Bringing My Bathroom Back to Vintage Life
In 2021, after living in our home for a year, we finally took on our first renovation (with professional help). Though I could easily have chosen one of several rooms for our first renovation, we ultimately decided on the main bathroom for a few reasons:
It had A LOT of problems. We knew there were some active leaks that needed fixing; they had been band-aid fixed during our first year of living here. The garden tub was far too big for the space; the light fixtures hung too low and caused many headaches. I could go on.
Honestly, it was ugly. The bathroom had been renovated in the 90’s, and you could definitely tell. The room was basically wall to wall brown tile. It was incredibly lifeless and a little cave-like.
I thought the bathroom really needed to better reflect the age and style of our home. Our cute 1900’s craftsman deserves a cute bathroom true to the time-period. It was a great option to flex my design muscles truly for the first time.
BEFORE The kitchen was brown, dated, and a little cave-like. The garden tub took up a lot of space and had been leaking for years. Little counter space and low-hanging light fixtures (for a very tall couple) caused a lot of headaches.
The Design Process:
I wanted to bring the bathroom back to life in a way that felt appropriate to the age and style of our home, but still colorful, bright, and airy. The whole look of the bathroom started with these sconces from Anthropologie. I’d been eyeing them for years and absolutely loved how they evoked that classic hex-tile look but in a fresh and modern way.
The layout had to change in one major way- switching the tub to a shower. Now, I love a bathtub. However, the garden tub took up so much space in the bathroom and wasn’t installed correctly originally. It had been leaking for years, and we knew there was some damage in the subfloor. We decided a nice, large shower would serve us better while making the room feel larger. Don’t worry though - there’s still a tub upstairs.
The Renovation:
The renovation was……stressful to say the least. We knew there was some damage going into the reno, but there ended up being way more than we thought. Our contractor literally told it was the worst she had ever seen! Everything had to be fixed: foundation, sub-floor, electrical, plumbing. You name it; it was updated.
The Result
I’m so happy with how our bathroom turned out! I love that it looks appropriate to our historic home, but still feels true to my personal style. I love rooms that are bright, airy, and feminine, but still have a vintage touch. I think our bathroom is the prefect blend of that.
The mint green is so fresh and clean feeling, while the black and white tile and details give the vintage feel. We also went from 2 sinks to 1 with the vanity (we don’t get ready at the same time, it’s totally fine). However, we added more storage and counter space - important in a tight space! 2 open shelves from Target add a bit of warmth and a place for me to display some cute things.
Overall, she’s cute; she’s functional. I’m proud of myself for designing something with a blank slate and proud of us for living through our first reno! Now the kitchen!
The Cost
I think it’s important to discuss cost around design and get rid of the taboo currently surrounding the topic. Cost is something everyone getting into home ownership and renovation (especially in an older home) should be aware of. The total cost of our bathroom was around $35,000. I KNOW- it seems like a lot. It is a lot. However, we had extensive water damage that had to be fixed. There were 3 major leaks happening with the tub, shower, and toilet. We had the entire bottom structure replaced. Not to mention, lots of electrical and new plumbing work as well. Overall, the structural repairs ended up being about a quarter of the entire renovation cost.
Not every renovation has to be incredibly expensive. But sometimes, fixing from the ground up is necessary. Despite the cost, I’m happy that are bathroom is complete, beautiful, and, most importantly, safe.
Links:
Wall Color: Sherwin-Williams Mint Condition
Counter Accessories (Soap Dispenser; Toothbrush Holder)
You can also see our bathroom on Apartment Therapy!
