This Cabin Bathroom’s Redwood Paneling Was Fully Restored — And It’s Stunning
“[The bathroom] hadn’t been updated since the early ’80s, and it showed. The space was beige on beige,” Anthony Rodriguez says about the cabin he shares with his husband, Garrett Omeste. As the designer and founder of 136 Home, a lifestyle and interior design blog, Anthony is familiar with transforming spaces (like his San Francisco house) that simply don’t work and making them feel like home.
The goal was to make it a space where the magic of the cabin was reflected. “What soul was once there had clearly gone,” Anthony adds. But the bones of the cabin were good, and he knew he could coax the redwood paneling to life again. He began sketching and designing the bathroom to make the mid-century modern architecture feel like a retreat with a large picture window and earth tones to complement the cabin’s Northern California location and Sea Ranch style.
“There were things I loved: the scale of the tiles, the original redwood walls, the brass window sash, and especially that picture-frame window above the tub — a view too good to lose,” Anthony shares. “But there was just as much I didn’t.”
Before any of the exciting details could begin, new electrical, fixed plumbing, a retrofitted well for water, and freshly sanded wood were required.
Restoring the Original Redwood Paneling
Sanding the warped original Redwood paneling became the last step before new tiles could be brought in. After three rounds of sanding, Anthony jokes about being a pro at sanding and restoring wood. “My belt sander and I are besties. I’ve become a master at knowing exactly which grit of sandpaper to use on any surface, and I can apply Old Masters like a true craftsman,” he explains.
But Anthony was glad he stuck with preserving what was original. Not only is Redwood nearly impossible to replicate, but “It has lived so many lives, and I love that we brought it back so it can shine again,” Anthony notes.
“The second I saw that warm sheen return, I knew we’d made the right call,” Anthony continues. It’s one of his favorite features because of the way the wood warms the space and makes it feel like a lived-in, quiet luxury.
A Flood from a Burst Pipe Almost Made Them Give Up
The project’s progress was quickly derailed five months after Anthony and Garrett purchased the cabin. “An old, brittle kitchen sink pipe had burst while we were away, and when we returned after two weeks, we walked into a pool of water in our sunken living room,” Anthony explains. Essentially, it flooded the entire downstairs — including the bathroom.
“Truly the lowest point in our entire renovation journey. We almost gave up,” Anthony says. But he and Garrett pushed through and ripped out all the damaged flooring in the kitchen — forcing them to design most of the cabin all at once, instead of their original plan to go room by room.
During this setback, Anthony learned that renovations take time and everything can be fixed, so “don’t spiral over the small stuff,” he advises. He then approached his designs for the rest of the cabin with intention and care for everything he and Garrett dreamed for their space.
The Marriage of Old and New Features
After the wood was restored, tiling was next. Anthony picked out Evergreen 4×4 Fireclay Tile and made it the star of the bathroom. “I love how it catches the light and is already aging so beautifully,” Anthony says.
“[The tile] was this perfect marriage of old and new, honoring the bones of the cabin while elevating it with materials and fixtures that feel intentional and timeless,” Anthony describes. They added Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace paint to the tile wainscotting on the wall with the his-and-his sinks, brightening the space enough not to feel heavy with the refurbished wood paneling and dark Evergreen tiles.
Layering new tile, textures, and hardware with the original wood blended the cabin’s story of past and present. “Now the space feels like it’s always belonged exactly this way,” Anthony comments.
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