Bathroom Shelfie Updating

On Saturday I decided to reward myself post-workout with a trip to Home Goods (love that store!).  While perusing the aisles I came across a fabulous selection of ginger jars.  As you may have noticed from previous posts, my Instagram account and my Pinterest "Chinoiserie Chic" board, I have a bit of an affinity for ginger jars. Naturally I couldn't pass up the opportunity to add yet another lovely ginger jar to my collection (especially when this one was only $14.99!).  

When I got home, I knew that the best place for the new ginger jar would be on my bathroom etagere from Pottery Barn.  I don't know if this has ever happened to you, but typically when I change one thing in a space, it cascades into having to modify the surrounding area as well.  Luckily I didn't have to revise the entire look of my shelf and I am absolutely loving the updated look of my bathroom "shelfies!"  For today's post, I wanted to walk you through my design/re-design process for creating a space that is both functional and decorative in your bathroom.  

Function

When it came to decorating/re-decorating my bathroom shelves, my ultimate goal was to strike a balance between pretty and practical.  As you may have read in my previous post (here), I have found this etagere to be a perfect place to store all of my extra towels.   At the bottom I have rolled my three large bath towels.  Since my towels are the bulkiest items on this etagere, I have placed them on the bottom tier so that they wouldn't overpower/distract from the other shelves.  I then filled my smaller hyacinth basket with the remaining extra towels (hand towels and wash cloths), and placed the basket in between the two decorative shelves to help break up the space.  

In addition to using this space to store extra towels, I also felt that another practical use would be to store/display an array of bathroom friendly fragrances (this is the bathroom after all!).  The most practical shelf for my LAFCO Marine Candle, Water Works Diffuser and book of matches was the top, since there is both ample airspace and easy access.  

Decor

In addition to creating a functional space, I also wanted my etagere to be aesthetically pleasing.   With the addition of my new ginger jar, I decided to keep the remainder of the third shelf fairly simple.  I opted for a pair of decorative nautilus shells (similar here), which tied in beautifully to the framed artwork on the wall.  In addition, I added a small pewter trophy cup I had on hand (similar here) to break up the pair of shells and on occasion, also be used to hold fresh flowers.  

Along with the assortment of fragrance offerings on the top shelf, I chose to include two of my Two's Company Canton Tea Jars, opposite the diffuser and catty-cornered.  The jars created a cohesive look with my new larger ginger jar and the silver tops blended in beautifully with the sea of polished chrome throughout my bathroom.  To finish off the look on my top shelf, I accented the candle and matches with a beautiful oval dish.  The addition of this dish also helped to corral the matches and candle, since they are meant to be paired together.    

I absolutely love the way my bathroom shelfie revamp turned out.  The shelf is functional, aesthetically pleasing and finally has that pop of color it had been lacking.  As you will see from my sourcing of the various items on these shelves, I have incorporated a mix of both high-end and affordable pieces.  My goal with decorating is always to create unique spaces that don't look like they came straight out of a catalogue.  Even though this space is decorated with a collection of pieces from a variety of places, I have kept the within the same color family so the decor looks unique but also like it's all meant to go together.  If you have any questions about designing your own bathroom shelfie or any other aspect related to the home, please don't hesitate to send me an email at redefiningdomestics@gmail.com. 

Renovating your Bathroom: Flooring

As I have mentioned in previous posts, we renovated our bathroom prior to moving in last Spring.  Reason being, re-doing the flooring in a bathroom requires 3 days to complete (the demolition has to take place, new tile needs to be laid, grouted and sealed) and our bathroom would have been off limits for that entire time.  When you only have one bathroom in your home, you quickly realize that this type of a renovation needs to take place either before you move in or while you are away on vacation.  Since we were using all of our vacation time to move in, we needed to go with the first option and have our bathroom renovated prior to our move-in date.  

As soon as we had a ratified contract, I began planning out all of the work that needed to take place prior to our move-in date.  I had decided that I would paint the bedroom and living room to save on expenses, but between painting the two rooms, working full time, my husband traveling 6 days a week for work and moving, there was no way that I would have time to re-tile and renovate the bathroom myself, so we had to hire a contractor.  

Even with a contractor, I knew I wanted to be involved in the renovation process for a few reasons.  

