Hello, friends! It’s that time! Time for the Week 6 One Room Challenge Reveal!

If you are stopping by for the first time (Welcome!), the One Room Challenge (or ORC) is a 6 week challenge hosted by One Room Challenge and Better Homes & Gardens. The challenge encourages all participants, both Featured (there are 20 featured designers) and Guest (anyone with a blog or Instagram can participate!) to rally behind one another to tackle a one room makeover in just 6 weeks! You can also check out all the other participants by visiting the main ORC page HERE!

As for us, we tackled our master bathroom this time, and while my husband did help out, he is now in business school so I did 90% of this renovation all by MYSELF! I am seriously unbelievably proud of how this one turned out, and I’m so thrilled to share it with you (sources to products linked at the end of the post)!

You can also check out the previous weeks progress posts here:

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5

**This post may contain affiliate links – see my full Disclosure policy HERE**

The Before:

Our bathroom was a classic 90s builder grade gem – aka, BLAH.  It was all cheap materials and completely monotone.

one room challenge before

As you can see, very bland and boring.

I knew that we would have to stick to the same general footprint of the space, because we don’t have any extra space to work with.  We chose to keep a tub/shower combo, because this girl likes her baths (and I’ll like them even more now that I have a luxurious modern farmhouse bathroom to take them in)!  We also were working on a budget, but let me just say upfront, we blew it.  Now, my initial budget estimate wasn’t based on much, other than our previous kitchen renovation (because a kitchen would HAVE to be more than a bathroom right? WRONG!)  But let me tell you, if you need to contract work out at all, you’ll be spending more than you likely anticipate.  Had we not had to pay our contractors, I would have been way under budget.  Although I DIYed almost this entire project, I am not adept at removing fiberglass shower walls/tubs, nor am I a plumber, so we had no choice but to bring in our contractor for that portion.  Overall though, we completed the entire space, materials, labor, decor, and all, for about $4,000; which, for a top to bottom bathroom renovation, I think is still pretty darn good (especially what one contractor quoted me $10K JUST for the demo/tub install! #eyeroll).

All that said, the contractors did their thing prior to the ORC, so we essentially started from a demoed state (though the new tub was in).

The backer board and mudding was done, and the new tub was installed prior to Week 1, but as you can see, we basically started from Square 1!

The Reveal:

When designing this bathroom in my mind (because all my design ideas are quite literally dreamt up in my brain and never put down on paper anywhere – no mood boards, Pinterest boards, nada, I just visualize it so clearly in my head, and that is just my own personal process and it works for me), I imagined a modern farmhouse bathroom, with a main color palette of woods, whites, and greenery, but also with a splash of color that I knew I wanted to come from a vintage Turkish rug (which I hunted for for weeks, by the way).  I also had visions of pattern on pattern on more pattern, which made me slightly nervous, but I felt like the vision in my head was sound, and I needed to just take the plunge!  I also KNEW I had to finally have my subway tile, because I didn’t get it in our kitchen!

The Mirrors:

This entire project basically began when I found the perfect mirror set on OfferUp.  The woman was selling BOTH for $20, and they were the perfect size and a matching set, and I knew I had to have them!  Once I had those, the vision for the rest of the project came together so easily in my mind!

modern farmhouse diy bathroom

modern farmhouse bathroom

My favorite part about these beautiful mirrors is that they are one of a kind – okay, maybe not, there are likely several of them out there, but they were attached to two nightstands and so whatever brothers and sisters out there are likely not being used in the way we have done so here.  And, they are not mirrors you can just go out and buy on Wayfair or Overstock or the like, and I just love that.  Anytime I can find and utilize a unique piece, I jump at the chance!

Prior to the ORC, I re-finished the wood on the mirrors so they would be ready to install (similar to having had bought mirrors at a store) and would match the other wood we used in this space (i.e. the barn door, medicine cabinet, etc).

