When we were house shopping, the master bathroom was one of the things that drew us to this property. The original clawfoot tub is such a treasure and the light in this room is incredible! We fell in love with this space and I have no doubt that our guests will as well.
Decorating this room was a complete dream. Since I committed to completely new inspiration for this project, I have had the MOST fun stretching outside my typical comfort zone. I am so happy with how this room came out with a relatively small and budget-friendly makeover.
This post is sponsored by Delta Faucet. Like many of our sponsors, I have been a longtime fan and customer of this company before they became a sponsor. They are one of my go-to sources for beautiful and affordable faucets (I used them in my own home as well), and so I am proud to have them as a sponsor on this project. They have several exclusive faucets and bath products available at The Home Depot and there are a variety of styles and finishes to choose from! All of the faucets in this post are available there.
I am super excited to share all the details from my bnb master bathroom today. But first, a walk down memory lane!
This room was formerly painted purple (along with the master bedroom). We were able to keep the frosted block window that is private while still letting in a lot of light. We also updated the existing vanity and kept a lot of the bones of this room intact, while just changing colors and finishes. My friend who does a lot of house flips calls a room like this a “fluffy do,” meaning it looks like a big makeover, but really it’s just cosmetic changes (i.e. big, fluffy Glamour Shots hair??).
I was inspired by this little nook, but something felt kind of off. I knew it had a lot of potential, but I needed to up the cozy factor a lot.
To upgrade the bathtub, without replacing, we painted the outside of the tub (it was already painted, probably many times though the years). We used the color Thunderbolt by Valspar, same as what we used in the bedroom. I plan to use it bit by bit throughout the entire home.
We also added a fancy Matte Black standing faucet by Delta. I love the contrast of the black faucet against the crisp white. Choosing higher contrast design in this home has been super fun.
In case you’re curious, there is a shower downstairs in this home. I know some of you will probably say we should make this into a shower, but I had a shower like this in our previous home and it was not my favorite—the curtains kind of stick to you from all sides. Didn’t love it. I think it’s 100% better as a bath (but feel free to disagree). I LOVE baths! #executivedecisions
Let’s talk about this color scheme! Like I said above, the green paint color is Thunderbolt by Valspar and the white is Marshmallow (which we recently learned is a universal color, so you can order it from any paint brand, I believe—we’ve done Valspar and Sherwin Williams). I also mixed some neutrals. Normally I would never think to mix gray and brown, but it felt right in small doses and I love it. Along with pops of black.
One of the best ways I’ve found to save a good amount of money on a bathroom or kitchen renovation is to reuse the existing vanity or cabinetry. It also reduces waste. In this room, we painted the existing cabinet, added new hardware and had a new quartz counter made. I LOVE quartz because it won’t stain or scratch, so it’s great for having lots of guests. I like to get the super square, modern edges.
By the way, the paint finish on the tub is semi gloss and the vanity is satin.
Above the toilet can be an awkward space, so I almost always add a shelf or two. I snagged these from Target along with art that was on sale for $13.
We swapped out the toilet handle and toilet paper holder with these from Delta. Little details like this make a room feel intentional and pulled together (even though we didn’t even replace the toilet).
These are actually the same Delta faucets I have in my bathroom, just in Matte Black here. They are technically bar faucets, but they work great for bathrooms.
My number one tip for creating a guest space of any kind is to use it yourself. If you make a guest room, spend a night or two in it. If it’s a guest bathroom, get ready there without relying on your other spaces. This is the best way I’ve found to notice little improvements you can make like adding an extra hair dryer, putting some travel toiletries in a drawer in case something is forgotten or making sure there are the right lineup of towels. I highly recommend keeping light and dark towels and wash cloths in a guest bathroom! White towels can get ruined really easily with makeup or hair dye.
On the other side of this room we spruced up the empty wall with a cute bench and print. Then we made the window seat area a lot more cozy with a mini rug, some cushions, a small table and a new curtain.
When I design a room with a lot of white (which is often), I try to add as much texture as possible. A soft pattern on the curtains, and a textured pillow and rug make this space feel inviting instead of sterile.
This print is by my dear friend, Arielle Vey. She has the most beautiful prints that add a bit of color to a space.
I am really surprised by how obsessed I am with this black bench. It’s something that I normally wouldn’t call “my style,” but I just LOVE. The combination of the two really speaks to me!
In this home, I have been choosing black hardware, faucets and finishes. I am really loving the high impact look.
Source list: Faucet/Delta, Tub Filler/Delta, Toilet handle/Delta, Toilet paper holder/Delta, Towel bar/Delta, Black Bench/Wayfair, Orange Car Print/Arielle Vey, Towels/Target, Shelves/Target, White Mirror/Wayfair (similar), Side Table/Wayfair (similar), Seagrass Basket/Wayfair, Pillows/Target (similar), Rug/Target, Black Cabinet Pull and Knobs/The Home Depot, Jute rug/Amazon, Fiddle Leaf/Target.
