room. When the weather is right, that room is paradise!

But, a big drawback of this southern and western-facing room is the intense sunlight at the end of the day. It was so bright (and hot) that the room became unusable. (Look at my poor pup panting in the heat! Don’t look at how dirty my windows were.)

Thank you to Graywind for sponsoring this post. All information and opinions expressed herein are my own. In addition, this post contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my disclosure policy.

With the addition of Graywind motorized shades in my sunroom, everything changed! These rechargeable, remote-controlled motorized roller shades give us the light we want (when we want it), and the shade and privacy we want and need at other times.

Plus, Graywind blinds were named among the best motorized shades by Bob Vila, so you don’t have to take my word for it! (I feel like I’m on Reading Rainbow with that line- ha!)

Whether or not you have a sunroom, I bet you have a room that gets too much light for your liking, that has hard-to-reach or extra tall windows, or that could use some extra privacy. Keep reading because you’re going to find the perfect spot for motorized shades of your own!

Motorized Shades Installation

Before finding out about Graywind’s motorized shades, I considered hanging curtains, but didn’t like how much of the view they’d block. Then I looked into having shades installed, but didn’t like the price tag.

When I discovered that I could install these motorized shades myself and save thousands of dollars, I was sold.

Plus, there were so many fabrics and styles to choose from that it was easy to pick the perfect look for my space. I chose the Graywind Motorized Light Filtering Shades in linen beige, and I the adore creamy color and beautiful texture my sunroom shades have!

Measuring was easy, thanks to Graywind’s helpful measurement guide video, and shipping was extremely fast. I received my shades two weeks after placing my order. Considering that all of Graywind’s motorized shades are custom made to fit your windows, that is very impressive!

Step One: Charge the Motorized Shades

Immediately upon removing the shades from the boxes, I plugged them in with the included USB charging cords. (Sidenote: with all of the USB devices we all have these days, I highly recommend getting a USB charging port like this! I also use it to charge my wireless under cabinet lights.)

I let the shades charge for the recommended 10-12 hours. With this amount of initial charge, the motorized shades should operate for 3-6 months (depending on frequency of use).

And don’t worry – to recharge them once hung, you do not remove them from the wall or ceiling! The included USB cords are very long and allow you to charge them right in place!

Alternatively, solar charging panels are available to allow the shades to constantly charge. I have the Graywind solar charge panels and LOVE them! Watch my video on the solar charging motorized shades option to see just how cool it is!

Or, if you’re fancy pants, you can have them hardwired into your electrical!

Step Two: Hang the Shades

While the shades were charging, I began the installation process. I’ll admit that I was a little nervous about this. I’m not sure why, but once I got the first shade in place, all my fears went out the window. Installation was a breeze.

The shades came with all of the hanging hardware, which was brackets and wall anchors. Since I was hanging my shades from a plywood ceiling, I purchased short hollow wall anchors, but those will be unnecessary for most people.

I simply drilled pilot holes, pushed in the anchors, attached the brackets, and popped the motorized shades into place.

For the two extra-large motorized shades, I needed my husband to help me get them into place. I wasn’t strong enough to lift and position them on my own. For regular size windows, an average-size woman like me should have no problem installing Graywind shades on her own!

Step Three: Hang and Configure the Remote Control

The last step is to install the included battery in the remote and hang up the remote control holder. I am SO glad that with a dedicated spot, this remote won’t go missing like all my TV remotes – ha!

Then, you can configure the remote to control all of the installed shades (up to 15 shades!), AND you can raise and lower them all at once or individually! It is seriously awesome!

One other bonus of Graywind shades (that didn’t apply to me because I don’t have these things) is that you can also configure them to work with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Mind blown.

Is it Worth Getting Motorized Shades?

I’ll admit that before having motorized shades of my own, I thought they were a bit of a gimmick. I mean, how hard is it to close your own shades, right?

But now that I have them, I want them EVERYWHERE!

First off, roller shades on these extra tall windows would’ve been very difficult to close manually. The motorized opening and closing completely eliminates that issue.

I know motorized shades would be a lifesaver for elderly people and people with physical impairments, too.

Secondly, there is something so satisfying about seeing them all open and close at the same time (when I have that option enabled. Don’t forget, you can control Graywind shades individually, too!).

