Vintage, Rustic and Contemporary Elements Meet in a Guest Bath
This 60-square-foot space feels bright and happy thanks to its cheerful tile, custom vanity and starburst wallpaper
Vanity Lends a Primitive Custom Look
“We wanted to create a different and custom look for the bathroom,” Safdie says. He started with the vanity, built to fit the existing alcove to a T. One freedom a guest bath often offers is that it doesn’t have the storage requirements of a bathroom that gets everyday use. In this case, it allowed for one of the biggest designer moves, the open style of the stained Douglas fir vanity. This gives the entire room a more open feeling than cabinetry would have. Extra towels and baskets can live on its low shelf if needed, and there are two shelves over the toilet for extra tissue and toiletries.
Sink. Apron-front sinks are ubiquitous in kitchens, but we don’t see them in bathrooms very often. “The client really liked the apron sink because it brings a touch of vintage to the more contemporary design they chose,” Safdie says. Its white porcelain contrasts with the dark-stained fir, while its no-nonsense shape lends a utilitarian look that plays off the vanity’s primitive style. The simple silhouette of the brushed nickel fixtures adds a contemporary element into the mix.
Smaller Details
“We wanted to create a different and custom look for the bathroom,” Safdie says. He started with the vanity, built to fit the existing alcove to a T. One freedom a guest bath often offers is that it doesn’t have the storage requirements of a bathroom that gets everyday use. In this case, it allowed for one of the biggest designer moves, the open style of the stained Douglas fir vanity. This gives the entire room a more open feeling than cabinetry would have. Extra towels and baskets can live on its low shelf if needed, and there are two shelves over the toilet for extra tissue and toiletries.
Sink. Apron-front sinks are ubiquitous in kitchens, but we don’t see them in bathrooms very often. “The client really liked the apron sink because it brings a touch of vintage to the more contemporary design they chose,” Safdie says. Its white porcelain contrasts with the dark-stained fir, while its no-nonsense shape lends a utilitarian look that plays off the vanity’s primitive style. The simple silhouette of the brushed nickel fixtures adds a contemporary element into the mix.
Smaller Details
- The P-trap (pipe under the sink) is exposed so Safdie found one that fits in well with the rest of the brushed nickel finishes.
- Also worth noting is the way the backsplash tile extends to the floor. This gives it a strong presence rather than looking like a small, awkward chunk of tile in the middle of a field of wallpaper.
- The vanity is finished with a clear coat water-based varnish that can stand up to any splashes from the sink.
Wallpaper Brings In Old and New
While the homeowners didn’t originally request wallpaper, once the designers presented this starburst pattern they knew they wanted it. It’s a mix of old and new — the starburst pattern is from Zoffany’s archives from the early 1900s, while the hexagonal outlines around the starbursts are a geometric contemporary touch. The geometry in the pattern plays off the square backsplash tiles, boxy sink and circular mirror. “The wallpaper adds personality,” Safdie says.
Tip: Wallpaper is not for every bathroom, as water can damage some papers and humidity from shower steam can make it peel. This particular paper is made for wet rooms, and they installed a humidity sensor fan to mitigate the steam.
Wallpaper: Spark, Zoffany; mirror: Wayfair; see more round bathroom mirrors
While the homeowners didn’t originally request wallpaper, once the designers presented this starburst pattern they knew they wanted it. It’s a mix of old and new — the starburst pattern is from Zoffany’s archives from the early 1900s, while the hexagonal outlines around the starbursts are a geometric contemporary touch. The geometry in the pattern plays off the square backsplash tiles, boxy sink and circular mirror. “The wallpaper adds personality,” Safdie says.
Tip: Wallpaper is not for every bathroom, as water can damage some papers and humidity from shower steam can make it peel. This particular paper is made for wet rooms, and they installed a humidity sensor fan to mitigate the steam.
Wallpaper: Spark, Zoffany; mirror: Wayfair; see more round bathroom mirrors
Simple Tiles Introduce Squares and Circles
They never really went away in Europe, but sometime during the 1990s many Americans eschewed square 4-by-4-inch tiles, and classic subway tiles took over as the go-to shape. But here choosing a crisp white tile and composing them in a running bond pattern makes the squares look all fresh and new again. “We wanted to keep a clean look by picking simple tiles to combine with the colorful penny tiles and wallpaper,” Safdie says.
Which brings us to the penny rounds on the floor — another nod to vintage in shape but in a fresh color. The cheerful blue is a nice contrast to the white and picks up on the wallpaper’s subtler blue hues. And their small size introduces another scale to the design.