Let me know if I missed any sources in the comments!
Thank you so much for following along. This project has inspired me so much! I am so happy I decided to branch out of my typical color palette and finishes because it’s been a huge learning experience for me so far!
And just a quick update on my bnb project. Since we recently found out we’ll be adopting Nova SOON we decided to wait to rent out the bnb until after we’re home with her. We’re planning to use it as a place for our family to stay because we’re expecting a LOT of visitors and it’s not advised to have a bunch of house guests with a newly adopted child (too confusing for her). So the timing worked out perfectly for us! In the meantime, we’ll be finishing up projects and sharing them with you here all throughout autumn!
xx. Elsie
Credits/Author and Design: Elsie Larson, Project Assistant: Collin DuPree. Photography: Amber Ulmer. Photos edited with A Color Story presets for Lightroom.
61 Comments
I love the look of this bathroom! We’re undecided on the metal finishes we want when we redo our bathroom soon, and I think black just may be the answer. It looks so stunning against crisp white!
-Molly
http://www.modcircus.com
I’m loving the black. And it’s a little bit easier to find than bronze or gold too, which is nice!
Source for the fiddle leaf fig? Or is it real? Looks like my fake from target but I’m always looking for other fakes!
It’s a fake one from Target, yes. I just saw them on sale at my Target today… xx!
What a gorgeous bathroom! The basket by the tub is such a nice, soft touch!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Thanks so much!!
I love baths! It’s a detail that I look for when renting an airbnb as I’m sure many other bath lovers do as well 🙂
Love the contrast and the use of that green throughout the home. Looking really nice Elsie!
Thank you so much Brooke! I am having so much fun running with a new color scheme in this home. 🙂
I have two bathrooms in need of some major fluff – I may steal these colors!
Exciting!!!
So gorgeous! I love the color on the tub and the vanity. So not what I think my aesthetic is, but love the overall look.
Thanks Sandy! 🙂
I love the tub and am so glad you kept it! Even though tubs are less practical for everyday living, they are so much fun when you’re on vacation. I get extra excited to bring a bath bomb when I’m staying at a place with a good tub, because apartment life means really sad walk-in showers and enclosed tub and showers for a lot of us.
Tubs are also practical for families since littles take baths.
Loving the green statements and dark hardware!
Me too!!!!
What did you use to take place of the holes where the old tub faucet was? Or did you just leave it in? Is it functional or do you only use the black Delta faucet?
The old faucet (it’s the tiny silver one) just needs to be covered with a white plate. Just didn’t get around to it before these photos were taken. 🙂
I love how you’ve gone outside your comfort zone in this….it’s turning out SO well! The black faucets are gorgeous.
Thank you Cait! I am having so much fun with it!
This is just beautiful! I am not sure if I would call it budget-friendly, though. I only clicked on a few of the links but was disappointed to see the bench, mirror, and faucet were all over $200 each, and the basket rang in at $80. I would love to see some home-makeovers that are actually inexpensive. I know it’s probably personal, but I would also be very interested in hearing more about your budget and how you decide how much to allocate to each room, what items are worth spending more on, etc. I live in a very expensive part of the country so cheap makeovers to my rental are more realistic than buying a home for now.
Hi Robyn,
Money is relative, so I understand your perspective. Still, when you compare this to a bathroom renovation that includes demolition, tile, a new vanity etc… I would consider this budget friendly.
I would also note that, to me, this price range is reasonable for quality faucets. When I was first renovating my personal home I bought a bunch of the cheapest gold faucets I could find from Amazon- and had to replace them within six months because they all leaked and my contractors couldn’t make it work due to the quality. I learned a huge lesson from that and the faucets I ended up replacing them with were these exact ones (just in a different finish). And honestly, they ended up being one of the best deals you can find for bathroom faucets in the bronze finish I did at my home.
So, I do take your feedback (I really do) but I just wanted to share my perspective as well. I LOVE deal shopping and I have plenty of bargain things in my home, and things that were DIYs that saved thousands of dollars. But when it comes to a full bathroom renovation, I really believe this is on the lower side of a reasonable budget for quality that will last.
xx
Thanks for your thoughtful response! It definitely is all relative 🙂
I live just outside of Nashville, but will totally have a stay-cation when you open this place up!! Looks great!
Exciting!!! I can’t wait to open it.
xoxo
I love what you’ve done with this space. Loving the dark cabinets!
Love it!!!! Perfect vanity color! I love the undermount sink. Do you have the source for it, or were you lucky enough that it was already there? Thanks!!
I bought it from the company that did my quartz install. 🙂
just curious, do you know why the tub is built on a “stage” like that. I have a clawfoot and I suspect its to disguise plumbing that is above the floor joists?