1. Stretching my dollar as far as possible- Always looking to get the best deal/save money, I purchased the materials that the contractor would need.
2. Being an informed consumer- Even though the contractor was doing the work, I wanted to make sure that it was being done properly. 
3. My husband and I have to live with the final product- I needed to make sure I had the opportunity to speak up regarding design decisions.  

There is so much to share regarding bathroom renovations (and over time I will definitely impart all of my knowledge), but for this post I am going to keep it to just talking about flooring.  Below I have compiled a list of my best tips/information when it comes to re-doing your bathroom floor that can help with saving money and ensuring quality work.

Shop Around 

When it came to selecting tile for the bathroom, I knew I wanted to keep with my neutral color scheme of whites and greys and did not want to use standard traditional tile.  I became more aware of the different tiles used in my friends and family's bathrooms and fell in love with the look of carrara marble.  The white stone with grey veining was perfectly in line with my color scheme and overall vision for the bathroom.  The only problem- carrara marble can be a bit pricey (yikes!).  Determined to achieve my desired aesthetic while staying within the budget, I started shopping around.  Of all places, I ended up having success on Amazon.com!  I found the Carrara Marble Hexagon Tiles I had been searching for at a cost of $9.75/sqft and the best part?  Free shipping and no tax!

How Much to Buy? 

There are plenty of online tools to help you figure out exactly what square footage of tile is required for your space (*this tile calculator is a great tool).  The most important tip I can share here is to buy 10-20% more tile than you think you need.  Reason being- tile damage during transport is inevitable (the average is 3% of your order) and you have to account for all of the tile that needs to be cut to fill in the edges along the perimeter.  Purchasing an adequate amount of tile before you start the renovation will also aid in keeping delays to a minimum.  Here is another resource that I found to be extremely helpful when trying to determine the amount of tile to purchase. 

Be an Informed Consumer

I can't stress enough how important it is to be an informed consumer.  Whether you are using basic ceramic tile or fancy Italian marble, renovating your bathroom is a significant investment.   The last thing you want is to find out down the road that there is a problem with the craftsmanship because your contractor cut corners.  

Understand the process for re-tiling.  Before our contractor started work on our bathroom I watched dozens of videos like this one and this one, so that I would know everything involved in properly tiling our bathroom floor.  Had it not been for this research, I wouldn't have know that the porous stone I had selected for our floor needed to be sealed after the grouting had been completed.  Researching ahead of time empowered me with the information to talk to our contractor knowledgeably during the process.    

Account for Time

Re-tiling a floor takes 3 days from start to finish if you have ample materials and everything goes according to plan.  Our bathroom renovation came with lots of surprises and setbacks, which drew out the process significantly (like not having purchased enough tile initially and our contractor was working multiple jobs at the time of our bathroom renovation).  This is more of an important reminder for those who only have one bathroom or if you are planning on doing the work yourself.  Ideally this project should only take 3 days, but be prepared for the possibility that it could take longer.  

The Devil is in the Details: Grout 

Who knew that there were so many color options when it came to grout!?!  This was my "first time at the rodeo" so to speak, and at the time I had thought that selecting white grout seemed like the logical choice.  If I had it to do over again, I would probably go with an off-white grout because bright white grout shows dirt easily.  Here is a post from Apartment Therapy that I found to be very helpful for selecting grout.  As well, if you are doing your own grout work, this post from Better Homes and Garden is a great resource.

While flooring is definitely "Step 1," there is still so much to cover when it comes to renovating your bathroom.  I have plenty of great tips and lessons learned from my own experience that I plan on sharing with you all in the future.  If you have any questions regarding this post or other bathroom renovation questions, please feel free to contact me.  Always happy to help!  

Bathroom Decor and Storage Solutions

As I have mentioned in my post on 5 Tips for Maximizing Space in your Kitchen,  my husband and I purchased our first home about a year ago.  While it is certainly more spacious than anything we have had in the past, it has its quirks and limitations for sure.  In addition to the kitchen storage being tight, I had initially experienced a similar situation in the bathroom.  

