Why Tear Up One Bathroom When You Can Tear Up Two?

For the past few weeks, I have been trying to figure out something that I could start right now. The main bathroom renovation is still in limbo while we wait for bids. During February and March, I have room in my schedule for a relatively quick and inexpensive project. Last Thursday, I was watching the Olympics and boom! Out of nowhere, all of the details for a guest bathroom makeover just came to me. It was seriously weird. Apparently, watching snowboarding jumpstarts my creativity.

Andy and I had precisely zero plans to work on this bathroom anytime soon, but suddenly, it seemed like the perfect project. The strangest thing was that I envisioned the complete guest bathroom in my head. That never happens to me. Usually, I charge into each project with about 10% of the design plan figured out, and I assume the rest will fall into place. Being able to see the finished guest bathroom in my mind before I even started, felt like a gift from the universe. I like gifts.

And you know, Why tear up one bathroom when you can tear up two?

Said no one ever.

The Guest Bathroom

I have dubbed this room the guest bathroom because of its location. It is connected to a bedroom. However, the occupant of that bedroom is not a guest. He is our oldest son who is currently attending college in California. Since he does not live here for most of the year, we can use his room for visitors if they do not want to share our real guest bedroom. The private bath is a bonus.

Even though this bathroom is tiny, 4.5′ X 7.5′, it includes all of the essentials: sink, toilet, and a full-size clawfoot tub. What?

This bathroom shares a wall with the main bath. When BHH was built, it probably did not even have indoor plumbing. This large, irregularly-shaped room, located at the top of the servant’s staircase, was likely another bedroom. Around the turn of the century, the room was split in two and eventually converted to these two full bathrooms.

One tiny…

…and one spacious

The Plan

First, we are keeping everything. Sure, it’s a bit cramped in there, but we do not need a different configuration right now. The unique elements are full of character. This corner sink is my favorite. Check out that creative trap in the drainpipe. Only in old houses, right?

After I repair the plaster walls, I will hang this wallpaper above the wainscoting:

Source and Photo Credit

I am not sure what color I will paint the wainscoting, floor, and trim, but I will decide after the wallpaper arrives. I do know that I want to use C2 paint. C2 is a new-to-me brand, but I have read excellent things about it. We have a lot of restoration work to do in our downstairs foyer, and I think C2 paint might be a winner for that high-end project.  Since it is costly, I will try it in this little bathroom before we commit to using it downstairs.

Oddly, this little window opens to the servant’s staircase, and that is not real stained glass. It is just privacy film. I will replace it with something more neutral since the faux stained glass will clash with the new wallpaper.

The window lock, pulls, and hinges are paint-covered, and I will restore them during this makeover. In fact, I have already pulled out that double-hung window because it was painted shut.

My goal is to restore every window in this house, but especially the ones on the second floor. For me, it’s a safety issue. Every single window upstairs should open in case there is a fire, and we need to get out. Maybe I’m overly cautious, but I can live with that. Currently, enough of the windows open, but I will feel better when they all do.

I didn’t want to tackle the window restoration right now, but such is life in an old house. Projects always snowball.

This adorable light stays:

I hope to salvage the porcelain shelf too, but there is a significant chunk missing on the back. I will be on the lookout for a replacement piece. The brackets are still in perfect condition.

I have no real feelings, one way or the other, about the medicine cabinet. Even though it is not very interesting, it functions just fine. Also, there is no additional storage in this bathroom at all. It seems silly to remove it in favor of a simple mirror.

The Timeline

The guest bathroom refresh should come together without too much heartache. Famous last words? I hope not. The wallpaper is on the way, and I have finished the main demo. My soft deadline is the week of March 19. You can follow all of the real-time updates on Instagram and Instagram Stories.

Have you ever had a complete project idea come to you out of the blue? How did your project turn out? Was it a winner?