We’ve shared every room in our new house except one: the bathroom. It’s the only bathroom in the home, and surprisingly it wasn’t even functional when we bought the place. The vanity had been ripped off the wall, the main water was shut off because of leaks, and there was no working sewer or septic connection. Even if the toilet flushed, there wasn’t anywhere for it to go.
Because of those issues, we couldn’t wait to renovate. Although we prefer living in a house for a bit before making major changes, we had no choice but to tackle this room right away — and we did a lot of it from five states away. Initially we planned to handle the floor tile, new toilet and vanity ourselves during a spring-break visit, but the pandemic upended those plans and we switched to plan B.
Thankfully we were able to add the bathroom to our contractor’s scope of work. That turned out to be a good decision: he found a leak in the wall behind the shower that required removing and replacing the shower, tub and drywall. What started as a straightforward cosmetic update became a larger gut job that would have been hard to finish on our own in one week.
We ordered everything online from Virginia in March and had it shipped directly to our contractor in Florida. We didn’t see any of it in person until it was installed and we moved in in May, but it all came together. Sherry added art and a few accessories — plants, brass accents and our favorite toilet — and the room finally felt like ours.
We don’t consider the room completely finished, but it’s functional and we’re pleased with how it turned out. There are a few design ideas we might add later to warm it up and create more texture — wainscoting, wallpaper or floating shelves are on the someday list — but for now we’re grateful to have a working sewer hookup, water throughout the house, no leaks and a sink that’s actually mounted to the wall.
Going from two renovated bathrooms in Virginia to one smaller shared bathroom gave us some pause. In our previous home we each had a sink, so sharing one space felt like it could be a challenge. It has been far less stressful than we feared. Because the vanity is 31″ wide with a long sink top, the kids can brush their teeth side-by-side without crowding each other. The limited counter space also discourages leaving everything out, which helps keep the room tidy.
Instead of piling toiletries on the counter, we store toothbrushes, toothpaste, contacts and daily items in labeled bins under the sink. The cabinet is quite large, essentially a full base cabinet in kitchen size, so everyone has a bin of their own. We also keep many personal grooming items in nightstands in the bedroom, a routine trick that prevents long bathroom lineups in the mornings.
We kept the shower and tub simple, with classic subway tile extending to the ceiling. The white shower tile provides a clean backdrop for the more playful floor tile, which adds personality and warmth underfoot — a combination we’ve used before and love. We also selected the same tub and tub/shower fixtures we’ve used in other projects, choosing reliable options we knew would perform well.
Brass details continue through the room, tying it to the rest of the house. Wooden towel hooks with brass caps are a small favorite — they took weeks to arrive, but they were worth the wait. Other brass accents, framed art in gold frames and a hanging mobile fill awkward vertical space and make the room feel intentional rather than sparse.
The window in the bathroom already has frosted glass, so we didn’t need a privacy covering. That allows more light in and leaves the deep sill available for a plant and a candle to set a relaxed mood for the occasional bath. Speaking of baths, we don’t use the indoor shower as often as expected — we’ve all preferred the outdoor shower most days, which frees up the bathroom for others.
Overall, this room represents a big step forward from the state it was in when we bought the house. We still have a few decorative ideas to explore, but having a fully functional bathroom that meets our needs is a huge relief. There’s no urgent rush to add an ensuite for now, so we’ll take our time and make thoughtful updates when the moment is right.
If you missed other rooms in the house, we’ve shared the kitchen, bedroom, living room, laundry closet, and the kids’ rooms in previous posts. We’re also preparing a reveal of the kitchen cabinets soon — stay tuned.
We’re thrilled to finally have this bathroom working and welcoming after all the challenges it presented. Small, thoughtful choices have made it efficient, livable and pleasant for our whole family.