Isn’t it funny how home projects can divert so far from your original vision? The only item from our original design plan for the carriage house bathroom that ended up in the actual room was the showerhead!
I’m totally okay with that.
Our goal with the space was to create a functional bathroom for guests while staying true to the Craftsman design elements of our historic home.
The bath during construction
I was originally convinced a bold pattern tile was the way to go, but as we walked through tile store after tile store, I fell in love with the idea of a classic black hex. We purchased a few different options for the different spaces we were tiling and laid them out in the unfinished space. This helped us visualize the final space and pick the choice that was best. We returned the others when we went to purchase the rest of the selected tile.
CONSTRUCTION ADVICE: We negotiated with our contractor to purchase some of our own materials (tile, light fixtures, faucets) before we signed the contract. It allowed us to pick exactly what we wanted and save the overhead costs that the builder charged for purchasing on our behalf. We always sent the link to the project manager before purchasing to make sure it would work and in the case of tile, that we were purchasing the right amount. There were some items, like the tub, that the builder was able to get cheaper than we could, so always ask!
We chose a large format subway tile for the shower surround to minimize the amount of white grout that would need to be cleaned. In a small bathroom, we also wanted to be careful not to overwhelm the space, so a larger tile in the shower helped with that too. The tile from the floor was repeated inside the shower cubbies to pull everything together.
TILE DETAILS AT BOTTOM OF POST
TUB // FAUCET AND SHOWERHEAD // SHOWER CURTAIN // SHOWER CURTAIN ROD // BATHMAT
The industrial towel hooks were a fun DIY project that only cost us a few dollars. We added these textured towels for more dimension.
Check out our towel rack DIY here.
The vanity was the hardest item to source. Our original blueprints had a wider bathroom, however as we finalized the kitchenette, we realized we needed to reclaim a few inches for a french door refrigerator to fit. The result was a space that was only 24” wide for the vanity. This 18” vanity fit the space perfectly! Bonus: it also matched our wood floors in the rest of the unit!
We swapped out the silver faucet it came with for an antique bronze faucet that matches the water-saving showerhead and fixtures we bought for the tub. The lever on the toilet was also swapped to match – one of those details that could be distracting if we had left silver and was an easy $20 upgrade. A narrow mirror and matching vanity lighting completed the space (the prices on both are incredible!).
VANITY // FAUCET // MIRROR // VANITY LIGHTS
The finishing touch was to add a basket for our guests with travel sized toiletries in case they forgot any, as well as extra toilet paper rolls.
I’m in love with how this small space turned out! It may have been far off of our original plan, but there isn’t a thing I would change about it!
SOURCE LIST
WALL PAINT: Sherwin Williams Alabaster
TRIM PAINT: Sherwin Williams Pure White
FLOOR TILE: Festival Matte Black Hexagon Porcelain Mosaic (Floor & Decor exclusive; similar here) with Mapei Avalanche unsanded grout
SHOWER TILE: FestivalBright White Ice Ceramic 4×10 Wall Tile (Floor & Decor exclusive; similar here) with Mapei Avalanche unsanded grout
DOOR // DOOR KNOB (more on our vintage-look doorknobs here)
VANITY AND SINK // FAUCET // MIRROR // VANITY LIGHTING
TUB // SHOWERHEAD AND BATH FIXTURES // SHOWER CURTAIN // SHOWER CURTAIN ROD // CURTAIN RINGS
TOILET // BRONZE TOILET LEVER // WIRE TOILETRIES BASKET // TOILET PAPER HOLDER // TRASH CAN