See How This 2000s Bathroom Gets a Makeover Full of “Color and Humor”
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: House
STYLE: Colorful, Modern
SKILL LEVEL: Professional
RENTAL FRIENDLY: No
There are several types of dated bathrooms, from colorfully tiled ‘50s and ‘60s powder rooms to carpeted, behemoth-tubbed ‘80s bathrooms to beige-on-beige early aughts bathrooms.
If you conjure an image of a “very early 2000s” bathroom in your mind, it probably looks something like homeowner Nate Klass’s bathroom once did: Sandy beige tiles, chrome finishes, and a sheet mirror are certainly 2000s builder-grade staples. Nate’s bathroom also had a jetted tub that he didn’t like.
His goal was to simplify the space, layout-wise, especially to get rid of the jetted tub. “The ceiling fan was not doing a good job getting moisture out, so that had to be updated as well,” Nate adds. He hired a contractor for the job but also did some DIY to create the bathroom of his dreams.
The makeover started with a demo down to the studs.
Post-demo, the layout stayed mostly the same, including the divider wall by the shower, where Nate had the idea to do a cool tile feature (more on that later). One thing that’s different? The window in the space. “It was an unexpected addition to the scope, but now the window functions properly,” Nate says.
Nate also splurged on heated floors and a new Japanese toilet. “Best decisions I’ve ever made,” Nate says.
The tile was budget-friendly.
On the other end of the cost spectrum, tiles in the room were all budget-friendly. “All of the tile is super simple ceramic,” he says. “I don’t like to spend on tile because I’m not convinced it’s worth it.” His deep blue tiles and pink hex tiles are both from The Tile Bar. Nate also says his tile choices “add in color and humor.”
One of his favorite parts of the bathroom redo is the pattern variation where the wall divider once was. “I had the idea to leave the inset area that was part of the “before” design but run the tile in it in a different direction,” Nate says. “I’m happy with the impact it has.”
A floating vanity improves the flow.
Nate’s also happy with the smaller, less-clunky vanity tucked into the corner, which he found from Wayfair. “It feels so much larger!” Nate says of the bathroom now that the vanity is in place. “It’s a simple space, but every element was thought through, and it’s just much more relaxing.”
The wall outside the bathroom got a revamp, too.
Part of the bathroom’s new look also includes the door and the wall outside the bathroom. “I stripped the paint off of all of the doors,” Nate says. “They’re left in a rough, unfinished way that I just love. It’s a great texture.”
He also attempted a DIY Roman clay treatment on the walls, “though it kind of failed in execution and is much more like stucco than Roman clay,” Nate says. “Even though it wasn’t what I initially wanted, it actually looks cool in a way I didn’t intend!”
Here’s to more happy home renovating accidents and happy color schemes in bathrooms!
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