A Bathroom’s Stunning Renovation Makes Much Smarter Use of the Space
Many homeowners give spaces in their homes “mini makeovers” while saving up for more major renovations. These rooms usually function well enough, but they just need a minor facelift and aesthetic change to better fit the homeowner’s style and needs. Michelle Dickson (@2thesunnyside) gave her primary bathroom one of these mini makeovers several years ago, but during the Spring 2024 One Room Challenge, it was finally time to give the bathroom an entirely new personality.
The mini makeover consisted of pink “paint and decals … to update the dated maple cabinet and white tile floor with green grout,” Michelle describes. “While this did make the bathroom feel better, it didn’t address the overall problems with the layout of the bathroom.”
After living with the space for eight years while upgrading other areas in the home, it was finally time to tackle this beast of a project. And although it was a lot more work than anticipated, the result is exactly what Michelle was hoping for.
A new layout allowed room for a freestanding tub.
There were several issues with how the original bathroom was laid out, from the light switches to the toilet. “In order to turn on a light I had to reach behind the door or reach past the shower door to turn on the vanity light,” Michelle says of the “before.”
And the toilet was the first thing you saw when you opened the door rather than anything aesthetically pleasing. “I had my heart set on a beautiful soaker tub, and with the current layout there was not room for a freestanding bathtub,” Michelle continues. “The overall size of the shower was very large, but with a wall it made the space seem smaller than it actually was.”
So, Michelle started from square one. She demolished the existing bathroom, and partially knocked out the wall between the bathroom and a walk-in closet to expand the space and make room for a large tub.
“Once I found a layout that would work for the space, there was no stopping me,” she says. “I jumped in with both feet to make this happen.”
A DIY tile feature wall adds drama.
Another feature that makes the bathroom feel larger? “We also added a tile feature wall,” Michelle says. “By installing the tile on the entire wall, it made the space feel so much larger.”
She chose a large black tile with white veining that mimics the look of marble, and decided to tackle the installation herself with some help from her daughter and business partner.
“While we have tiled a bathroom before, this was our first experience working with large-format tiles and making sure that each was level,” Michelle says. “We watched YouTube videos, asked questions at the tile store, and did a lot of research before installing the tile — and even then it was exhausting and frustrating at times. But we pushed through, took a day off to regroup, and were able to complete the tiling in a week’s time.”
And all that hard work paid off. The tiling looks so professional, and Michelle said that project is the one she’s most proud of. “It was so much work and stressful, and now it’s a beautiful design element in the room,” she says.
Finishing touches complete the “modern cottage” feel.
“I wanted a modern cottage feel in the room, and the fabric I chose for the drapery was the inspiration for all of the design choices for the bathroom,” Michelle said. It’s feminine and floral but with a dark boldness to it that brings a touch of elegance to the space.
Michelle also replaced the previous floor with waterproof LVP French oak flooring, and she installed shiplap on the ceiling, which “also helped make the space feel larger,” she said.
“Modern finishes in the lighting, hardware, shower enclosure bring in a modern vibe,” she continued, noting that there was just enough space left in the bathroom to add a vintage chair she had picked up at a yard sale. “I stripped off the mahogany finish and reupholstered it in a beautiful green velvet fabric,” she said. “It really adds a bit of vintage luxury to the space.”
Finally, Michelle’s primary bathroom feels like the space she always knew it could be with the right layout and finishing touches.
“I absolutely love my bathroom space,” she said. “It just functions so much better. I love that it reflects a feminine modern cottage vibe, which is totally me. The overall space feels twice as big and it just feels luxurious to me.”
This project was completed for the Spring 2024 One Room Challenge, in partnership with Apartment Therapy. See even more of the One Room Challenge before and afters here.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.