Finally, it’s actually a timesaver! I imagine that if you have a lot of windows with shades that you open and close daily, that could get tedious!

Since installing our Graywind motorized shades, my family has been spending a lot more time in the sunroom. And don’t worry – I finally got around to washing the windows, too! Ha!

Make sure to check out Graywind motorized blinds for your home by visiting Graywind’s website or Graywind’s Amazon storefront.

Several months ago I shared my plans for a modern vintage bathroom makeover in my kids’ / hall bathroom. I totally dragged my heels on sharing the finished space. Why? Because my kids are messy little creatures who cannot keep this bathroom tidy. I had to clean it and photograph it in the same chunk of time, which wasn’t easy to do!

But now it’s done and I’m happy to show you how I overhauled this once boring and bland bathroom, primarily with paint and new fixtures.

Before the Bathroom Makeover

To see all of the bathroom photos before the makeover, check out the Modern Vintage Bathroom Makeover post linked above. In that post I also share the plans for the space, and you can see what I stuck with and what I strayed from.

It’s always been hard for me to make a design plan ahead of time and stick with it. That was definitely the case here, too. I like to make decisions as I go along rather than stick to a plan.

The Finished Vintage Modern Bathroom

When all was said and done, this bathroom leaned a little more boho/eclectic than vintage modern, in my opinion. The biggest reason for that is the rug I wanted for the space actually was much too small. It gave all of the vintage vibes I hoped for, but it just wasn’t right. So the project took on a different direction.

Here’s the rundown of what I did to update this bathroom. All of the products are linked at the end of this post, in case you want to learn more about them.

• Painted the vanity Irish Garden by Heirloom Traditions Paint: this blue green bathroom vanity paint is my favorite part of this bathroom. It took a boring vanity and brought it to life.
• Swapped and added additional matte black vanity hardware
• Changed the sink faucets for modern matte black faucets
• Painted the walls Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore
• Painted a Polka Dot Accent Wall (with leftover White Dove by Benjamin Moore)
• Painted the mirror frame with black chalk paint, which I sealed with matte polycrylic
• Cleaned the tile grout (this tile grout cleaner worked awesome!)
• Added a new 5-light black and brass vanity light fixture and a new brass and black ceiling fixture
• Had a new toilet installed (the old toilet was miniature and did not work well. I’ll spare you the details. You’re welcome.)
• Painted the bath tub with the Rustoleum Tub and Tile Kit
• Spray painted the bath tub faucet and fixtures matte black to match the new sink faucets
• Added decor and accessories to liven up the space

One mishap that occurred during this part of the project is that I sprayed the mirror frame with KrudKutter to clean it before painting. Now don’t get me wrong, KrudKutter is the BEST pre-paint cleaner around. However, it’s not good for mirrors.

You can sort of see in this photo that there’s now a film on the mirror left from the KrudKutter that I can’t get off! It’s only visible in certain lights and angles, but it’s definitely there. Moral of the story: don’t spray mirrors / mirror frames with KrudKutter.

For over the toilet, I added a rattan round shelf, which I filled with decorative accents from the kids’ bathroom at our old home. It was fun to unpack that moving box and see items we hadn’t since we remodeled that 1920s bathroom / moved.

On this side, I painted the oak window trim White Dove by Benjamin Moore. I left the window “oak” because it’s actually vinyl and I don’t want to void the warranty by painting it! (Painting vinyl windows can cause them to warp, so manufacturers typically include that info in the warranty materials.)

This little bench next to the bath tub that I painted has been a great spot for my kids to store extra bath items and their jammies.

And adding towel hooks here was essential. My kids just kept throwing towels on the floor. I also love how the black and brass hooks complement the black and brass light fixtures.

A nice, large rattan hamper at the entrance to the bathroom has also been amazing for keeping dirty towels and washcloths separate until I get them in the washing machine. Bonus that it is super cute, too.

Bathroom Makeover Products Used

As promised above, here are links to the products I used to transform this bathroom with a modern vintage feel. Note that some are affiliate links, and you can read my full disclosure policy at that link.

