Oct 14, 2019

Eight Smartest Updates From our Bathroom Remodel That Make Life Easier

Happy Monday, friends, and welcome back to a new week! How was your weekend? Our son brought several new friends home for the big OU vs Texas game, and it was so good to not only see (and hug!) him, but meet the young men who now make up his every day.

They were all so nice and respectful, and even made their beds every day!! I mean, what?! I wonder what they thought when they walked in our guest room! Ha!

Parenting college kids is definitely a whole new beast, but hopefully we’re figuring it out together. It’s getting easier every day, but I don’t think it will ever feel natural. #sigh (See a pic from our weekend here.)

But let’s move on. Last month I shared our Master Bathroom Remodel, one of the last big projects in this ‘new’ home. And while the Before and After was striking from a design aesthetic (thanks to the magic of A Well Dressed Home), but it’s the details that really make the space for us.

Of course I love the tile, the wallpaper, and especially the big soaking tub, but Mr. SP and I agree, the small updates are what we love most. That’s just one of the benefits of working with a decorator like A Well Dressed Home. We talked through every nook and cranny of the space before anyone even picked up a hammer.

Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite details that make the space most useful and custom for us.

Scoop Tee

One // Pull-out drawer for hair tools

My messiest drawer has always been the hair tools…all those cords! Plus it never fails I have to leave them out to cool, creating more clutter on the countertop. So for the remodel, we dedicated a vertical cabinet for just hair tools!

Our contractor built a little box of sorts, and using different sized drill bits, cut openings for each of the barrel sizes. There’s plenty of space for hair dryers, multiple curling irons, and even brushes.

Then he mounted a power strip to the back of the cabinet base, and all the cords are plugged in underneath. It takes a little configuring for the direction of each (cords on top vs cords on bottom), but it’s amazing to just close it up out of sight!

Round Brush | Curling Iron | Hair Dryer | Texture Spray

Round Brush | Curling Iron | Curling Iron | Hot Air Brush

Two // Customize drawers for your needs

Prior to building the vanity, we took inventory of every item we store in the bathroom and determined the most functional way to store them. Drawers make better use of vertical space, so we went heavy on those…deep drawers for tall bottles and towels, and shallow drawers for makeup and skincare.

We took it one step further in my makeup and skincare cabinet, and built six shallow drawers…the smallest only 1.5″ deep! I now organize my makeup by face, eyes, and lips, each in their own shallow drawer. Nail polish and face masks go in the next two, and taller bottles are stored in the deeper bottom drawer.

Now when I’m getting ready, I simply pull out each drawer to use what I need, and close it back up. No more wasted vertical space, or items that get lost in a stack!

Three // Open up the space with a frameless shower

Frameless showers are a little pricier than a traditional shower frame, but they make the space feel two times larger…both inside the shower and the room as a whole. And once we removed the built-in jetted tub, we were able to extend the shower another 18″, which feels so luxurious!

Four // Add a towel bar to the shower door

I spotted this at a hotel and couldn’t believe how such a small detail was actually so genius!! Now we have a spot to drape washcloths or towels between uses, and it doesn’t take up any extra space in the bathroom.

Our bar is on both sides of the door and mirrors itself.

Five // Customize niches in shower & add a foot prop

Our previous shower had a built-in bench…which basically only served as a clutter zone for too many bottles, making the bathroom look perpetually messy.

So for the remodel, we took inventory of our true shower essentials, measured the average bottle size, and customized niches for each. Now Mr. SP and I each have one shelf for our respective products, and a shared narrow shelf for smaller products like soap and razors.

His Shampoo | Face Cleansing Balm | My Shampoo / Conditioner / Body Wash

And since we lost the bench, we added a small niche several inches from the ground as a foot prop for shaving!

Six // Frame out a builder grade mirror for a less-expensive custom size

Our vanity wall is quite large, but instead of individual mirrors over each sink, we opted for a wide single mirror. We liked the clean look of a single mirror, and it created a more reflective surface for really opening up the room.

But 4×6-foot mirrors are pricey!! So we built our own at a fraction of the cost…and were able to make it the exact size we wanted. It’s simply a builder grade sheet mirror, with a brass quarter-trim glued to the front and side!

Seven // Use towel hooks instead of a bar for faster drying

Traditional bars require you to fold the towels in order to fit two. But folded towels don’t dry very well…which means most of the time we had our towels draped over the shower wall or bathtub.

Simply by swapping the bar for hooks, our towels have a more minimal place to hang and are always dry!

Eight // Add dimmers and mood lighting

Just because it’s the bathroom doesn’t mean it can’t have a mood! All our lights are now on a dimmer, and the wall sconces actually have a soft, warm bulb…making them perfect for evening baths.

I turn on all the bright lights when getting ready, but for my evening shower or bath, I love the soft, relaxing light of just the sconces. Consider adding extra can lights overhead for more light when needed.

Fleece V-Neck

When it comes to remodels, no two spaces are alike. After all, that’s the joy of remodeling your home…you can make it exactly how you want it! And these details didn’t incur additional costs, just required a little more thought beforehand. But they are what make the space feel most special and useful for us!

Some of the other things we included were undermount sinks for easier countertop cleaning, horizontal outlets positioned flush with the counters (so they blend better), and a grasscloth roman shade that allows both light and privacy. I also love the hand-held shower attachment on the bathtub faucet for easier cleaning!

What details do you love most in your bathroom? I hope I inspired some new ideas for your next remodel! See the full Before and After, along with sources, here.

Happy Monday, lovebugs! See you back here tomorrow for tons of Gibson x Hi Sugarplum Holiday Collection sneak peeks, and all the accessories we used to style it!

Bathrooms