Yeah- probably.
It looks like a platform tub.
Beautiful! Is the cabinet and tub grey? It’s reading to me as a dark green which I think is so pretty!
Question about your countertop: what kind of place do you have that done? I want to replace my vanity counter top but I don’t really know where to start looking.
It is dark green, yes.
Look for a local place that does quartz (a lot of times they also do granite or marble). You can also order quartz at The Home Depot.
xx!
I love all the colors you used for this room. Just lovely!
Thank you Lisa!!!
This makeover is beautiful! Absolutely love it! Your blog is inspiring and as a new blogger it’s nice to see such great content! Would love if you would check my blog out as well and give me a follow!
I’m obsessed with the gold trend. I’ve stuck with it for many years. I didn’t even budge when copper/rose gold made it’s debut, even though they are equally as appealing…I’m set in my gold ways. 🙂 But girl, this matte black hardware…I think you’ve got me convinced. I’m totally in love with it!
Great makeover! I would be interested to see a post where you talk about the things you would have done differently in this space if it was yours instead of a rental (Would you turn that bath into a shower? Would you live with the vanity as is or replace with something different?). I’m always curious how others balance dream design decisions vs the practical needs of the space / use of the space / budget.
I LOVE the colour palette! It’s bright but has contrast but it feels super cosy as well!
Love this, our downstairs is ready for freshening up, didn’t even think about replacing the vanity top, so smart and simple ! I love scrolling back through the before and afters… very satisfying!
I love all the home inspiration I see here on ABM but the look of the BNB is SO ME and it’s been fun to see something different style-wise here on the blog. Can’t wait to see the rest!
Gorgeous and inspiring in many ways–thank you for sharing. In a related topic and hopefully post-worthy, any tips on maintenance? Specifically, ugh, keeping the tub clean? Or perhaps getting an maintenance-ignored features resurrected?
Oh my goodness those pops of greens with that beautiful black hardware = LOVE!
This is a stunning bathroom!
It looks so bright and stylish, and I’m in love with that bathtub!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
I am so intrigued by your airbnb! I have a dream of owning a cottage airbnb. I would actually love to hear about the business and practical side of having an airbnb (although I realize that kind of content might not align with what you’re going for with ABM). Like, for example I noticed in one post you had a record player in the airbnb. I thought that was such a fun touch, but do you worry about it getting stolen?
Anyways, I’m looking forward to seeing more of your airbnb progress!
Absolutely gorgeous. Love the green so much. What a great space!!
So you’re getting Nova before Christmas now?! ♥
WOW ! This looks fantastic – I would have been really stumped with what to do with the space as it originally was, but you’ve done such a great job of updating and making an inviting room without having to do any real structural work – I am really impressed.
What is gray and brown? I didn’t see it.
The rug and the side table in the corner are. xx
Oh, I was looking in the bathroom! I like that combo. I’ve been using it a lot in my decor lately. Try a pop of navy, it really pulls grays and tans together.
I am absolutely dying over how beautiful this room is!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
I never would have thought of doing faucets in black, I love it!
I love this bathroom – its lovely. Especially love the tub redo and the nook, very inviting. Great idea on having light and dark towels, never would have thought about that. Have you all ever done a DIY on how to repaint cabinets? Would also love to hear more on how to get a quartz counter top made.
Yes- here you go! http://abeautifulmess.com/2014/08/refinishing-kitchen-cabinets.html
I really love it! The green for the tub is fantastic!
Amazing transformation. This bathroom looks beautiful.
That bench is a dream piece of mine to own! I have no idea where I would put it, but I love it so much!
You’ve done such a great job with the bathroom, and was really smart about making reasonable changes on a budget. We did a change of vanity in our old apartment (1910 house), but we kept the cabinet above the sink and had the door fixed with new glass. I also changed all the hardware and it made a HUGE difference. I think people don’t always realize that some paint and small fixes can really go a long way!
http://www.shessobright.com
Love this! Elsie I LOVE your usual rooms with all the pinks and everything, but I have to say this bathroom is more *my* personal style so it is really cool to get to see some of my dreams in pictures! I have been crushing on black hardware for a long time, and that green is my favourite colour. Can’t wait to see the rest of this house, and then also more pink things of course XD
Photographs such as these offer us all inspiration for how we can decorate our own master bedrooms. The contrast of light and dark in the décor is something that can be easy to implement in our own homes.
Wow this is truly amazing! I love it so much. I can’t wait to re-do our master bathroom!!! it’s much needed. I LOVE how the bathtub is raised like that, and all of your decorations are PERFECT!
XO, Katie | http://www.meshkomoments.com
A very nice finishing, beatiful colors Thank you for this post! From where is the Mirror ?
Regards from Germany
Tekin
It’s sold out (from Wayfair) but here’s a similar one – https://rstyle.me/n/c52zbib64yf 🙂