A Farmhouse Bathroom Makeover that is Timeless Too
I have been busy over at my homestead with One Room Challenge right now (check out my progress and see which room I’m making over right HERE!) But while I’m working on that and all of my client projects, I get the BEST part-time gig by being a monthly contributor over at Remodelaholic. They are in the serious business of sharing amazing DIY and budget friendly makeovers. So I was thrilled when they asked me to contribute a custom Mood Board every month.
I may be a designer, but practicality is always my number one priority when designing a space. So this month I wanted to share how to create a bathroom that was classic and timeless…while still being fun! Like the rest of you all, I love the Farmhouse style, so this month’s Mood Board was all about creating a Farmhouse Bathroom that can stand the test of time. While you will see a lot of the rustic Farmhouse elements, if you look closely the main elements are actually pretty traditional. The Farmhouse style shows up in the accents of the bathroom, and not the main pieces. Because sadly you may not love ship lap in 10 years as much as you love it today (I know, I know).
LOVE IT? WANT IT? NEED IT?
You can find the entire Mood Board along with all of the sources right at the original Remodelaholic blog post.
When designing a bathroom, I always like the MAIN elements to be fairly neutral and classic. What I mean by that is items that are EXPENSIVE and DIFFICULT to replace. For example, it will cost a lot of money to rip out a trendy shower, so I chose tiles that were more classic and timeless, along the plumbing fixtures. However, items like mirrors, towels, hooks, light fixtures, and even faucets can be less costly to swap out over time.
Free Guide: 75 Ways to Update your Bathroom
Whether your bathrooms needs some updates, a full remodel, or you are just in the dreaming phase, I have something that is going to help you along the way. I have been a Kitchen and Bath designer for over 12 years and I used the experience from designing HUNDREDS of bathrooms to my best 75 tips to update your bathroom.
You can grab a copy of this FREE GUIDE right here:
Farmhouse Details in a Bathroom Makeover
In this bathroom I started with a wood Pottery Barn vanity with a white marble top. However, a white vanity works well with the Farmhouse style as well. Mixing woods and paint always give a layered, designer look. And I paired it up with these beautiful metal pivot mirrors and more rustic Farmhouse sconces.
And my number one question my clients ask me about bathroom designs?
Should you mix finishes? And the answer is a resounding YES!
Having your plumbing fixtures match your mirror which matches your lights, etc…it looks boring and flat. I recommend keeping all of your plumbing fixtures the same finish, but introducing 2-3 metal finishes throughout your space. Your bathroom accessories (TP holder, etc.) could be one finish, and introduce a third finish with mirrors, light fixtures, or accessories.
For the shower, it is neutral but still has some pizazz to it. I used a classic white subway tile in the 3″x6″ size (the least trendy of all of the “subway” tiles) with a gray and white basketweave tile on the floor. Be careful when selecting a shower floor tile as they have to meet local codes for features such as slip resistance. Typically you will want to use a 2×2 or small tile, and one with a matte finish. If you check out the description of a tile it will tell you if it is made for wet environments and for a floor. You want it to meet both requirements.
How to Design a Farmhouse Bathroom
For all of my tips on designing a Fixer Upper Farmhouse style Bathroom check out the original post HERE. You will find all of the product sources from the Mood Board along with all of the places where I would go TRENDY and all of the places I would go CLASSIC in a bathroom makeover. Ten minutes of reading will save you THOUSANDS of dollars.
Did you know that bathrooms are the most expensive space per square foot? So you want to make sure you design a bathroom that is going to last the test of time!
Need More Bathroom Makeover Help?
(Don’t worry…I got you covered!)
Check out another timeless bathroom Mood Board I designed with some more polished, elegant features. Check out the entire post AND all of the sources right HERE
And whether you are doing a full bathroom remodel OR just doing a few updates, sometimes one or two new items can make all of the different. This Farmhouses Bathroom Lighting Round-Up has fixtures that clock in at $85 (or under!). Find all of these beauties right HERE from Sarah on Remodelaholic:
And recently I created this round-up of 8 Tiles Under $10 (and a lot of them have the Farmhouse style flair!). Whenever adding tile to your bathroom, always think of practicality first (i.e. these marble hex tiles will need to be sealed) and budget. But hello…they are all under $10! If I was going to go trendy with tile anywhere in my bathroom, I would choose the backsplash…it is the easiest and least expensive rip and replace. (The shower is the most expensive by the way).
Builder Basic to Farmhouse Bathroom Beauty
And finally….because it is OH SO MUCH FUN to get to peek into other people’s homes and see their makeovers! I recently helped this sweetie pie of a client turn her boring builder basic bathroom into a Farmhouse bathroom makeover worth talking about. We saved money by keeping all of her fixtures in the same location. But we updated all of the finishes in her whole bathroom. She wanted a sophisticated Farmhouse Bathroom, so we used lots of polished nickel, this arched mirror, and elegant sconces. And of course the focal point is this gorgeous (but budget-friendly) Fixer Upper style shiplap. But since we are talking about timeless baths…I did recommend just doing it on ONE wall instead of all four. She saved money and time while still getting a great feature wall. And if down the line she wants a little less Farmhouse, she only has one wall to remove. You can check out the whole project including the “before” and the Mood Boards:
Builder Basic Bathroom to Farmhouse Bathroom
Thanks so much for joining me today!
And if you need extra help with your Bathroom Makeover (aka some custom design work), you’ve come to the right place. I have a “Finishes Only” package where I help you choose all of your fixtures and materials for your bath-top to bottom. I included two designs that are mix-and-match so you get oodles of options. Plus Mood Boards, Shopping Lists, and material samples, all sent to you in your custom Postbox.
Check out How It Works!
Cheers,
Kristin
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