Before and After: This Ranch Basement Got a Brand New $3K Bathroom
Some of you are going to mourn the loss of these pink ’60s tiles, but after 18 years of living with multiple similarly-hued bathrooms, the owners of this home were ready for anything but pink.
Reader Jennifer Anderson has kindly submitted this project—here’s some insight into what led to it:
Our 1961 ranch only has two bathrooms, one of which was this sad pink nightmare. We’d spent six years in a pink bathroom in our previous apartment and 12 with another pink bathroom in this, our first house. When we fell into some Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal money we decided to make a change.
This is the opposite of this bathroom’s previous incarnation. The concrete-looking floor and wall tiles have the perfect industrial look for a basement, while the wood-paneled wall adds needed warmth and organic beauty. The new sink also has an industrial beauty that pairs well with the concrete, and since this is a powder room, eliminating the under-sink storage probably didn’t cause too many problems. The cute crates can hold toilet paper, cleaning supplies, tampons, and other essentials.
The plant is crucial for adding life to a dark room, while the darling squirrel painting adds charm—great for a family with kids, or just anyone who loves nearsighted woodland creatures.
Here’s what it took to take this bathroom from dated pink to industrial cabin chic:
We spent approximately $2,700 for all labor and materials. This included having a plumber come in to move a pipe. We had a friend that lays tile on the side come help and my husband was his apprentice for the week. Mike then finished up the rest. Almost everything is off the shelf from Home Depot and Menard’s, except the sink, which we purchased from a restaurant supply website.
Things we did not have in the bathroom before:
1) a real ceiling
2) wired lights
3) a light switch
4) an outlet
5) a DOOR (We built a cool slider from scratch that takes up zero space. And closes! Small miracles.)
This bathroom is our new little oasis in the basement. Now that the kids are bigger and actually like bathing, it’s been a game changer.
Why would a bathroom have a door or lights? People are so fragile these days. But seriously, a restaurant supply sink is such a good idea. Design companies can try to mimic industrial fixtures, but the truly industrial versions are often more attractive and more affordable.
Thank you, Jennifer!