Well, aside from rehanging the shower curtain at ceiling height right after we moved in, we haven’t really updated this bathroom. In fact, all three of our bathrooms have been mostly untouched since we moved in. We decided to start with the one we use the most—the quirkiest of the bunch. It doesn’t have a sink (that’s located in our bedroom), so the room is tiny: roughly 5′ x 6′ including a regular tub. The door nearly hits the toilet, and John can stand in the center and touch all four walls. It’s small.
Right now the space is a beige box: beige tile with gray veining on the floor, the same tile in the shower and on the walls around the toilet and door, an accent row of tiles with gray trees, beige paint on the walls, off-white trim, and even a beige toilet. Everything reads the same, and it feels monochromatic.
There’s also a glass shelf and towel bar right next to the toilet—neither of which we’ve used functionally. Hanging a towel that brushes against you on the way to the toilet felt odd, so we use hooks on the back of the door. The glass shelf currently holds a few wood printing blocks, but it always felt like the shelf and towel bar invaded personal space in such a compact room.
We jokingly call it “The Travertine Palace,” even though the tile isn’t travertine and the room is anything but palatial. Several guests have told us it’s fine as-is, which always makes us laugh because it feels the least like us of any room in the house. We prefer crisp white trim, a white toilet, a non-beige wall color, and breaking up tile so floor, wall, and shower aren’t all the same. Mostly, we want contrast—this space feels like a monochrome box. Rehanging the crisp white shower curtain planted the seed that we could make the room feel fresher by doing things like:
- painting the cream trim white
- painting the walls to add contrast
- trading the beige toilet for a classic white one
- replacing the ceiling light
- hanging bathroom-friendly artwork
- adding privacy to the window without blocking light
- replacing the border tile around the room (possibly as a later phase)
- eventually replacing the floor tile to break up the uniform look
That’s the plan so far. I made a mood board to help visualize ideas, but we know the plan will likely shift as we go. Here are the details we’re considering:
1. Color: Because the existing tiles are beige with gray veining, we want to introduce richer gray tones to add contrast and avoid a monotone feel. We’d also like to bring in some blue accents to tie into the neighboring bedroom.
2. Lighting: We’ve had our eye on a pendant-style fixture that would be a major upgrade from the small flush-mount light. We’re hoping to find it locally, and we’ll decide on placement once we see how it looks in the room.
3. Tile ideas: We love the look of small hex tiles. While we’re not replacing tile immediately, we dream about switching the floor someday to a white hex or similar mosaic to break up the uniform beige.
4. Artwork: I painted a large piece a while back that I think could work well hung high in this small room. Paired with a high-hung shower curtain and a blue glass pendant, it could add personality.
5. Accent tile: We’re drawn to frosted, muted glass subway tile in a light gray as a replacement for the tree border tiles. Depending on availability and how difficult it is to remove the current tiles without damage, this might be a second-phase project.
6. Toilet: We’re excited to swap the beige toilet for a simple white model. We plan to sell the current one and pick up a reliable white toilet that will read cleaner against new trim and wall color.
7. Shower curtain: Our extra-long white waffle shower curtain will stay. Its crisp, soft texture helps break up all the tile and adds a more modern, clean feel.
8. Existing tile: The beige tile with gray veins will remain for now, so our palette and finishes need to work with it.
9. Window privacy: We’ve been debating static-frost window film to add privacy while preserving natural light. Frost film is an easy option that won’t block daylight.
After planning, we started doing the work. We removed the oddly placed shelf and towel bar, spackled and sanded the holes, and applied the first of two coats of a rich putty-gray paint to the walls. In bathrooms the first coat of semi-gloss always looks patchy, so we’re eager to get the second, smoother coat on.
This half-painted photo doesn’t do the color justice—it looks spotty while wet and only shows a corner—but the shade complements the tile’s gray veining and will make white elements like the shower curtain and future trim pop. We’re also painting the ceiling, which helps small rooms feel less visually chopped up.
We’ll share finished photos once the second coat is dry and the shower curtain is rehung. In the meantime, have you tackled any bathroom updates recently? Do you have living areas that feel nearly done but bathrooms that remain untouched? Small bathrooms can be intimidating, but a few strategic changes can make a big difference.