Gray, gray or… gray?

I’m playing a bit with what hue the bathroom walls will end up. An informal poll via Twitter is favoring charcoal… but I may go even darker – a bit toward a navy… or possibly chalkboard black.

Taking inspiration from the latest issue of Anthology magazine’s cover, the House Beautiful Color app on my iPad and a favorite towel set that I’m certain I want to continue to use in the space.

Decisions, decisions… well the snow is really coming down outside so better head to the paint store and make a choice, I can always paint it again if it’s not quite right. And of course I’ll share pics of the results either way.

What are your go-to colors for your walls? Or a favorite accent for a piece of furniture or small space?

Tiny bathroom remodel, big gains

I’ve decided that heavy remodeling is like travel abroad. When you’re in it, it’s thrilling but exhausting and at times stressful, but six months later you’re all starry eyed and want to go back, or are at least only telling the good stories.

After being in our otherwise largely move-in-ready 1949 cape cod for five years with a typically pastel yellow (or other color) with black trimmed bathroom, it was time. Since we live small and this house is typical to its decade, a Jack-and-Jill bedrooms with a bath in between layout, this is our only full bathroom. That’s right suburbanites, we have only one full bath and a tiny one at that. (gasp!)

As an aside, this photo was from the prior owner, I was at least limping along a bit better than this reflects.

We planned, loosely, consulted my family who are notorious for thoughtful “a-ha” solutions and priced various materials. Then we just put a hammer through a wall, and so it began…

We spent two days demo’ing, two more hanging cement and green board for the new walls, solving problems along the way, and a day was spent on wiring, plumbing changes and so on. On the following morning we went out for breakfast… and hired someone to finish the tile.

Lots of fun design choices and functional changes have really improved the obviously tiny space.

• replacing the yellow and black nonsense is ahhhhh-inducing white 2/3rd-scale subway tile with gray grout (hello no staining!)
• beautifully veined marble for the floors replaced poorly installed
• mini tiles and icky worn white grout
• inset soap shelf, marble lined to match the floors (goodbye janky shower head rack!)
• rounded shower curtain bar increased elbow room
• old three handle shower converted to single handle
• mod sink with single handle faucet, deep bowl for bathing tiny ones & pets, actual ledges for soap and such—even has hooks for holding blow dryer and flat irons and a super cute makeup tray that tucks into the medicine cabinet perfectly
• storage cabinet instead of pedestal
• ceramic bowls tuck into each cabinet opening hiding even more necessities
• much larger, though not inset, medicine cabinet—mirrored on the sides, front, inside of the door AND the back of it—glam’o'rus
• secret pass through (not shown, still needs trim and cabinet door) to adjacent hall closet gives access to towels and TP from inside this room
• hooks for towels replace a dated black vinyl wrapped bar, making space for multiple towels to hang dry
• nevermind the small things like a vent fan, quiet-close toilet seat (seriously how have I lived without this before!)

To Do Yet: Paint color for the walls, suggestions for shower curtains also welcome. White by default at this moment.