In January, the readers and editors of Apartment Therapy and Blueprint/
Bluelines are teaming up to start the year off right -- with a home project.
So here's ours: we have a tub room. Our little apartment has no shower, only a full-size, luxurious claw-foot tub, and we love it -- we love the time it makes us take in the morning to sit and relax. But being so utilitarian, we've completely overlooked the potential for this space to be beautiful.
If the before picture doesn't say it all, here are the issues we're addressing with our makeover (after the jump)...
The main challenge is that what should be a sanctuary for the bathing ritual is completely open on all four sides.
- The tub room opens out to the bedroom (opens metaphorically; there's no door), with a clear glass door to the bathroom beyond.
- Yes, the door to the bathroom is clear.
- To the sides of the tub, one window faces the public pathway to our house. Another generous opening looks out to the kitchen.
- Also, the tension pole for bathing supplies is ugly.
Here's our plan:
- Cover the glass bathroom door and window to the outside with window film.
- Create an adjustable privacy solution for the window to the kitchen (we'd like to be able to keep it open when we don't have company).
- Remove all the weird hooks and hardware leftover from previous tenants' shower contraptions, and cover the holes.
- Install a real shelf to replace the shower shelf pole.
- Hang artwork.
Suggestions and tips welcome on all of the above!
If you'd like to join us and complete a project around the house in early 2008 (and possibly win a prize in the process) you simply need to:
- read all the details here
- pick your project
- take a before photo or two
- get your supplies together...and we'll all be ready to go in January.
Next up for our tub room: we go shopping. More to follow on this and projects from other AT editors and readers in the New Year...
I've got one of those tension pole things in my bathroom too -- it works well, but yeah they are kind of ugly.
I've been too afraid to drill holes in my apartment wall to mount a shelf though...
Good luck!
view design1thru7's profile
i'd definitely hang a nice heavy curtain over the kitchen opening. would provide a warm and luxurious feel that could easily be shifted when you don't need privacy. i'd get something washable, like the target waffle-weave shower curtain.
view pinko's profile
It's interesting that you haven't mentioned color...
I'm intrigued by a room for nothing but bathing and think I would go all out to make it an even more special experience.
How about enveloping it (walls and ceiling) in a dark midnight blue with white tile floor, glossy white shelves, etc. and a small selection of incredibly beautiful Mexican or Morrocan tiles around the inside of window to kitchen, door frame, etc., depending on how many you can afford. I used these colors in my very small bathroom (although it has white tiles half way up walls and throughout shower) and it is amazing. Instead of making it look smaller, it makes the walls and ceiling absolutely disappear. It is extremely relaxing. I then placed six Mexican tiles (on sale for $7 each) sprinkled here and there in the white tile areas (including two in glassed in shower). It looks clean, exotic and fabulous.
You could also get little glossy white shelves to put candles on. When they were lit it would be like bathing outdoors and night!
Final touch: white sheepskin rug. They're waterproof and wonderful to stand on while you dry off.
Enjoy!
view Lavren's profile
Thanks Lavren! I love the idea of Moroccan tiles (am admittedly very into the Moroccan thing right now). Maybe it's not so visible in the picture, but the floor is covered in tiny blue tiles, of the color I think you're thinking of for the walls.
Unfortunately, I am completely limited to "styling" this room rather than redoing it -- as a renter I can't paint or tile. But I can nail holes in the walls for shelves...
view Dani's profile