50-Square-Foot Family Bathroom Renovation for $15,000
A leafy shower curtain inspires a fresh, bold bathroom design for a midcentury modern house in Canada
Shower curtain inspiration. “When I saw this fabric, I loved the pattern, the character and the colors right away and thought my clients would too,” Fortier says. She was right, and the shower curtain served as the jumping-off point for the rest of the bathroom’s design. It’s made of an outdoor fabric that stands up to moisture — there’s a plastic liner on the shower side — and it recalls the chic midcentury designs of Palm Springs.
Shower curtain fabric: Swaying Palms, Tonic Living; see more botanical shower curtains
Shower curtain fabric: Swaying Palms, Tonic Living; see more botanical shower curtains
Color palette. From there, the designer went with a crisp palette of black, white, charcoal and green. She replaced all the bedroom doors on this level of the home with the same Shaker one-panel doors you see here, all painted charcoal. “I love a Shaker one-panel door, it’s my go-to,” Fortier says. The simple style suits both modern and farmhouse styles.
Wall paints: Wedding Veil and Celtic Green, Benjamin Moore; door paint: Wrought Iron, Benjamin Moore
Wall paints: Wedding Veil and Celtic Green, Benjamin Moore; door paint: Wrought Iron, Benjamin Moore
Two-tone wall. “This client was game for bold suggestions and there was a lot of trust. When I suggested the green wall color, she said, ‘OK, let’s do it!’ ” Fortier says. The designer plucked the paint color from the leaves in the shower curtain fabric. “It works because it’s only on one wall and it’s only on half of that wall,” she says. “And my clients figured if they didn’t like it or tired of it, it would be easy to fix.”
In fact, this black, white and charcoal color scheme could take on just about any color, and the homeowners could completely change the look and feel of the room by repainting the upper wall and replacing the shower curtain. It would take little money and effort to do.
Backsplash. The mirror determined the height of the backsplash. “I knew that overlapping the mirror and the backsplash would be a good look,” Fortier says. She mounted the vanity so that the top of the counter was 34 inches off the floor, then placed the mirror so it met the top of the faucet’s height. From there, she determined where the top of the backsplash should hit.
In fact, this black, white and charcoal color scheme could take on just about any color, and the homeowners could completely change the look and feel of the room by repainting the upper wall and replacing the shower curtain. It would take little money and effort to do.
Backsplash. The mirror determined the height of the backsplash. “I knew that overlapping the mirror and the backsplash would be a good look,” Fortier says. She mounted the vanity so that the top of the counter was 34 inches off the floor, then placed the mirror so it met the top of the faucet’s height. From there, she determined where the top of the backsplash should hit.
Flooring. “The porcelain hexagonal floor tiles give a bit of a retro look,” Fortier says. “I used a light grout instead of charcoal to make the hexagons pop even more.” The charcoal color updates the retro feel. At $11 per square foot, these Ceragres tiles are one of the pricier products in the room.
Towel storage. “Turkish towels are great for rooms like this — they are large and light and something different,” Fortier says. Rolling them up and putting them in a mesh metal basket makes a fresh towel easy to grab while also adding a design accent. There’s a linen closet in the hallway off the bathroom for additional storage.
Browse hexagonal tile
Towel storage. “Turkish towels are great for rooms like this — they are large and light and something different,” Fortier says. Rolling them up and putting them in a mesh metal basket makes a fresh towel easy to grab while also adding a design accent. There’s a linen closet in the hallway off the bathroom for additional storage.
Browse hexagonal tile
Small, important detail. The designer specified white Schluter strips for capping the top of the backsplash. “This gives it a seamless look,” she says. “Be careful to specify white when you want it because most contractors will automatically use stainless steel Schluter strips.”
Vanity. The stylish wall-mounted vanity from Ikea offered one of the biggest savings. It came with the countertop and integrated sink. “This vanity was very affordable, and the wood has a light oak look, which is very popular right now,” Fortier says.
“This vanity has a lot of real storage in the drawers, because the sink is shallow and they don’t use the typical P-trap plumbing. Both of these things take away a lot of drawer space in a typical vanity,” she says. She outfitted the drawers with compartments for the whole family. Each member has a spot inside for toothbrushes, which helps keep the counter clear.
Mirror: Ikea; faucet: Wayfair
“This vanity has a lot of real storage in the drawers, because the sink is shallow and they don’t use the typical P-trap plumbing. Both of these things take away a lot of drawer space in a typical vanity,” she says. She outfitted the drawers with compartments for the whole family. Each member has a spot inside for toothbrushes, which helps keep the counter clear.
Mirror: Ikea; faucet: Wayfair
Lighting. Simple hurricane sconces with round bases bring in a black accent. Fortier used Edison bulbs — another little retro touch.
DIY accents. By getting out her spray paint, Fortier was able to give a few small accent pieces a look that makes a difference. She painted the inexpensive metal hooks and shower rod from Home Depot black herself. “Just use the spray paint that’s made for metal,” she says. “It sticks to things like this without even having to sand them first.” Sourcing black products would have been more expensive. The black details may be small, but they have a strong graphic impact.
Shower fixtures. “We could have done black faucets and fixtures, but black is expensive,” Fortier says. Instead they went for less pricey polished chrome pieces with modern squared-off profiles. And the finish works well with the midcentury modern bones of the house. They went with an unfussy streamlined tub, which also suits the style of the home.
The handheld shower faucet makes it easy to wash the girls’ hair.
Shower niches. The shower niches were a good place to add a custom touch that looks expensive but required only two 12-by-12-inch pieces of penny round mosaics for the backs of the niches and two small scrap pieces of quartz to serve as the sills. (Fortier used another piece of this quartz on the threshold under the bathroom door.) The sides are finished with white Schluter strips for a seamless look.
Takeaways
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Takeaways
- A fabric pattern is a great jumping-off point for room inspiration.
- If you use a simple palette in a bathroom, a little paint and a shower curtain can bring big style to the space, and it’s easy to switch them out for a different look down the road.
- Shaker one-panel doors are a versatile choice that work for both modern and traditional designs.
- Your backsplash height doesn’t have to be the standard 4 inches. Play around with how it relates to faucet and mirror heights to get the best look.
- White tile capped with white Schluter strips plus a matching white wall paint create a crisp, seamless look.
- A little spray paint can go a long way.
- A shower niche is a good place to add a custom touch that won’t break the bank.
More
Before and After: 9 Small-Bathroom Transformations That Wow
Find a bathroom remodeler
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A young couple and their two young daughters
Location: Montreal
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters)
Designer: Stéphanie Fortier Design
These hip homeowners were ready to update the family bath in their 1960s house in Montreal. While working with interior designer Stéphanie Fortier on a kitchen renovation, they decided to throw in the bath reno while their household was already in turmoil. “This was kind of a last-minute decision, and we turned it around quickly,” Fortier says of the 50-square-foot bathroom, which serves the entire family. By keeping the fixtures and plumbing in the same places and carefully balancing a few splurges with lots of big saves, the designer gave the room a striking look on a budget of $15,000.
Style. The rest of the house has some midcentury modern style, but Fortier’s clients also like country, or farmhouse, style. They were young, hip and game to try out bold ideas.
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