Our previous rental had this wonderful little linen closet.  I kept all of our bed linens, towels and dog grooming essentials in this closet.  It was extremely useful to have this additional storage space upstairs in between our bedroom and bathroom.  When we moved, I noticed that our bathroom configuration was such that the former bathroom linen closet had been converted into the laundry closet by the previous owner.  Having the laundry in my bathroom is convenient, but the drawback has been - where do I store the extra towels and supplies that I used to keep in that little linen closet we had at our previous rental?  

The Solution(s)

Bathroom Shelf- I had seen one of my friends add floating shelves to their bathroom to maximize storage space.  It was brilliant!  I had the ideal empty space in my bathroom, but instead of using floating shelves I opted to furnish it with a metal etagere.  The shelves  were the perfect storage solution for all of my towels, candles and bathroom knick knacks.  Yes, I needed a few knick knacks so that my etagere didn't look strictly utilitarian.  The last thing I wanted was to create a display shelf that had an inventory look!

Baskets- I was fortunate to have the opportunity to gut my bathroom before we moved in (thank goodness!).  We only have one bathroom in our house and it was severely outdated when we bought the house.  Since we had a month between closing and moving in, we decided to take care of the bathroom renovation (the renovation would require that the bathroom be out of commission for at least 3 days while they did the flooring).  Included in the renovations, was a new sink console. 

As is the way whenever you are under time constraints, nothing ever seems to go smoothly.  The sink console I had originally selected (with tons of cabinets and drawers) was backordered for months (just my luck!).  In an effort to be adaptable,  I opted for a sink console with drawers and a lower shelf.  Just like the kitchen, I was able to increase storage space on this bottom shelf by adding these Water Hyacinth Baskets from the Container Store.  This provided the additional space needed to house  all of our dog grooming products, cleaning supplies and bathroom paper products.  I also found a smaller matching basket to use on my display shelf for storing extra hand towels and washcloths.  

Every house has its own set of challenges, but I have learned that there is always a solution!  Just be patient, do your research (i.e. Pinterest, Magazines, Friends' Houses) and avoid the inventory look.  You will be surprised at the storage potential of any given space when you take the time to figure it out.  I know I have! 

Displaying Hand Soap in Your Bathroom

Pump Soap vs. Bar Soap

This sounds crazy to discuss Pump Soap vs. Bar Soap, but many people (myself included) have an opinion/preference regarding the form of hand soap displayed in their bathroom.  

Pump Soap

• Personally, I love pump soap for everyday hand washing.  I am a huge fan of the Mrs. Meyer's line of hand soaps. They smell delicious and I love that they are non-toxic.  I even think the packaging is pretty enough to display without transferring to a more formal pump soap dispenser.  It can add a fresh pop of coordinated color to a sea of monochromatic countertop accessories without having to permanently commit to that additional color.  Liquid Soap overall is a great option for everyday hand cleansing because it leaves little mess post-use and accomplishes the obvious (sanitizing your hands).   If you are interested in outfitting your bathroom sink with pump soap, here are a few suggestions for different liquid soaps and containers that I happen to love. 
  • Liquid Hand Soaps:Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Basil Liquid Hand Soap, Williams-Sonoma Fleur de Sel, Nest Fragrances Liquid Soap, Kiehl's Liquid Handsoap "Grapefruit,"  Method French Lavender Hand Wash

• Soap Pumps: The Container Store Deco Pump Soap Dispenser, Crate & Barrel Glass Soap Pump, Restoration Hardware Asbury Park Large Dispenser, Blomus Primo Soap Dispenser, Waterworks Silver Leaf Soap Dispenser.

Bar Soap

• When I am entertaining, I like to put out a proper soap dish with a nice quality bar of hand soap.  I love the traditional look of the soap bar and it makes my bathroom feel more home-like.  Reason being- when is the last time you saw a soap dish and bar soap out in a public bathroom? (probably never- because it wouldn't be sanitary).  The hand bar soap is always associated with a home (or hotel room).  It makes the space feel more personal and inviting (in my opinion), which is why I opt for the bar soap and soap dish when entertaining.
  • Soap Dishes: Crate & Barrel's Pure Oval Soap Dish, Crate & Barrel's Oval Glass Soap Dish, Target's Threshold Soap Dish in Silver Nickel,  Rejuvenation Shell Bisque Soap Dish, Kassatex Acacia Soap Dish

• Bar Soaps: Swedish Dream Soap, Mrs. Meyer's Daily Soap Bar, K. Hall Designs Milk Bar Soap, Fresh Waterlily Oval Soap, Jockey Club Bath Soap (Set of 3).