• Bathroom Vanity Paint: Irish Garden by Heirloom Traditions
• Bathroom Vanity Pulls: Matte Black Drawer Handles
• Bathroom Sink Faucets: Matte Black Modern Faucets
• Bathroom Mirror Paint: Soft Black chalk paint by Folk Art
• Bathroom Vanity Fixture: Black and brass 5-light vanity light
• Bathroom Flushmount Fixture: Black and brass dome enameled light
• Round Rattan Shelf: this is a similar product. I purchased this shelf at TJMaxx
• Wood Bathroom Bench
• Black and Brass Towel Hooks
• Bath Tub Paint: Rustoleum Tub and Tile Kit
• Black and White Flatweave Rug
• White Polka Dot Shower Curtain
• Toilet

So what do you think? Did I succeed in updating this bathroom with a modern vintage feel despite renovating it? Let me know in the comments, or find me on social media!

I just finished my DIY kitchen makeover, so it only makes sense that I would jump right in to another large makeover project.  Ha!  Truthfully, I am feeling the push to make over my kids’ bathroom because it’s also our guest bathroom . . . and we actually have guests coming to visit this summer!  So naturally, I want them to have a nice bathroom to use (forget my kids – lol!).

My kids’ bathroom is in pretty darn good shape, so we have no renovation plans.  It’s a little bland and worn in spots, so a makeover will do wonders for it!  I have big plans for a vintage bathroom look that flows with the rest of the house vibe, and I’m super pumped to share my modern vintage bathroom plans with you!

Current State of the Bathroom

Alright, let me take you on a little tour of the bathroom in its current form.  Please know that I did not decorate in here at all after we moved in: I just used a rug from my master bathroom at my old house, a shower curtain from my basement bath, and wall baskets left from this home’s stagers before we moved in.  So it’s kind of a random mix of stuff currently.

Not sure if you can tell, but it’s a very large bathroom.  We joke that it’s “stupid big.”  Lots of wasted space.  This is a big change from the kids’ tiny bathroom at our house in Illinois, which we renovated right before we moved.  You can see that 1920s bathroom remodel at that link.

The flooring, vanity and countertop in here are in great shape.  Lucky for us, I love the hexagon tile!  I know some think it’s a yucky relic of the 1970s, but I have always loved hexagon tile.  I even used hexagon tile as the backsplash in my old kitchen.

The bath tub was reglazed at some point and has signs of its avocado green past peeking through.

The toilet hardly functions and needs to be replaced.

Bathroom Makeover Plan of Attack

So,  my plan is to do all of the makeover myself, EXCEPT for replacing the toilet.  I will hire a plumber to do that because . . . toilet . . . eeeew.

Here’s what’s on the to-do list:

• Paint the walls (they lean too purple for my liking) (I did it! Check out the new paint and the DIY Polka Dot Accent Wall here!)
• Paint the vanity and replace the hardware
• Possibly paint the mirror
• Replace the sink faucets
• Replace the lighting
• Clean floor grout and re-seal
• Paint the tub (I did it! Click that link to see the process and how good it looks now!)
• Paint the tub faucet/hardware (This is finished! Click that link to learn how I spray painted the faucet and fixtures)
• Replace the toilet
• Decorate!

How long will this take me?  The truth is, I don’t know!  I can’t put myself on any timelines, but I hope to have it finished before August when our guests come.  (Check out the Office / Guest Room Combo Makeover I recently completed in anticipation of their arrival!)

Update: you can see the completed bathroom makeover at that link!

Modern Vintage Bathroom Design Plan

Now, it’s VERY unlike me to put together a design plan before I tackle a space.  I usually just see where things take me and design as I go along.

In this case, I was really struggling with a direction, and putting together a plan helped me get myself organized.  I didn’t have a vision for this room like I usually do with others, but seeing this all come together on a digital mood board gave me the clarity I need to make this bathroom look updated with a modern vintage feel.

So this is the direction this bathroom is heading, and I’m really excited about it!  The blue/green paint for the vanity is beautiful, and I love that it’s staying true to all of the green accents throughout my home, while bringing in some blues that I love, too.

Here are the sources for these modern vintage bathroom decor pieces, in case you’re interested (some of these are affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here):

• Matte black faucet
• Wood shower bench
• 5-light vintage vanity light
• Black dot artwork
• Vanity paint
• Machine washable vintage-look rug
• Dome ceiling fixture
• White hexagon floor tile
• Round wood wall shelf

So, there you have it!  I hope you’ll be excited to follow along as I update this bathroom over the next few months.  I’ll make sure to share updates here, as well as on Instagram and TikTok!