Primary bathroom refresh: small ideas to inspire you! This post motivated me to refresh our bathroom. We always have several home projects in the works. A deadline, like a group post, is sometimes the only thing that gets the project to the finish line!
When we moved to our current home, built in 1920, it had been remodeled, creating a primary bathroom from a small bedroom. The bathroom had some excellent features, but a refresh with some cosmetic changes was needed. Everything needed a fresh coat of paint for a fresh look. We bought three samples in similar colors from Home Depot and decided on Stonington from Farrow & Ball using Behr paint.
We find that Farrow & Ball’s Colour Card with only 132 colors really helps in selecting the right color. DId you know you can order one of their colour cards for free, with free shipping too?
Where we started with our primary bathroom refresh: small ideas to inspire you
Vanity & Cabinet Hardware – Never underestimate paint
The bathroom vanity cabinet has marble countertops and pretty fixtures, but the existing vanity was in pretty bad shape—nothing a little paint couldn’t fix. The Stonington wall color with flat black hardware from Emtek made a huge difference from the all-white walls, floor, and cabinetry.
We use Emtek all through out our home and have for years. Click here to find a dealer neatr you.
Mirror (two mirrors rather than one outdated mirror)
Above the double vanity was a large, built-in framed mirror that was very dated. When we exchanged the lights inside the mirror, it cracked in two places. The hardest part of the entire bathroom refresh was removing the mirror and drywalling the wall.
Once Brent tackled the drywall part of the refresh, we ordered two new mirrors from Wayfair. They are a budget-friendly option that is exactly what we wanted. The oversized mirror made the bathroom outdated. The new mirrors and sconces on each side are more of a timeless design.
Flooring (yes, you can paint tile! Another small idea that makes a big impact)
New flooring would be nice, but the mess of replacing the existing floor just did not seem worth it. We have had great results painting tile in our laundry room, so we also did it in the bathroom. Budget-friendly changes like painting the floor just made sense. It required two coats of floor paint from Sherwin Williams and one coat of protective top coat from Rust-Oleum.
We used the protective top coat in our laundry room, and after five years of heavy use, it still looks great. I hope it’s the same in the bathroom, but there is not much to lose since it took only a little time and minimal cost in materials.
Adding a new runner for a primary bathroom refresh is a must
We used a runner from NuStory Home. We have the same runner in our kitchen. It happens to be the perfect size, and look for both spaces.
The shower floor is patterned black and white marble, which looks great with the dark gray/black painted floor.
Bathroom Lighting
We used two Bistro Single Sconces from Visual Comfort. They really set the tone of the the entire refresh. The light can be bright, but we have them on dimmers, so most of the time they are set to soft lighting. They have black, antique brass and white glass. I’ve always loved mixing metals, and with the lighting, hardware, and fixtures, we have black, brass and chrome.
The bathroom has three windows, allowing a lot of natural light.
Bathtub
While I would prefer a freestanding tub, we didn’t consider changing it. We simply added a bath caddy that we made from scrap wood. If you don’t want to make one, there are so many to choose from. Organic materials like a piece of wood are just what the oversized tub needed, with a few items for the finishing touches.
New Linens
You can’t have a bathroom refresh without new towels. We chose waffle weave towels by MagicLinen from Terrain. The towels are substantial in size but feel lightweight. They dry quickly, too.
Storage
The vanity has plenty of storage, but towels occupy a lot of space. We opted for a towel ladder over a towel bar to store extra towels. A towel ladder can hold several towels of all sizes and only takes up a small space if you have the wall space for one.
Art from my camera roll on my phone is a small idea with a big impact
The new space needed art. We had a pegboard for plants on the wall above the end of the tub, but we decided we wanted a fresh look. Not wanting to spend much money on art in a bathroom, I used photographs I had taken in France last year and repurposed some frames from the kids’ apartments they no longer wanted.
I had enlargements made at Walgreens for just a few dollars, and we’re happy with the look for now.
Items we used
Bistro Single Light Sconce // Bergs Pottery // Waffle Weave Bath Towel // Savon Soap // Bath Brush // Bath Sponge // Candle // Towel Ladder // Hanoki Bar Soap // Waffle Weave face Towel // Waffle Weave Hand Towel // Nail Brush // Soapstone Bowl // Slim Sensor Trash Can // Amber Bottles for Shampoo and Conditioner from Public Goods.
As usual, great stuff!
Thank you for inspiring me all these many years.
Having a great trip, I hope.
Thank you Karen! We are having a wonderful trip and even the weather has begun to cooperate! Not that I could complain!
xo
I love what you have done to your bathroom! We are about to give a “facelift” to our primary bath and also have a built in bathtub that I want to keep. Ours has tile on two sides, which I don’t like. It is tile, like the flooring which we are replacing. Did your tub come with the wood (looks like wood in your photos) surround or did you add it? Any advice that you might provide would be very welcome. Thank you!
Hi Gretchen,
We think our bathroom had been updated maybe 15 years ago, and yes the wood was part of the design around the tub. We just painted it. It was getting very tired. We basically just painted everything (including the floor) and then replaced the large built-in mirror with two mirrors, and moved the lighting to the sides rather than above.
I think I know what you mean about tile around a built-in tub. Could you remove it? I can’t give advice wotho9ut seeing it. If you want to send a photo, you can email it to me at [email protected]
I’m not sure how helpful I can be, but I could try!
Annie your bathroom is fabulous!! I cannot believe you have never shown it! I love the artwork! You have inspired me to do something like that in our problem powder bath, Such great ideas!
Really like your bathroom! I’ve been trying to think of what I can do for our guest bath – I think you have given me lots of ideas! Thanks for sharing.
I’m ready to move in, Annie! And thank you for sharing all of these sources – those bistro lights…omg, they are perfect. Love all of the light and warmth. Really wanted to paint the existing vanity in our bath as you did but will be repurposing ours since it was easier to start fresh. Still need to add something below ledge by our tub – it is lacking life for sure. Love your ideas sooooo much! xox
This is so inspirational for our primary bath. And while we are here, I should pick up some Savon de Marseilles!
I was thinking the same thing, but it’s so heavy!
Gorgeous refurbish of your bathroom, Annie. And, how fun to enjoy your framed memories of France 2023.
Speaking of; my husband Tom and I leave Saturday for 3 weeks in France. The celebration of our 60th wedding anniversary will begin in Bordeaux with a river and wine tasting cruise. Then onto Paris for a week before visiting Normandy. I’m going to keep an eye out for you!
Hugs, Diney
Hi Diney- That sounds like an amzong trip! Sixty years! Congratulations! I think we will just miss you. We leave Paris on the 23rd. I hope you have gorgeous all weather. It’s been a little rainy and cold, so maybe by the time you arrive, it will be perfect! Safe travels!
xo
annie