She Turned Her Builder-Grade Bathroom into a Serene, Parisian Escape
Bathrooms are where people quietly begin their day or practice much-needed TLC after a long one. It’s a super-personal room that isn’t often visited by guests — it’s meant to solely cater to you. Some bathrooms might transport you to other places (say, a spa), but they’re often not originally in that condition — especially if it’s a builder-grade home.
Cozy-enthusiast Lauren Alexander’s original bathroom is a prime example of one such space. The original building was an early 1900s house, but was turned into condos in 2016. She had a “decent-sized bathroom, but it felt very tight” because half of the room was a giant whirlpool tub.
Unsurprisingly, the builder-grade features just weren’t going to work in Lauren’s bathroom. Plus, “the shower was so dark and dingy,” Lauren admits. “It was really beige and boring!”
She Didn’t Want to Change the Size, Just Maximize the Space
Lauren made a plan to keep her bedroom’s ensuite bathroom the same size, but “make better use of the space.” Because she had been renovating other areas of her home, she had a pretty good idea of how she was going to design the bathroom, as she learned a lot during the other transformations.
Paris and Vintage Decor Inspired the Bathroom’s Makeover
Lauren’s first step was to get inspiration and determine what she wanted her bathroom to look like. “I then started collecting my fixtures and materials in a PowerPoint so I could see it all together,” Lauren says.
A friend referred Lauren to a contractor who worked with her through everything. “I worked closely with them to explain my design, especially because I added a lot of custom details,” she shares.
Lauren decided on a traditional, Parisian aesthetic with vintage decor and custom details — like a narrow board and batten and an arch to the shower entrance.
A Larger Shower and Paint Brightened the Now-Airy Space
Along with the arched shower entrance, she had the contractor knock down the pony wall to make the shower bigger, but the arch is what made it feel brighter.
“The space itself doesn’t get a lot of natural light, so it was important to create an openness to help it feel less dark,” Lauren describes.
To help brighten the bathroom, Lauren also chose lighter paint colors: Farrow & Ball’s “Borrowed Light” on the narrow board and batten, and Farrow & Ball’s “Wevet” on the rest of the walls. The pale blue tied to the aesthetic Lauren was going for, and the off-white paint made the bathroom feel warmer than the single window allowed.
Plus, Lauren added brass wall sconces on each side of the double vanity mirrors for even more light. The mirrors were actually brass arched medicine cabinets that the contractor was able to insert into the wall to create a seamless look with hidden storage.
Her Second Condo Renovation Reflects Her True Design Style
But Lauren and her contractor still ran into a few issues. “I learned that toilets come in different sizes — 10” and 12” rough-ins,” Lauren shares.
Lauren learned the hard way that her toilet was not the standard 12” and she had to reorder a new one, which delayed the process. The tub also didn’t fit through the bathroom’s doorway, and they were forced to remove the frame for extra clearance.
But even through those hiccups and the struggle of having her bedroom be a part of the construction zone, it was completely worth it.
“If you are designing a space on your own and are making it custom, be sure to guide your contractor along the way,” Lauren advises. “I played a significant role in helping my contractor bring my vision to life. It’s really a partnership!”
Plus, because this was her second major project in her condo transformation, she was more confident in her design skills and knows that this bathroom reflects her true style.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