In the end, this debate really doesn't have a winner.  Actually, this debate really wasn't even a debate, but rather a look into the variety of options that exist in the world of hand soap and soap accessories.  Pick whatever soap works best for you and if you have the opportunity to try any of the items I have talked about in this post, you won't be disappointed!

Bathroom Countertop Decor

Figuring out what you want to display on your bathroom countertops can be a challenge.  The added task of making a space functional, aesthetically pleasing and cohesive can quickly turn a into an overwhelming and involved project.  In this post I have outlined a few of my favorite tips for how I was able to achieve the balance between function and refinement. 

Add a Tray

One of the easiest ways to tie a look together on your bathroom countertop is by adding a tray.  It not only corrals all of your countertop accessories and containers, but also creates a finished and purposeful look.

The right side of my bathroom countertop has been adorned with Container Store Acrylic Canisters to hold my Q-Tips/Dental Floss Sticks/Oval Facial Pads, a West Elm Carafe to store my mouth wash and the CB2 Bento Tray to corral everything and tie the entire look together.

• Trays dont have to be expensive.  The white "tray" seen pictured above is actually the CB2 Bento Rectangular Platter (a piece of serveware) that honestly has the perfect shape and size for my space and retails for less than $10!  
• Other vanity trays to consider include: the Crate & Barrel Glass Vanity Tray, Target's Threshold Oil Can Bath Coordinates, CB2 Teak Rectangular Stacking Box , West Elm's White Lacquer Bath Tray and West Elm's Slate Bath Tray

Think Monochromatic 

Another tip for a clean countertop look is keeping the number of different colors to a minimum.  I opted for a monochromatic white look and purposefully picked all white personal care items to display in clear vessels.  

• The acrylic canisters used to store all other personal care items displayed can be found at the Container Store.  Other great bathroom canisters include: Restoration Hardware's Faceted Bath Accessories, Crate & Barrel's Glass Canisters, Anthropologie's Monarch Mercury Jars
• If you are looking for a simple, classic and clean look, I would suggest checking out the the Container Store's White Lacquered Bathroom Collection, West Elm's Metallic Lacquered Bath Accessories, Crate & Barrel's Ambrose Bath Accessories and Restoration Hardware's Pharmacy Accessories (Available in Frosted Glass, Metal/Polished Chrome and Clear Glass)

Useful Accessories to Consider

• Mouthwash - You can find a glass carafe like the one used in our photos to store mouthwash from CB2, Williams-Somoma's Monogrammed Glass Carafe, Pottery Barn's Classic Glass Bath Decanter or the Crate & Barrel Bedside Carafe.
• Tissues- If you choose to display tissues (I do), then I would strongly encourage you to invest in a tissue box cover.  Rarely (and I do mean rarely) am I able to find a box of tissues off of the store shelf where the cardboard box decorations align with my bathroom color scheme.  Having the tissue box cover allows me to get whatever tissues are being sold at the best price and/or have the features I am looking for (aloe, super soft, etc…) and not worry about their exterior box design.  A few of my favorite tissue box covers include: West Elm's White Lacquered Tissue Box,  Crate & Barrel's Sedona Tissue Box Cover, Pottery Barn's Linen Hemstitch Cover or Restoration Hardware's Newberry Rectangular Tissue Cover.
• Candle- See my post on Coffee Table Candles for ideas on the different types of candles to display (even though I am talking about coffee table candles, the suggestions in the post can totally apply to your bathroom countertop.  The only caveat being that I would not use the same fragrance candle scents in both my living room and my bathroom.  I prefer the smell of fresh linen or powder when selecting a scented candle for my bathroom.  

The left side of my bathroom countertop includes the West Elm White Lacquer Tissue Box Cover, a Pottery Barn Hurricane with a White Pottery Barn Pillar Candle, and the Crate & Barrel Pure Oval Soap Dish paired with a fragrant bar soap from Anthropologie. 

Arranging your bathroom countertop space doesn't have to cost a lot to look great and be very functional.  Just remember to keep your space clean, minimize the number of colors used and make sure the items you choose to display have purpose.