By now we’ve shown you every room in our new house except one: the bathroom. It’s the only bathroom in the house, which surprisingly hasn’t been a big problem so far. When we bought the place it wasn’t even functional — the vanity had been ripped off the wall, the water was shut off because of various leaks, and the house wasn’t connected to any sewer or septic system. In short, even if the toilet had worked, there was nowhere for it to go.
Because of that, we had to dive into this renovation right away, even though we usually prefer living in a house a bit before doing major projects (more on that in last week’s kitchen post). We managed the parts that required county involvement or professional help remotely, but originally planned to do the rest ourselves during spring break in April: retile the floor, install a new toilet and vanity, and call it done. Then the coronavirus upended those plans and we stayed put in Richmond, switching to Plan B.
We were lucky to get the project on our contractor’s schedule. That turned out to be a good move because he found a leak in the wall behind the shower. The shower, tub, and drywall all had to be removed and replaced, so the job became more of a gut renovation than the quick update we had imagined. That would have been difficult for us to finish on our own over one week.
Because we were still in Virginia, we picked everything out online in March, had it shipped directly to the contractor in Florida, and didn’t see the pieces in person until they were installed and we moved in on that big day in May. Thankfully everything came together. Sherry finished the look with art, plants, and brass accents — and yes, our favorite toilet made the cut.
We’re not calling the room completely finished, but we’re very happy with how it functions. Design-wise we still want to add a bit more texture and interest — maybe wainscoting, wallpaper, or shelving — but those are future projects. For now we’re thrilled to have working water, a proper sewer hookup, no leaks, and a sink that’s actually attached to the wall.
Moving from two generously sized, recently renovated bathrooms back in Virginia to this single, smaller space felt like it might be an adjustment. Previously we had four sinks for four Petersiks; now we’re all sharing one bathroom. It’s been easier than we expected, though, and we’ve put our plans for an ensuite bathroom on the back burner because the urgency isn’t there yet. We’ll likely add it down the road, but we don’t need to rush.
One feature we appreciate is the 31″ vanity with a wide sink top. The kids can brush their teeth side-by-side without elbow clashes because the basin isn’t small and centered. The counter surface is limited, which initially felt like a drawback, but it’s actually helped us keep clutter off the sink. Instead of crowding the top, we store toothbrushes, toothpaste, contact supplies, and other daily items in labeled bins under the sink. Each of us has a bin, so we open the cabinet, grab what we need, and close it back up. Small personal items like deodorant and grooming products live in our bedroom nightstands, which keeps bathroom time short during busy mornings.
As the kids get older we may need more storage, and there’s a hall linen closet right outside the bathroom that helps. If the current setup stops working, we’ll consider building the ensuite, but for now this bathroom meets our needs and we’re grateful for how far it’s come from the condition it was in when we bought the house in February.
We kept the shower and tub straightforward with subway tile to the ceiling for a clean, classic look, and chose a more playful tile for the floor. The colorful floor pattern was inspired by tile we used in bathrooms throughout the duplex and creates a cheerful contrast to the classic white shower tile.
We used the same tub and shower fixture set that worked well in the duplex — a comforting, tried-and-true choice. The tub is deep and comfortable; Sherry has always loved taking baths and, surprisingly, I’ve given them a try too.
Brass accents continue throughout the space. Our wooden towel hooks with brass caps were worth the wait even though they took a while to arrive. Other brass details and framed art pieces that have followed us from house to house help make the space feel cohesive.
We’re considering adding wallpaper or a wall treatment to bring more texture to the space, but for now we’re enjoying a functioning bathroom and a toilet that actually flushes. Getting a sewer hookup sorted from five states away was one of the more complicated tasks, so we won’t take that for granted.
The window in the bathroom is frosted, so we don’t need a covering for privacy and can keep the room bright. The deep windowsill is perfect for a plant in a brass pot and a candle for the occasional leisurely bath.
Oddly enough, we rarely use the indoor shower — the outdoor shower has become our go-to, so the bathroom shower only gets used occasionally. That might change when the weather cools, but for now it prevents bottlenecks when someone is showering.
So that’s the last interior room tour for now. We still have some outdoor spaces to share, and if you missed any interior rooms, you can find previous posts covering the kitchen, bedroom, living room, laundry closet, and the kids’ rooms.
We’re also preparing the kitchen cabinet reveal — the mauve cabinets are coming soon, so stay tuned.
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