I had one of those wonderful work days when you sit at your desk in the zone, forgetting to eat lunch, refill your water or take care of basic human needs. After a long day in my 3rd floor nook I walked downstairs to find my hubs had gotten a wild hair. Our twins’ ugly eye-sore of a bathroom looked even worse for the wear. Plumbing was sticking willy-nilly out of the walls, large holes were in the flooring, and a swatch of dark paint smeared against the old chipped paint. With a huge smile on his face he said “let’s do it!”.

So with the challenge to design it all that very day, and spend under $1000, we embarked on the quickest makeover refresh to date. An internet shopping deep dive + Home Depot trip later, the new room finishes were selected that night. Less than two weeks from then, Brian had completed the space.

The Details

Tile: My favorite part of the bathroom, a bold graphic tile pops the space in a way that feels honorable to the old Victorian house, yet fresh and even whimsical for the kids.

Wall Color: This was a no brainer. I’ve been itching to paint a room black for a while. I love pairing this room boasting wainscoting & a big window with a moody counterpart. We’ve chosen Soot- Benjamin Moore which is a hue chalkier than black. One of the greatest budget tricks for transforming a space with little cost, paint it dark!

Art & Frames: A perfect moment to be uber playful for the children. A gentleman lion and a lady lioness for my Belle & Oliver watch over all future teeth brushing. Named of course; Sir James & Stella. The beaded brassy frame pops the graphic prints. I am so in love with these frames I will return to this exact same frame for future projects!

“Mr. Bunny Butt” also has a happy spot in the space, in a clean white frame from Art To Frames. I’ve returned to Art To Frames for numerous projects. They resolve that fickle issue of sizing mat & frame to art with a custom process that takes the guess work out of the process. Art To Frames size mat & frame precisely, delivered to your door within two weeks. Easy Peezy! Art To Frames has kindly extended a 15% discount to my readers with code PALM15.

Finishes & Hardware: I had a dilemma with metal finishes. Our small budget would not allow for a new sink vanity, faucet or bath hardware. Do I keep purchasing the chrome finish on the new elements? No! This is one design mistake that’s easy to make. Go with what you love! Don’t ever buy to match something that you dislike. I wanted burnished brass and gold elements to pop off the dark walls. You’ll see the finished product works just fine by mixing metals. And I am oh so happy to have these beautiful elements in the color of choice.

Anthropologie’s stunner TP holder is used for both TP and hand towel. The prettiest little shelf from a British-based company adds the only storage we need next to the sink.

Plants: A bathroom is a great place to keep a larger tropical plant. They thrive in the moisture of the bathroom. The bird of Paradise I’ve added additionally needs access to light, and this bathroom is blessed with a great big window. I love the jungle effect the greenery adds to the space.

Rug: A vintage Turkish rug (an Etsy find) warms up the otherwise contrasting palette. Just small enough to soak up wet feet, but not so big as to take away from the show-stopping tile.

Mirror, Sink & Lighting: In keeping with the old apothecary style finishes, I loved the look of this unusual light. The borderless mirror is intentionally kept simple. The sink is a hold-out. I have a beautiful wall-mounted sink in my shopping cart at Rejuvenation to purchase in a couple of months. In the meantime the original sink seems to disappear into all of the fun new elements.

All of these elements determined in one evening. It was such a great practice for me to let go of obsessing over details. Each pick was based on my first instincts, without over-thinking. The result is a bathroom that feels moody and chic enough to match the Victorian but light and playful to create a space my kiddos want to return to each day.

The once mundane task of forcing children to bathe and brush is now a highlight of our week!