Of the three bathrooms in our Cape Cod Rental, the kids’ bathroom was the most-requested. Today I’m starting to share our renovation plans – and beginning with this budget-friendly bathroom design, per your requests!
The Before
Before, this space was dark and dated, and in desperate need of an update. As I mentioned in last week’s post, this house was built in 2000s and hasn’t been updated since then.
To start, I plan to brighten everything up with my favorite white paint — “Chantilly Lace” by Benjamin Moore. In fact, the entire house is getting painted as I type. No more dark and dreary dungeons; now, this room is light, bright and airy.
Unfortunately we had to get rid of the beadboard paneling, because it’s not a standard height and would look strange with the new, taller but more shallow vanity. Then we’ll bring in new LVP flooring (Home Decorators Collection in Brown Ash), new vanity, new “Ali” brass sconces from Kichler, new arched mirror, new toilet, new shower head, and a new faucet.
Due to time constraints, the tub and shower insert is staying. But if we ever plan to sell the property, we’ll definitely upgrade to a fully custom, tiled shower — much like in the Greystone Remodel.
Moodboard
Because this is a rental property – and tenants are, obviously, temporary – it’s important not to veer too far into childish territory when designing this kids’ bathroom. One tenants’s children could be young, while another’s could be teenagers. As a result, I wanted this space to feel timeless.
Because the layout is staying exactly the same, it really came down to just choosing new and improved products for this budget-friendly bathroom design. I’ve rounded up all the products used in my design, below.
LVP Flooring | Fixed Shower Curtain Rod | Chrome Shower Head | Black Wraparound Curtain Rod | Black Cafe Curtain Rings | Chrome Centerset Faucet | Extra Tall, Plaid Shower Curtain | Paint: Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore | Striped Cafe Curtain | Arched Black Mirror | Brass Sconces | Grey Vanity with Top
Mockups
Below is a quick Photoshop mock-up of the vanity area. I plan to contrast the warm, brass finish of the sconces against the cool, chrome finish of the plumbing fixtures — my favorite combination. The black, arched mirror will help ground the space and will tie in the door knobs, hinges, and cafe curtain rod.
The Ali sconces from Kichler are a nice upgrade from the overhead globe light that was previously here. The sconces combine classic lines and subtle details with a clean, white shade for a truly elegant look. Sconce lighting is far more flattering than overhead lighting, so even though it was more labor and higher costs to move the junction boxes, I was adamant about doing so. Hopefully that doesn’t put us too far beyond our deadline!
The new chrome centerset faucet will match the existing chrome shower fixtures. I’m only updating the head in the shower; everything else is staying the same. The chrome cabinet knobs are a nice callback to the plumbing fixtures, too. I was limited to a centerset faucet here due to the pre-drilled 4″ holes in the vanity top. I remember eyeing this vanity cabinet six months ago; it was $100 then. Just another illustration of how drastically prices have risen!
I’ll probably hang an extra-tall shower curtain to add extra height to the room. I like this $9 fixed shower rod from Lowe’s – far more affordable than anything else on the market, and I like the fact that it’s permanent, unlike a tension rod.
Later this week or possibly the beginning of next, I will share the master bathroom plans. Following that will be the powder room plans, so stay tuned!
I’ve been thinking of getting two of those mirrors for our master bath. Can’t beat that price, and the size is just right.
They’re a really great find! Hobby Lobby is currently having a half-off promotion for all mirrors, by the way. We actually installed two of those mirrors in a different rental last year, and I loved them. Thanks for reading!