I truly don’t think the space would have turned out the way it did had I not found these beauties!

modern farmhouse diy bathroom

The Shower/Tub:

We bought a new acrylic tub from Home Depot, and not only did it give us some extra square footage, since its narrower than our old tub, but its also deeper (more of a soaking tub), which makes baths more enjoyable.  I then added venetian bronze fixtures from Delta (which I ordered on Amazon for way less than you can buy them in the big box stores).  Our contractor did the work here, and installed both our new tub and the fixtures.  But the tiling was ALL me (with some help from hubby on the tile saw).  When designing the tub/shower, as I said above, I knew I wanted subway tile, and I knew I wanted it to extend all the way across the wall where the mirrors hang.  In such a small space, having the tile not stop abruptly where the tub ends, but rather continue across the wall, makes the space seem so much bigger!  The extra long subway tile also helps give the illusion of more space.

While the subway tile is a complete classic, I wanted to accent the shower niche with something a bit different. I knew I wanted the arabesque shape, because it ties in with our backsplash in our kitchen, and I’m a big fan of subtly continuing the same themes throughout a home.  While I initially contemplated using the same arabesque tile that we did in the kitchen, I decided that tile was a bit too large, and I loved the idea of the glam/luxe factor that the marble would add.

shower niche with amber bottles

 

diy bathtub tray

modern farmhouse bathroom

I ordered some plastic amber bottles on Amazon, and labeled them with a label maker.  This was such an easy project, and eliminates all those mismatched and ugly shampoo/conditioner bottles from the store!

I decided to go with charcoal grout, one because I wanted a high contrast look, but also because in a bathroom, inevitable your grout accumulates build up and dirt, which I knew the charcoal grout would help hide!

Another big change (that was so easy and you can go do in your shower right now!) is that we hung the shower curtain rod as high as we possibly could! This meant we went from a 72″ curtain to an extra long 96″ curtain, and it made ALL the difference in the world to the look of the space.  The curtain, complete with a ruffled bottom, still gives the farmhouse vibe I love, but the added height not only makes the space feel larger/taller, but it also gives an added feel of luxury.

modern farmhouse bathroom extra long shower curtain

The Vanity:

While I initially had dreams of a brand new vanity being installed and this one being ripped out, that just wasn’t in the budget.  So, I decided to re-finish the one we already had.  That refinishing included painting the cabinets themselves, painting the countertop (yes, the countertops are PAINTED – (see update below)!), spray painting the current fixtures black (another cost saving measure), and installing hardware to the previously bare doors and drawer fronts.

bathroom turkish rug

The cabinets I painted with Giani, Inc. Nuvo Cabinet Paint in Hearhtstone, and it was AMAZING to work with.  I didn’t have to sand all of the original paint off, and I didn’t have to remove the doors/hinges, which was a total time saver!

farmhouse bathroom design

The counters were painted with the White Diamond Paint Kit, also from Giani, Inc.  The kit is designed to make your counters look like granite, but I opted for a different technique to make ours look like a subtle white marble, to compliment the white marble arabesque tile in out shower niche.  Giani so kindly sent over both the countertop and cabinet paint kits for me to try, and I have nothing but amazing things to say about both of them – it looks like we have a brand new, custom vanity!

The fixtures I spray painted with automotive (yup!) primer followed by matte black paint and then a black lacquer.  I think they turned out rather nicely for a budget friendly option.  I did buy new drains though, knowing that the lacquer likely wouldn’t hold up to all the running water.

The hardware is from Hobby Lobby – also an incredibly affordable alternative to buying hardware at a big box store!  I love the more touch of femininity the delicate pulls bring to the space.

