BM Yarmouth Blue for the walls. Until you can get some wiring done over by the toilet, you can put in a batter-operated motion light on the beam, maybe on the underside of the beam so that it faces the floor

Boy or girl?

Nobody bonks their head on that angled beam?

What do you dislike about it so much, besides storage and light in the WC area?

Is it used exclusively by one gender? Do the users have opinions or preferences?

Thank you for your replies.

The bath is shared by my 2 sons, ages 16 and 14. When we have overnight guests they will also use that bath. My sons do not care much, I am forbidden to have a flowered shower curtain.

BPA- no one bonks there head on the ship's knee, the angle of the photograph distorted the proportions and made that look possible, but it's not.

Mtn- Good question- what does bother me about the space? I am bothered because it doesnt feel pulled together. I am bother that while there is open space, there is not space for things.

What kinds of things do you need to store?

(I like the deep blues photoshopped in above.)

I dislike the countertop clutter, maybe I need to enforce that the boys need to put things in the drawers regularly. My house doesnt have a linen closet, so storage for towels and sheets is tight. Additionally one of my sons is a T1 diabetic so there are pump supplies, syringes, and sharps disposal.

I would replace the mirror with a large recessed mirrored cabinet. We have one from Rejuvenation we like a lot. I would add a second one over the toilet.

I might also install a shelf above the vanity to hold things.

I cannot tell windows and doors, but with such a large room it seems you could add a furniture piece for storage. Maybe even an old armoire ... those area always for sale. Or a book case you outfit with baskets.

I think my starting point aesthetically would be the shower curtain. Maybe look at Urban Outfitters or somesuch for something the boys might like .. eg World Maps. Or Cafe Press. Or even Etsy. That is really a good start for a focal point, and then you can pull out paint colors, rugs, etc. With such a large space I would use a Dash and Albert rug rather than a bath rug per se.

I would also mount a long board with hooks, making it easy for them to hang up towels. Maybe do some beadboard.

What is in the alcove that is 40x30? That looks like it could be closed in for a linen closet. It also looks like you have room along the 115" wall for a storage cabinet. If you can get storage elsewhere I would forgo the cabinet over the toilet....I've always found them a little awkward.

I think a blue/grey would be pretty but if the boys don't want a blue then I would go with a color from your floor tile.... either a taupe or golden tan. Chocolate brown might work as well.

Joanie is right, a cab over the toilet is hard to reach and also asking for trouble. It's a last resort for lesser used things IMHO.

Is there not enough room in the vanity? Or are they simply not putting things away? If they are simply not putting things away, I'm not sure that creating more storage space will solve the countertop clutter problem. They have drawers which are just about the easiest possible forum of storage to access.

If the drawers are full of other needed items, then I agree that medicine cabinets in place of the mirror might help. In general, the closer the storage is to the point of use, the more likely people in my family are to actually use the storage.

If you need more storage for bigger items, like towels, spare to toilet paper or diabetes supplies, I agree that a free standing cabinet or armoire makes sense.

I also agree that the cabinet over the toilet is probably hard to access as well as not near the point of use for anything that is stored there. We have successfully used a train rack in that location in our small master bathroom, but it looks like you have more room and therefore better options for that kind of storage.

Joanie, you enter the bath through the 30 1/2 " space, that is the doorway. Then you turn right 90 degrees to face the tub.

I think I will start with replacing the shower rod with a curved one, and a new mirror. I will not do a recessed medicine cabinet because I dont want to do the framing- my DH has enough projects on his plate right now.

Art/wall decor, new mats and shower curtain might bring it all together.

The countertop clutter issues is probably a 'putting away" problem which I will keep close tabs on for a couple of weeks, before moving forward. I rarely go into this room as the boys are self sufficient. Maybe I need to go in more for stricter enforcement. I have an old jelly cupboard I can move into the room for linen storage.

If it were my bathroom, I might go with a gray brown color for the walls. I would also change out the mirror and add a really cool armoire or some sort of storage cabinet. Check out CL. Adding a nice rug and some art, a nice solid curtain with a curved curtain rug would all be a great improvement.

I love your space. It has such interest!

Definitely get a curved shower rod, esp. with teen boys. Makes a huge difference in terms of space.

Here's my suggestions

Thanks Annie, I really like your suggestions. Can you clarify, are you suggesting a different slightly darker shade for the toilet area?

