inspiration for decor

The tough thing about designing a bathroom is that your choices are pretty permanent. Unlike a bedroom  or living room where you can buy new throw cushions, a blanket, some accessories, or paint the walls to easily change your look, you are unlikely to change up the design elements in a bathroom on a whim (tiles, fixtures, and cabinetry can be $$$). There is more commitment in a bathroom. So if you know what you want going into a bathroom reno, the decisions are a little easier to make.

For me, when I saw the following pictures I thought – bam!- that is the bathroom of my dreams.  I’m not in the market for a bathroom reno right now but if I was, this is what I would want:

white + reclaimed wood + exposed brick + marble + modern deep soaker + elegant chandelier = LOVE

Oh, and this reno was done by a husband and wife in Montreal…..MORE LOVE

(images: home of girlfriday via design*sponge)

Here is installment #2 of my little series documenting the many decision points of a new build. Today, we’re diving into the crazy world of selecting bathroom tiles.  Have you ever been tile shopping?  There are thousands of tiles to choose from. Literally. So many colours, shapes, materials, and price points.  It can make your head spin (but in a FUN way).  At least I think so.

The home is going to have five bathrooms but recent focus was on the kid’s bathroom and the master ensuite.  The general feeling of the home is transitional: a little tradition with a little modern – you know, a little of column A and a little of column B. Overall, there is an emphasis on a classic, timeless look, with a dash of modernity.

The starting ideas for the kids’ bath were a look that wouldn’t date in 5 years, a bright space, and it must be easy to clean.

From the following image, we really liked the dark floors (easier to hide dirt), the white subway tile, and the organic look accentuated by the marble stone and wood cabinetry.

As tempting as that marble is, there won’t be any in this kiddy bathroom. Marble is being saved for the parents, in their ensuite. So subway tile it is. But this is a good thing! I’m such a huge fan of the subway tile – clean, classic, and cheap.

The colour-blocking from the next image was a hit.  Such a great alternative to the too-often-seen stripe of mosaic tile. This is different and fresh:

So where did we land with the kid’s bathroom?  Dark grey ceramic floors, over-sized white subway tile in the bath and one wall, and a thick stripe of blue-y glass tile as an accent.  Can’t wait to see how this turns out.

Moving on to the master ensuite, let me show you a few of the inspiration images I pulled:

I won’t spell out all the details now, but the ensuite is going to have lots of white carrera marble, grey brick, and shiny accents.

P.S. If you missed post #1 on the kitchen banquette, check it out here.

(images: 1-hgtv, 2-house beautiful, 3-pinterest, 4-style at home, 5-houzz, 6-pinterest