The Water Closet:

The water closet is such a huge improvement and no longer feels like a cave!  I added pre-pasted wallpaper (now discontinued) from the Hearth & Hand collection at Target in a plaid pattern.  The vertical and horizontal lines, similar to the subway tile, really elongate this tiny room!  And the best part is that this wallpaper went right onto our textured walls.  You can see the texture through the paper, but it gives it a painted on look, which I actually love!

wallpaper bathroom

farmhouse bathroom wallpaper

I accented the wall with some prints I used to have in our bedroom, and the blue draws in the color from our new (but old!) Turkish rug – more on that below!  I had this OTJ (or “Over the John,” as my Dad calls it) in our old space, and it is such a great space saver when it comes to storing towels, while also being incredibly cute and very “farmhouse”-esque if you ask me!  Our toilet is also new (we also had our contractor’s help installing this), and while it’s nothing fancy, its amazing how pretty a toilet can look when your old one, and all the others in your home, are old and tiny!

I built the toilet paper holder from piping I got at Home Depot and then spray painted in the same manner I painted the vanity fixtures.  It is similar to the paper towel holder that I built for our kitchen renovation during the last ORC.

To bring in the greenery in here, I just added a faux plant on top of the OTJ, since I won’t be swapping that out too often, and then some real greens from Trader Joe’s on the toilet back in a mason jar vase I had stored away in a cupboard (shopping your house is always a great budget friendly option, and you can usually rediscover items you didn’t even remember you had)!

diy vintage door

The water closet door also got a face lift!  It was a plain/flat white ugly door, but with a little trim, and some paint, it turned into a vintage beauty!  I used a glue technique in order to create the chippy/vintage look on the door, and it is such an easy trick to get a vintage look! I chose black chalk paint to continue the high contrast look of the space, and because there was so much white with the tile, I knew the black would provide the perfect pop of WOW!The black also goes nicely with the new black hardware and fixtures!

Oh, and that architectural piece over the door?  Another shop my house win!  We had that piece hanging in our old apartment, but I never found the right spot for it in this home (it was chillin’ in the garage for almost two years), until now!  I think it looks just perfect above the water closet door, and it adds that yummy texture that I try to incorporate into every room in our home.

The Floor:

This has to be the pièce de résistance of this entire space.  This amazing stencil was graciously sent to me by Cutting Edge Stencils, and it is absolute PERFECTION.  I couldn’t have imagined how amazing the floors would turn out, and they actually were relatively quick, given the larger size of the stencil!

I painted the floors using chalk paint (After cleaning and priming of course). The base coat is a mixture of graphite, french linen, and pure white (Annie Sloan color references, but I combined different brands of chalk paint with no issues)), and the stencil color is just pure white.  I sealed with 5 coats of matte polycrylic, and it is just perfect!

diy stenciled floors

diy stenciled painted floors turkish rug

Finally, the floor was completed with this gorgeous vintage Turkish runner – shipped all the way from Turkey!  I cannot brag enough about the shop I purchase from – turkisharearug on Etsy – I ordered the rug on Thursday, and it was delivered to California on Tuesday – that’s a 5 day turnaround from order to delivery from Turkey to CA – IMPRESSIVE!  (Even my mom has since ordered a rug, and it took less than a week for delivery to Oregon!)  The blue tones or our rug tie in with the blue in our master bedroom, and the orange is just an extra little pop – I think I need a Turkish rug in every space in my home now; they are just so beautiful and I love that they all have a story!  Did I mention this beauty only cost me $60?!  Yes – $60! Honestly, finding a similar rug for even TWICE that would have been a bargain, as they typically cost in the hundreds of dollars, especially if you buy them from US retailers.  So $60 was honestly like stealing!  While there is always a risk of unforeseen customs fees when you order from overseas, the amazing price made the risk worth it.

The Medicine Cabinet:

Not wanting to skimp on the small details, I gave our medicine cabinet a quick and easy makeover with a wood frame that is just glued on the front with Gorilla Glue, along with some marble contact paper.  I sprayed the shelves black (also with the black lacquer spray paint), and voila – easy makeover with a big impact!

easy medicine cabinet makeover

And of course, I chose the marble paper because it pairs nicely with the countertops and shower niche.  I also added this same contact paper to the bottom of the cabinets, and it’s great because it has a plastic-type finish, so it repels water – great for a bathroom!