Anyone have recommendations for the curved shower rod? Some have round rods, others have oval or squared off rods- is one better than the other?

Thoughts on a patterned curtain and a plainer rug, like Annie's mock up, versus a wilder rug and a tamer curtain?

I will move the jelly cupboard into the space and take pictures later today for your opinions :)

Yes I am suggesting 2 colors...you have a fairly large, open space, and I think by making the WC area a shade darker it will make it feel more private and it will help parse it from the rest of space, bringing it all into better proportion.

If that is a can light over the pot, you might consider replacing it with a pendant which could add more light by bringing the source closer to the person.

Of course that is just one color way ... the backgrounds in the room are so neutral, you can take it in almost any direction. I started with the shower curtain and went from there.

Our master bath has a cabinet above the toilet. It goes wall-to-wall, 45"wx30"h, and it is great, easy-to-access storage for toilet paper, shampoo, soap, towels, and our travel kits. And it fills an otherwise empty space. It's about 9" or so below the ceiling, nothing on top but dust (I think, I don't go up there to look lol!) We have two framed prints below, above the tank. I don't know what I'd do without it!

i think i would chose a gray for the walls--- get a cool shower curtain- i would get their input on the curtain or at least keep in mind their likes/interests/taste when selecting it!! change it to more grown up or feminine after they leave home! if you don't want to recess a med cab, what about a non recessed one?? i think having a good sized mirrored cabinet right there will help with the clutter! i would get a larger light too. put a cabinet on the long wall for towels and tp and remove the tiny cab over the toilet- I'd only keep that if you had girls and needed to store hyg products...

Yes, as busybee said no need to recess a medicine cabinet....there are beautiful ones that are finished on the sides and not meant to be recessed. I have to confess...I have a huge vanity with drawers but do tend to leave the daily use stuff sitting on the counter too.

Maybe save painting for last since you already have a nice, neutral color. Get your shower curtain, rugs, towels, etc..you may not have to paint.

One option would be to get a wooden medicine chest and mount it on the wall where the towel ring is now...if you decide the storage need is really for small narrow stuff.

I like the darker color for the entire bath that Annie posted. I would go with a brown cabinet and a white shower curtain. I love the natural rug.I like this one for its simplicity. shower curtain

I love Annie's mock-up & the colors are great. My first thought was a white shower curtain until you said you had boys. We have 2 and you don't want white with boys unless you're planning to wash quite often. If you are planning to put a chest in the recessed space, do you really need additional storage around the toilet or the sink? If not, I put extra toilet paper in a basket I bought at Target and it's on the floor, but you could easily put it on the back of the toilet. In our guest bath, I put extra rolled towels on a rack behind the toilet.

For the curved shower rod, look at BB&B or Lowes or HD. The main thing is to make sure you mount it far enough out so that you get the full effect of the curve but not so far so that the curtain liner doesn't fit well within the tub. This requires a little 'fitting' of the rod (maybe even putting the curtain/liner on) before attaching to make sure it fits well.

My husband has a train rack over his toilet for extra towels, rolled. That looks nice and works well.

If I were decorating for teen boys, I would go in a different direction. Eg like the below .... FYI these Dash and Albert rugs come in many sizes, and they are indoor/ outdoor, too. Largely indestructible yet soft on feet.

Whether you do a med cab or not, the mirror over the vanity doesn't have enough visual weight IMHO. I'd also get new hardware to refresh the vanity and add interest. I might try to repeat the color of the beam with another furniture piece.

Edited to add ... I was going to recommend a med cabinet made from old luggage (it has shelves in it and is totally functional and actually a lot less then the Rejuv ones I like). I went to link to Etsy, and the seller has a picture of the one he did for me, in my house in Maine, lol!)

luggage med cab

One more edit: a knob possibility for the vanity.

I'd go with more of a fun and more modern/rustic space with two boys, using a shower curtain as a starting point. You can even make your own pictures into a shower curtain.

Curved shower rods are great. Check reviews in the bathroom forum and elsewhere before buying as apparently rust is a problem with some.

If you want to go with a nautical theme, I have always thought the sail cloth shower curtains are interesting.

But I'd probably go with something that interests your boys if that's possible. (In my house that would have meant a bright orange and black bathroom for the SF Giants but that was not happening.)

Depending on how much you want to spend, the lighting and faucet could also use a refresh. I might do brass (a natural one) or an ORB.