If you’ve recently been through a bathroom renovation, you probably know that even the smallest decisions can often become the hard, keep-you-up-at-night design dilemmas. I still have a few finishing touches left to do, but the boys’ and girls’ bathroom renovations are complete, and I wanted to show you a couple of the details I chose.
Like most people, we were working within a budget and with the mindset that this renovation will (hopefully) take us through many years. For those reasons, and because the house is pretty traditional, it was important that my design decisions were fairly classic, giving us the biggest bang for our decorating buck. But, boy, is it tempting to do something really bold and maybe even a little over the top in this crazy game of “Pinterest one-upper.”
I eventually decided on two classics: subway tile and chrome. There are so many good patterned tiles out there right now and beautiful brass fixtures, but. . . These are our kids’ baths. And again, I didn’t want to invest in elements that I would be “over” in the next five years. But just because you go classic doesn’t mean you have to predictable–right?
shower curtain // garden stool // bamboo shade
In the girls’ shower, I opted for a 3×6″ white subway tile with a navy “stripe” going all the way around. (Those tiles are 1/2″ x 6″, from a local tile shop.) It looks more black then navy in the photos but definitely reads more blue in person. I wanted to stay away from doing too much black and white since that can sometimes look a little more retro than I wanted.
Finishes can be tricky, and I know brass is all the rage. But, I just feel like simple chrome–especially for a kids’ or guest bath–is here to stay, especially when paired with mostly white. It’s a combo that always works. My designer friend Rebecca recommended the Cassidy shower head by Delta Faucet and I loved the oversized design and shape right away. A more modern design in a classic finish is a nice compromise. (I still used brass touches–drawer pulls, mirrors, lighting–and will show you that later.)
The shower head is adjustable, by the way. It took me a couple of weeks to figure that out. . . ;) And, in case you’re wondering, I’ve snuck in a few showers in the girls’ bathroom and you do get plenty of water.
Hope this helps some of you who are knee-deep in renovation decisions. What bathroom design elements do you consider “classic?”
We are finishing up a diy bathroom renovation. While out of town my husband chose the fixtures. Just breathe. Ha!
Can’t wait to share the tile and dark concrete look floor tiles!
Perfect choices that will hold up thru the test of time.
Classic but a unique look which you somehow always come up with—great choices! Love it.
Emily, this is beautiful!! And I’m with you – classic all the way!! Your blog and style continue to be my favorite source of inspiration – thanks for all you do!
I am surprised you just did only one niche!!!!
I love it!! I’m getting tired of seeing subway tiles everywhere, but what you achieved here with just that little stripe is so beauftiful and elegant. I’ll take note for my ideal home. Have a nice day!
Great choices! Classic and will grow well with your girls. What size hexagon tile did you use? Also, where did you find it? I’m looking for the same thing for my kids’ bath, but can’t seem to find it in a pure white…everything is quite closer to cream or beige!
I’m all for classic especially on a budget- the stripe is a great way to add extra detail! I just used that line for Delta in our bath and love it!
I love the pinstripe so much. Totally classic. I also live in a traditional house and ALL our bathrooms need updating. I havent done it because I was so afraid I would do something that would end up looking trendy. I am definitely waiting to see your bathrooms because our homes are so similar in age. I love this sneak peak!
Very pretty! Classic, but not boring. Thanks for sharing!
This is so, so pretty. Classic, but not boring. I love it!! What lucky girls!!
What did you use for the bathroom faucet sink? I am definitely using that shower head!
Same collection from Delta!
Emily, I love this shower head and the look of this bathroom. I was wondering (and forgive me for my silly question)…. how do you clean the walls and the tub? I’ve always bought handheld shower heads for the ease of rinsing/cleaning but would love to copy this look in our new home. Is it a matter of just choosing looks over function?!
I just use a sponge :)
Thank you. This is the first time we’ll have tile vs standard tub/shower wall. I didn’t know if there were special products that helped with not leaving residue etc. I’ll have to search that out I guess. I love your blog and have been following for a long time! You’ve inspired me many times over!
Hi Emily, I love what you did with the navy stripe. And the tassels on the curtain are a nice touch too! ~Miranda
Your classic taste is always spot on! I love that surprise navy addition. And the chrome, it’s gorgeous! Another beautiful room! Thanks for sharing!
Love that! We have kid bathroom renovations coming up. We just wrapped up our master bath renovation. We used marble flooring with black listellos and a free-standing tub. Our home is very traditional as well and I think marble is timeless. We used white subway tile and arabesque tile in the shower. It is trimmed in black granite tile and doesn’t appear retro in its application- maybe because it is a thicker trim. Anyhoo, love what you did in the girls’ shower! Looks great!
That sounds gorgeous! Would love to see.
I’ll shoot you some pics via email this weekend. :-)
Love the navy stripe! I agree with chrome. We just redid my son’s bathroom and the guest bathroom and opted for chrome.
Lovely, simple, special. Thanks for sharing–can’t wait to see the rest
Hi Emily – Can you tell me what size hexagons you used for your floor tile and where you got them? Home Depot had 4″ hexagon tiles but I think they’re discontinued. Thank you!
Love this! Would love to see the full reveal soon…especially because we are finalizing choices for our kids’ bathroom remodel! ;)
What kind of bathtub/material did you choose? Thanks!
What color is your grout? Thanks!
I don’t know the exact name but it’s a very light (icy) blue.