Remodeling my mom’s bathroom gave me a chance to put recent learnings into action. With some bathroom renovation experience already under my belt — and with the help of Aunt Mary Anne, who is a design whiz — I think we made some great decisions and the bathroom turned out really well. But, I also made some “mistakes.” Today, I spotlight 9 things that I was really happy with.
First up:
1. Install a timer for your bathroom exhaust fan. We added this to both bathrooms — and the love for this little feature is already huge. No more forgetting to turn off the bathroom fan and exhausting all your conditioned air into the environment for, like, eight hours (guilty!) Note: You need an entire switch area for this timer.
2. If you have a pretty bathroom floor — consider a vanity with legs so that you can see underneath. Of course, you will be forever fighting dust bunnies, but I think it is well worth it. Honestly, I would have preferred to show “more legs”, but this was the best we could do on short notice and considering other constraints. We found this vanity at Lowe’s and repainted it and changed the hardware to suit our black-and-white design.
3. Use forms to create recessed shelves in your shower or bath. We created tile-in shelves in two spots in the shower, using foam-forms that we bought from Louisville Tile. These are fabulous time-savers — no need to “build” shelves out of cement board.
4. $5 suction cup hooks. Also featured above, notice the very functional and ingenious (there’s a stick-then-lock mechanism) suction-cup triple-hook for the scrunchy scrubbies is from Bed Bath & Beyond, $4.99. When it comes to drilling things into tile I get very anxious. So, I gave these suction cups a try — this one looks like it will hold.
Here is what the recessed, tile-in shelf forms look like, going in. Hi, Kenny!
5. 30″ double-door recessed medicine cabinet. When I first wrote about the 30″, double-door medicine cabinet by Kohler ($98 from Lowe’s), I mentioned the negative reviews about the hinges that I had subsequently read online. Going in, the hinges looked fine and dandy to me!
6. Matchy matchy toilet flushing lever — Again demonstrating that no detail is too small, we bought satin nickel toilet flushing levers. Note, however, that this is Moen Banbury, while the towel hooks and toilet paper are Baldwin Prestige (as I recall.) Baldwin Prestige did not make a matchy matchy toilet flushing lever. Marketing opportunity LOST, Baldwin! Moen’s design was Close Enough.
7. Towel hooks are the new towel bars — When we went to install the Baldwin Prestige towel bar, gosh, room was tight. Aunt Mary Anne convinced me that using robe hooks for towels was quite acceptable — preferable, even — especially in a small space. Thinking more about it — heck, yeah, I almost always drape my towel, first, over the shower curtain rod to dry. It could then easily go on a hook. And having a hook right outside the shower is great – it gives you a place to grab your towel the minute you get out. Lesson: Do we really need towel bars? MAYBE NOT!
8. Safety grab bars — We chose a 30″ shower grab bar in porcelain-enamel-on-metal for the shower, to blend in with the white subway tile. We also have the same grab bar, 18″ high”, right outside the shower. And, we’re going to add a third one, perpendicular to the one outside the shower / leading to the door. We have structure in the right places. As to location for grab bars — consult with professionals. Our contractor was familiar with ADA requirements, which was very helpful.
9. Carrera marble shower threshold — Oh my, this is lovely. As my sister Jenni said, “I never want to leave this bathroom.”
Pam – this discussion thread is so timely! This week we began to restore our 1955 pink tile shower,& the 1970’s aluminum frame door was removed, along with the moldy weatherstripping along the bottom…..let’s just say good riddance! We are now trying out the idea of the tension rod and curtain, versus the expense and added cleaning issues of a new door! Thanks again for all of your advice.
Pam’s right, Nature abhors a vacuum…Whatever space you have will be filled!
You’re welcome! I also remembered that at my old roommate’s house my bathroom had a corner shower which was constructed with it’s base being one of those vinyl shower floor basins. The curb wasn’t high at all and I never had any issue. Just make sure you hang your curtain rod so that the curtain falls to the right height and you’ll have no need to trim it and generally you’ll have to get the extra long shower curtain, but they are easily found. The standard length is designed for a tub with a higher side. Also make sure it can go far enough inside the shower to fully close off the door. Also, the rod on that shower was one of those outwardly curved rods that hotels have that they sell for tub/shower now, just in shower only mini lenth – so they have all types of things to help!
One last comment on the exhaust fan switch dilemma:
The place for the timer switch is on the other side of the room in the area between shower and toilet.
why do you say that?
Because an exhaust fan is needed only when taking a shower or actually using the toilet. Why create a “Mission Control” unit with confusing switches? You don’t need it to wash hands, brush teeth, look in the mirror, etc. Ever get ready for a shower and forget the fan….?….To late…it’s on the other side of the room!
If you are doing a bath redo “to the studs” I would not hesitate to break up the electrical locations. I dislike going to someone’s home and finding a wall o’ switches in the bath (I HAVE to try them ALL) Thank God the recessed Heat Lamp craze of the 70’s is over- one less switch!
I understand your logic. Not sure I agree. “Wall of switches” vs. “Switches here and switches there”? I think: Toss up.
Pam-when can you come do my bathroom? It’s absolutely wizard, fab and groovy(it was used in the 1940’s, believe it or not–) y’all out-did yourselves! Your Mama is verrry lucky!
We’re right in the middle of our bathroom redo, and I REALLY need to hear about what you would do “better” next time! Post soon?
Also, found pinwheel mosaic tile (all white 1″x2″ rectangles w/ black 1″ centers) at Lowe’s for @ $5/sf, so that blew DalTile’s quote of $17/sf out of the water, (same pattern, different colors) after I’d spent hours playing with their design toy at the website.
Hubby/sons are doing the shower pan build-up with mortar, galvanized wire mesh, mortar, etc… Thanks SO MUCH for the info on the niche forms — I need those, and had NO idea they even existed!
Well done on the bath, Pam — LOVE the hex tile and the cabinet paint job turned out superbly; definitely looks like a factory finish in the pics. 🙂
Yes, Amy, I think that Pinwheel at Lowe’s is American Standard Chloe. I have that in all three of my bathrooms.
hi sorry if you answered this, but, there were so many posts to this article i may have missed it. where do you buy the bathroom timer switch or even the motion timer? also dimmer switches for lights. will you need an electrician to install those? i have never done that, or even replaced a light fixture! but, am willing to go for it! my hubz can prolly do it. he sent our vintage bathroom fans out to be rechromed, which, at the time i thought was not the first thing we needed to repair when we moved into our mcm home, but, whenever i turn them on i smile.. =)
love your site! waste lots of work time on here! lol.
oh, and btw, the rustoleum kit worked great at my dad’s house. he has a fixer upper in the mountains and i told him to have his handy man use this kit. it looks great. although the handyman hates step by step stuff and just wanted to paint them. he also has one eye and wears an old eye patch, just like an old pirate. seriously.
the cabinets look really good, and thanks for all your recommendations.
samantha, i do not know where the electrician bought the timer, i am presuming it is pretty available from any good electrical supply company. i showed a close up of the switch so’s you could see what they looked like.
regarding dimmer switches: i know from experience that these are readily available at hardware stores. my husband has installed them himself – i do not think it is difficult. but you do need to know what you are doing to work safely. any doubt whatsoever: trust it to a licensed professional. good luck.