Bathroom of the Week: Fresh, Classic Design for a Young Girl
Botanical wallpaper, a midnight blue vanity and marble tile niches update this 72-square-foot space
As this young girl entered her tween years, it was time to give her blah bathroom a refresh. The 72-square-foot space had a layout that worked, but its uninspired finishes needed to go. Interior designer Erin Levendusky’s jumping-off point was a beautiful navy, black and white botanical wallpaper that would work well for the girl and also grow up with her. The result is a transitional-style bathroom with lasting classic elements such as marble tile.
After: This botanical wallpaper in navy blue and white with black accents was the starting point for the design. “We loved the navy and white and the beautiful print,” Levendusky says. Playing off the wallpaper, she chose a white shower curtain with navy blue tassels. “We needed a little bit of blue on the shower curtain, and it’s also a fun touch for a young girl,” she says. “This is an element that easily can be switched out should they ever want a change.”
The homeowners loved the light that came into the bathroom from the existing window. “This bathroom was part of a larger renovation where we replaced all the windows on the house. So we kept the window in the same place and gave it a stone surround,” Levendusky says.
Browse shower curtains in the Houzz Shop
The homeowners loved the light that came into the bathroom from the existing window. “This bathroom was part of a larger renovation where we replaced all the windows on the house. So we kept the window in the same place and gave it a stone surround,” Levendusky says.
Browse shower curtains in the Houzz Shop
“We all wanted the bathroom to be classic and to grow up with her,” says Levendusky, who chose Bianco Venatino Carrara marble tile for the shower surround and the floor. “I played with different shapes for the tiles,” she says. The floor is 12-by-12-inch tiles, laid out in a diamond pattern. The shower surround is composed of 6-by-12-inch tiles laid in a brick pattern. The baseboards are also coordinating marble tile. “Stone baseboards are easier for maintenance,” Levendusky says.
She also replaced the original tub, which had an almond-colored finish. “This new tub from Kohler has clean lines and has a more transitional look than the existing tub had,” she says. The Toto dual-flush water-conserving toilet is also new.
She also replaced the original tub, which had an almond-colored finish. “This new tub from Kohler has clean lines and has a more transitional look than the existing tub had,” she says. The Toto dual-flush water-conserving toilet is also new.
The designer worked another matching tile into the shower niche, this time in a fan mosaic pattern. “Due to what was behind it, we couldn’t get rid of the way the tiled wall juts out on the left. I embraced it,” Levendusky says. “It allowed for a deeper shower niche, and extending the niche high emphasized the nice height of the ceilings.”
The size and scale of the niche and wrapping tile around the entire jut-out makes it look like an intentional architectural choice. As the girl grows up, the number of products she’ll want to store here will increase. “I like the way the niche is deep and set back. You don’t see the products inside it when you enter the room,” the designer says.
The plants in the niche are not a photo styling trick. “Her mother loves to put plants in here,” Levendusky says. With the light from the window and the moisture from the shower, it’s a plant-friendly spot.
Hire a local tile professional
The size and scale of the niche and wrapping tile around the entire jut-out makes it look like an intentional architectural choice. As the girl grows up, the number of products she’ll want to store here will increase. “I like the way the niche is deep and set back. You don’t see the products inside it when you enter the room,” the designer says.
The plants in the niche are not a photo styling trick. “Her mother loves to put plants in here,” Levendusky says. With the light from the window and the moisture from the shower, it’s a plant-friendly spot.
Hire a local tile professional
After: Levendusky designed a vanity that resembles a chest of drawers. To make room for the P-trap under the sink, the top drawer is a false front, the center drawer is U-shaped and the bottom drawer is a full drawer. Playing off the wallpaper, Levendusky chose Midnight Blue paint by Benjamin Moore. The hardware, faucet, light fixture and mirror frame are matte black. The countertop is white quartz. “We wanted something really durable and low-maintenance for the countertop, and it provides a break from all the veining patterns in the marble tiles,” Levendusky says.
The long sconce over the mirror has clean lines that suit the transitional space. Levendusky also replaced existing recessed ceiling lights with more streamlined LED lights.
Barton bath sconce: Circa Lighting
Find the right vanity for your bathroom
The long sconce over the mirror has clean lines that suit the transitional space. Levendusky also replaced existing recessed ceiling lights with more streamlined LED lights.
Barton bath sconce: Circa Lighting
Find the right vanity for your bathroom
After: With limited countertop space, Levendusky knew more space around the vanity was a must. So she created a niche on the side wall. She repeated the fan-shaped marble mosaic that she used in the shower niche up the back of this niche. And instead of having to break up the wallpaper pattern with an electrical outlet, she tucked it into the left side of the niche.
Now the bathroom has a fresh transitional style that’s sophisticated enough to suit the girl as she herself transitions into maturity.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Now the bathroom has a fresh transitional style that’s sophisticated enough to suit the girl as she herself transitions into maturity.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with a young daughter
Location: Golden, Colorado
Size: 72 square feet (6.7 square meters); 8 by 9 feet
Designer: Erin Levendusky
of Ejay Interiors
Before: The bathroom, located off the daughter’s bedroom, had a typical early-2000s look: a sea of beige and brown tones. But the layout made the best use of the space, and not having to change it left money in the budget to splurge on nicer finishes. “My clients’ daughter still liked to take baths, so we decided to keep a bath in the layout,” Levendusky says.
They also were able to keep the existing heated floors during the remodel — an especially nice feature to have during Colorado winters.
Find a local interior designer on Houzz