The Barn Door:

I built the barn door prior to the ORC (again, similar to the situation I would have had had I just bought it at Home Depot or Lowe’s).  Hubby then helped me hang it a couple of weeks ago, and it is so nice to now be able to close off our bathroom from the master!  And of course, my farmhouse loving heart has always wanted a barn door!

diy barn door

The Little Details:

I chose the smaller details keeping in mind the overall aesthetic and vision for the space.  The light fixture is black with a touch of brass, and also gives off that farmhouse vibe.  The decorative pieces on the vanity compliment the black/brass, with a black tray and adorable golden balloon unicorn (because WHO could resits that cutie?!).  And of course, going with my overall wood/white/green theme, I added more fresh greens in simple glass vases to the vanity and tub, and I love that I can move them around and also swap out the greens depending on the season.  The Q-tip canister brings in the wood elements as well, and the amber soap dispensers tie in with the amber bottles in the shower (the soap dispensers are glass though, while the shower ones are plastic, because glass and showers don’t mix very well) 😛

modern farmhouse bathroom on a budget

farmhouse bathroom decor

Another incredibly fun detail, and easy DIY, was the custom wood bath tray I put together last week!  It’s a must have for bath time, and it adds another custom element to the space.  You can bet I’ll be dressing this up, too, if we ever have company over who want to see out newly renovated bathroom!

diy bathtub tray

diy bath tray

Finally, we completely took down our closet door, and I used some extra drop cloth from the curtains I added to out downstairs a few weeks back, and made a drop cloth curtain and curtain rod to close off the space.  Our closet is quite small, so having a curtain instead of a door that opens into the tiny room makes the space not only seem larger, but also makes it far more accessible and practical for everyday use.

dropcloth curtain diy

And that my friends, is our newly renovated master bathroom!  I am still in disbelief that I get to use this gorgeous bathroom everyday!  It certainly came together exactly how I envisioned it – even better actually!  The neutral pallet with a couple pops of blue (and a touch of orange) makes this room stand on it’s own but also mesh well with the rest of our home!

I hope you enjoyed the process (and reveal!) as much as I did!  I’ll be getting up the tutorials of individual projects for you here on the blog very soon (Painted Countertops, Painted Cabinets, Bath Tray, and updates to the previous Painted Floor tutorial all to come)!

subway tile farmhouse bathroom

Thank you to all of you who have followed along this journey here and on Instagram! If you want to see a VIDEO tour of this space, pop by my Instagram stories tomorrow night (11/8/18), where I’ll be showing you some of the details that were nearly impossible to photograph, along with some of my tips and tricks for transforming your own space into something you love!

Happy Reveal Day, friends – don’t forget to check out the other amazing bloggers over at the One Room Challenge blog page HERE – there are some AH-MAZ-ing transformations!

Until next time…

XO,

Ana

____

Sources:

Light fixture (Antique Brass) | Shower Trim Kit (Venetian Bronze) | Drop cloth | Curtain rings

Large Amber Bottles | Small Amber Bottles | Label Maker

Black Chalk Paint (water closet door) | White Chalk Paint (stencil paint; other colors were Annie Sloan graphite and French Linen)

Shower Rod | Shower Curtain | Barn Door Hardware (similar (but still highly rated), because we had a terrible experience with the company we purchased from and I would never wan’t you to go through that)!

Giani White Diamond Countertop Kit | Giani Nuvo Cabinet Paint (Hearthstone) | UPDATE Jan 2019: I have removed my source for our epoxy topcoat, as it has YELLOWED. I do NOT recommend the epoxy we used.  Please do your research and find an epoxy that specifically claims to be UV resistant/non-yellowing!

Marble Contact Paper | Wallpaper (similar HEREHERE, & HERE) | Alatera Tile Stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils

Subway Tile | Arabesque Marble Tile | Charcoal Grout 

one room challenge guest participant

 

Share: