Bathroom Reveal + before and after

When we moved into our 2 bedroom 1 bath home we knew we had quite the project ahead of us. But as first time homebuyers we were willing and wanting to take on the challenge. Of course our big dreams of renovating the whole house right away were crushed by the reality of the cost so we did what we could and made it livable. After 2 years of living in our original 1950’s bathroom with little function and a wallpapered bathtub, we decided it was time to bite the bullet and renovate. Expecting our second baby we knew this 1 bathroom needed to function well and feel as large as possible. Our two biggest changes were knocking out part of our hallway closet to make space for a larger vanity and converting the 24”x24” shower into a tall storage cabinet. If you don’t remember what it looked like before… eeeeek..

With our goal of having as open a feel as possible, we chose to go with an overall white wall, tile + grout as well as floating our vanity to help the space breath. The white matte penny tile was chosen not just because we loved the look but also because by choosing a sheet tile it was going to save us time and labor costs as it is easier to install than individual tiles are.

Quick Tip: Tile labor costs can add up quickly, so if you are trying to keep to a budget I would highly recommend finding a smaller scaled sheet tile especially for covering large surfaces. Your other more affordable alternative would be to go with something much larger scale. The less cuts the less you pay.

For our vanity we wanted a custom built in look while not breaking the bank. Everything we found online that we liked was either from Australia or was so expensive it was a joke. Am I right?! Because the tile and hardware we were using in the bathroom we wanted to be sure to balance it with some natural elements. The rest of our house is cozy and while this would be the first space to really be fully renovated the way we wanted, we didn’t want it to feel so foreign to the rest of the home. We chose to go with Semihandmade’s Tahoe drawer fronts for the IKEA Godmorgon vanity which complimented the original hardwood floors throughout the rest of the home and helped to soften the more sterile parts of the bathroom. The countertop was a big deal to us and finding one at a reasonable price proved challenging. I started hunting for remnant pieces at various stone yards and finally found someone on craigslist selling remnant slabs. After meeting him at his mini warehouse (more like a storage garage) I ended up finding this gem. After about 20 minutes of chatting, not only did I find the countertop guy of my dreams but I walked away feeling completely secure in my countertop. And for any of you that have overseen an entire renovation by yourself, you know the insane peace of mind in finding someone you trust completely.

Many people have asked us how we were able to get an undermount sink. I’m not going to lie, it was a little tricky. But if you plan your plumbing well and are willing to cut part of the inside of the top drawer, the sink I linked below will fit and still allows for some storage! If a detailed post on this process would be helpful, let me know!

Semihandmade Tahoe drawer fronts with Rejuvenation hardware

Storage was a huge concern for our growing family in a small home so we went the extra mile and added an IKEA kitchen pantry cabinet (in place of the freakishly tiny shower) with the same Tahoe fronts for another custom built in look.

The cherry on top of this bathroom ended up being the mirror. I can’t even tell you how many hours I spent searching the internet to find not only the style we wanted but also something that would fit our space. Finally I threw up my arms and decided to make one myself. After finding some inspiration mirrors and measuring out the space, I designed the mirror in illustrator and asked a friend to weld it for me. Two days later, I had a frame. I found a local powder coater and mirror/glass cutter/installer and within a couple weeks, I had the mirror of my dreams!

Mirror Purchasing: For the many people who have reached out asking about where they can get this mirror, I am working to create the one seen here as well as a 24x36” version to sell. As soon as I have my ducks in a row, I will give you all the website of where to purchase. To start, we will most likely only offer local pick-up or drop-off in the Los Angeles/Orange County area but will be open to shipping per request.

Lastly, we went with a 12x24” black raw granite flooring so we could be 1000% sure no one would slip no matter how wet it got. The texture + the darkness of the floor helped ground the overall lightness of the space and hides the inevitable gunk that ends up on the bathroom floor.

Financial Tips:

If you want to save money on tile, finding a local tile supplier can sometimes save you as much as 20% off the online price you can find.
Always check amazon for cost comparisons. Sometimes items will be on a special deal and can save you a bit.
Keep in mind, if you are placing a large order and can order many of your items through build.com, call them to place the order. Most of the time you can sweet talk them into giving you a discount on the entirety of your purchase. That discount can be as high as 20%! They also have great customer service so if there happens to be a mistake with your order or damaged items for some reason they are so quick to return and replace.
If you want to save a little on Semihandmade fronts, wait until they have a 20% Godmorgon sale which they seem to do a few times a year at least. They are also an amazing company to work with and can answer any questions you may have in a timely manner.
Rejuvenation also has sales every once in a while. I got 20% off the hardware as well since I waited for the sale. Sign up for their emails and you’ll get alerts when their hardware goes on sale.
Like I mentioned above, choosing a sheet tile can save you time + labor which ultimately leads to less money!
If your countertop is small, look for local remnant slabs as you can find things at 1/2 the price and still get exactly what you want. Remnant slab hunting can take a little time if you’re looking for something specific so be patient..
Figure out exactly what you want before hiring a contractor. While it’s a time consuming process and can require you to do some research ahead of time, it can give you the most accurate idea of cost when getting quotes.
Always add at least 10% when ordering tile just in case you need a little extra! I swear I did all the math right and measured it all out but ended up having to order more while the contractor was installing.. -__-
Be kind. Be kind. Be kind. I can’t stress this enough. If you throw a fit with a supplier or contractor you’re less likely to get things on time and save money. This doesn’t mean be a pushover. If something isn’t being done the way that you want or someone isn’t keeping their end of the bargain, address it. Be direct and to the point but keep the attitude in check. ;)

This renovation was the first of (hopefully) many more to come. If you’re interested in resources, see below!