Bathroom redo advice/help

SusieBW

We're gutting our bathroom and redoing the whole thing.  I want a beach cottage kind of feel.  It's a small, full bathroom in a ranch house.  So far the only thing I have picked for sure is the floor tile, which is a grey/whitewash weathered wood-look style (pic below).  I also want to do 4' high beadboard wainscoting on the walls, and I'm torn between painting that white or a really pale gray.  It's a really small bathroom - my contractor told me we need 60 sq ft of floor tile, and that's taking into account the (current) closet space and accounting for breakage and cutting during installation.
 
What should I look at for shower tiles?  I was thinking white subway tile because its kind of timeless, but would that fit?

I need a lower profile vanity, but I tend to like the ones that look like re-purposed dressers.  I don't even know what color finish I should be looking for, though.

Vessel sink or standard?  I guess this depends on the vanity cabinet, right?

This is the floor:



I'll take any other advice anyone has for me, too.  Thanks!

labro

I think a white subway tile with a gray/charcoal grout would go perfectly with the wood-looking ceramic tile that you're thinking of.

I personally am not crazy about vessel sinks. They seem like a pain to keep clean and I feel like it'll be a thing where 10 years down the road people will look at them and be like "whoever thought that looked nice?". I dunno, JMO. It may not hurt to talk to your contractor about what he sees in homes too for ideas. Also, you'd need to be sure to get a faucet with a really high arc that will work with that kind of sink.

What is your vanity like now? It is possible to just refurbish it? Replace the top, paint or stain the the wood? What's missing from it that you would like to have?

SusieBW

The vanity we have now, while it's a 36" vanity, just feels too big in the space.  But when I look at vanities, I can't see putting something smaller than that into a full bathroom.  I know that the work we're doing is going to open the whole thing up a little more, but I'd still like to reclaim some of that floor space.

I like the idea of gray or charcoal grout with the white tiles - it would be easier to keep clean, too!

Also, medicine cabinets are the bane of my existence.  We currently have a huge mirror on the wall over the sink - unfinished edges and all - it was there when we bought the house 7 years ago.  Part of me wants to throw some crown molding around it to make it look nice, but part of me feels like I'm giving up storage space by getting a smaller vanity, so I should try and make up for it with a medicine cabinet that has some storage in it.  Any advice?

labro

I would definitely frame out your mirror! That's how we have ours in our master bath and it makes a HUGE difference!

What I really care about in a master bathroom is counter space and storage. I don't want a dinky counter, I want space I can pull my makeup out on, or do whatever I need, and not bump elbows with my husband the whole entire time. We're incredibly lucky in that we have a massively long vanity with two sinks so we have a ton of room for everything. If you have the space, I've seen A LOT of images of two separate his and her style vanities in master bathrooms and I think they look really adorable. I don't care for medicine cabinets either so for me that means I'm focusing on improving what storage I have in my vanity and my linen closet.

julieanne912

Just a note about vessel sinks...they suck, especially if you're on the shorter side. I've used them before and I felt like water just splashed everywhere.  Stick with an undermount.

SusieBW

Thank you guys for the insight about vessel sinks.  I've heard that about splashing, too.  I always thought they were sort of space-saving, which is why the possibility was in my head.  But when I think of it the way that @labro put it, as a passing trend that we will all question in the future, I think that's a really good point.  I think I will stick with something more classic.

rajrangjaipur

Hi @SusieBW,

It's a great thing that you are renovating your bathroom. I really like the grey/white weathered floor. I would suggest TileShop for the shower tiles. It's a good store offering a variety of shower tiles. You can buy from there.

Erikan73

I personally vote for white subway tile & white grout for shower tile. It's a timeless look. And if in the future you decide that you are tired of the gray tiles or if a future buyer doesn't like gray, they are only looking at replacing the flooring which is typically less expensive & easier to replace then shower tile.

Another vote against vessel sinks. They are cool, but unless this is a house you see yourself in long term, I would skip it. I think they are unique to ones personal taste.

For additional storage space look into a medicine cabinet you can install over your sink or one of those units that has doors & shelves that has legs that go next to your toilet. Basically making it a medicine cabinet deal but without having to mount anything to the wall.

SusieBW

We ended up doing white subway tile with gray grout, and a gray glass and stone mosaic for the accent stripe and niche.  The shower tiling just started yesterday, so there's no grout yet and the accent tile isn't even in yet.  I'll post a picture when it's done.  For the vanity, we went with a traditional sink, and the cabinet is a dark brown.  I cannot wait for it to be done.  We're a week and a half in, and I'm growing weary of showering at the gym.

EdwardECharette

Hello friend,You seem to have a clear plan about the redesigning. I had my bathroom remodelled around 5 months back. I am still basking in the latest fad  it has brought. My bathroom was  badly in need of an enhancement. I had the professional help from Avonlea Renovations in getting my bathroom renovated. In your case I think you are already under the guidance of  a contractor. I just loved the tile color and design.  I think you should go for vessel than the standard. For more help on renovation ideas refer : http://www.avonlearenovations.com/blog/home-renovations/5-renovation-tips-for-a-beautiful-bathroom/