Lighting. A simple three-light sconce with glass shades provides plenty of light for makeup and does not detract from the wallpaper’s lively pattern. There are also recessed lights in the ceiling.
Tip: Putting bathroom lights on dimmers is an inexpensive yet impactful move. You can turn the lights down low for those middle-of-the-night trips to the loo.
They never really went away in Europe, but sometime during the 1990s many Americans eschewed square 4-by-4-inch tiles, and classic subway tiles took over as the go-to shape. But here choosing a crisp white tile and composing them in a running bond pattern makes the squares look all fresh and new again. “We wanted to keep a clean look by picking simple tiles to combine with the colorful penny tiles and wallpaper,” Safdie says.
Which brings us to the penny rounds on the floor — another nod to vintage in shape but in a fresh color. The cheerful blue is a nice contrast to the white and picks up on the wallpaper’s subtler blue hues. And their small size introduces another scale to the design.
Lighting. A simple three-light sconce with glass shades provides plenty of light for makeup and does not detract from the wallpaper’s lively pattern. There are also recessed lights in the ceiling.
Tip: Putting bathroom lights on dimmers is an inexpensive yet impactful move. You can turn the lights down low for those middle-of-the-night trips to the loo.
Large Niche Makes a Statement
Before, the tub-shower only offered a rack that hung from the shower head for toiletries. Now a generous niche (28 inches wide by 13 inches tall) provides plenty of room. And using the same penny rounds from the floor makes it a strong design accent.
Fixtures. While the Douglas fir accents add rustic style to the bathroom, the clean lines of the fixtures balance in contemporary style.
Before, the tub-shower only offered a rack that hung from the shower head for toiletries. Now a generous niche (28 inches wide by 13 inches tall) provides plenty of room. And using the same penny rounds from the floor makes it a strong design accent.
Fixtures. While the Douglas fir accents add rustic style to the bathroom, the clean lines of the fixtures balance in contemporary style.
Tub-Shower Combo Lets In the Light
Frameless glass transformed the shower-tub combo from a closed-off block with old opaque glass-framed doors to a visually open space. All of the plumbing fixtures stayed in the same place as they were in the original space.
Frameless glass transformed the shower-tub combo from a closed-off block with old opaque glass-framed doors to a visually open space. All of the plumbing fixtures stayed in the same place as they were in the original space.
A stylish loo. The toilet has a sleek curved shape and narrow tank, which adds another updated contrast to the more rustic accents like the walnut shelves overhead.
Splurges and savings. Safdie estimates the total budget on this project was just north of $30,000. “They splurged on the custom vanity and the wallpaper,” he says. “They saved by keeping all the plumbing in the original locations.”
Takeaways
Find a bathroom designer
More
See more bathroom makeovers
Browse modern and contemporary toilets
Splurges and savings. Safdie estimates the total budget on this project was just north of $30,000. “They splurged on the custom vanity and the wallpaper,” he says. “They saved by keeping all the plumbing in the original locations.”
Takeaways
- If your guest bath has minimal storage requirements, consider using an open vanity or pedestal sink for an airier feeling.
- If you want to use wood as a countertop in a bathroom, be sure to seal it with something that can stand up to water.
- Don’t be afraid to go unconventional. In this bath, an apron-front sink was an unorthodox choice that adds personality and some of the vintage style the homeowners were seeking to the room.
- Before choosing wallpaper for a bathroom, check into whether it can stand up to moisture and choose a fan that will protect it from humidity.
- One way to tie different styles of design elements together is via colors, finishes and shapes.
- A shower niche is an opportunity to add a strong design accent.
Find a bathroom designer
More
See more bathroom makeovers
Browse modern and contemporary toilets
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: The overnight guests of a recently married young couple
Location: Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles
Size: 60 square feet (5.5 square meters)
Designers: Essi Safdie and David Veltman of Spazio L.A.
Budget: A little over $30,000
The cramped and dingy guest bathroom was not making overnight guests feel very welcome. And its dated style didn’t suit the fresh transitional, personality-filled style of the rest of the Los Angeles home. The homeowners, a recently married young couple, wanted their friends and family to feel at home when they visited, so they hired Essi Safdie and David Veltman of design-build firm Spazio L.A. to complete a full makeover in an inviting style.
“They wanted to create a bright and unique look for the bathroom, and that was our inspiration,” Safdie says. The result is a transitional style that’s a pleasingly balanced mix of contemporary, rustic and vintage touches.