At last! The upstairs bathroom.

Filed under house

I was finally able to take a few photos of the upstairs bathroom in its finished (well, we all know it’s never really finished, right?) state. Unfortunately, because the room is SO tiny, it’s very hard to really show the space well in a photo. Also, I apologize for the somewhat dark and grainy quality of the photos!

If you’d like to see more of the upstairs bathroom (including lots of scary “during” shots), here’s the full set.

92 Comments

  1. wndl
    Posted December 1, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    anna, this bathroom is soooo lux!! can’t wait to see the completed downstairs bath.

  2. Annapolitan
    Posted December 1, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    Love it! Love the crisp color, the layout, the nicely balanced fixtures… well done!

  3. Posted December 1, 2008 at 11:20 pm

    oh my anna! when you see the first before pic of the whole bathroom, it really shows off your hard work. your attention to detail and overall styling is just the best!

  4. Posted December 1, 2008 at 11:24 pm

    It looks wonderful! I love coming to your blog and seeing the progress in your renovations. It looks like you are really taking your time and doing things right- great job!

  5. Posted December 1, 2008 at 11:24 pm

    It looks AMAZING! I would take a bath everyday!

  6. tamiko
    Posted December 1, 2008 at 11:41 pm

    i’m in love with my first bathroom ever. lovely. it’s so crisp, white, and clean. the tiles are gorgeous and that tub! wow. the radiator looks great painted too. thanks for being so inspiring!

  7. Posted December 1, 2008 at 11:57 pm

    Wow!!! You’ve really done a fantastic job!! i can’t believe it’s the same bathroom!!!

  8. a.
    Posted December 1, 2008 at 11:57 pm

    gorgeous. no shower? I’m such a spazz; I would spray water all over the gorgeous wallpaper.

  9. Posted December 2, 2008 at 12:02 am

    It is BEAUTIFUL. Seriously. I love it.

  10. Posted December 2, 2008 at 12:08 am

    wow – what an amazing transformation! i’ve been looking forward to this post.

    question – i notice you don’t have a shower curtain – do you find any issues with water splashing outside the tub onto the floor? i’m wondering if that would be a pain to dry up everyday? or maybe it’s not that bad…

  11. Posted December 2, 2008 at 12:39 am

    WOW! You did such a good job! Now all you need is a bottle of bubbly and some candles to celebrate. ;)

  12. Posted December 2, 2008 at 1:19 am

    It looks AMAZING!!!

  13. Posted December 2, 2008 at 3:24 am

    Hooray! I am so pleased we got to see the end result. It looks as amazing as I imagined. I am so loving that wallpaper and those tiles.

  14. Posted December 2, 2008 at 3:46 am

    it’s such a pretty bathroom, i love the floor!! what a great job you’ve done!

  15. Posted December 2, 2008 at 3:47 am

    It’s so beautiful! I love that wallpaper! And, well everything about this room! :)

  16. Posted December 2, 2008 at 5:42 am

    beautiful anna!!!

  17. janet
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 6:09 am

    this looks amazing, anna! the wallpaper looks perfect and i love the colour palette, especially with the purple flowers. have you kept the little wooden stool that you painted black?

  18. Posted December 2, 2008 at 7:19 am

    Oh I love this – love the radiators, and the wallpaper – what is it? I really like it.

  19. Posted December 2, 2008 at 7:41 am

    looks totally beautiful. that wallpaper is amazing.

  20. Posted December 2, 2008 at 7:47 am

    And the floor…

  21. Michelle
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 8:14 am

    What an amazing transformation. The floor is fabulous.

  22. Posted December 2, 2008 at 8:27 am

    It’s beautiful. Wonderful job. You must love it…

  23. Posted December 2, 2008 at 8:41 am

    The bathroom looks terrific. I particularly like the radiator.

    I am a little curious (and maybe too nosy), but were you guys always bath-takers, or did you make a conscious choice just to have a prettier bathroom?

  24. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:08 am

    Awesome transformation!

  25. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:09 am

    3 words: I love it!

  26. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:13 am

    so great, I love the tub & wallpaper

  27. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:14 am

    Love it. Nice and bright and airy. Love the wallpaper.

    http://www.arosecottage.blogspot.com

  28. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:24 am

    anne: Well, I actually AM taking a bath every day at the moment, as this is our only bathroom while we (slowly) work on renovating the one downstairs. I love baths for relaxation, but I have to be honest…I really miss having a shower when I’m rushing to get ready in the morning!

    a.: Our downstairs bathroom has a full shower (or at least it did…and it will again when we’re done renovating it!), but we didn’t feel we needed a second shower in this bathroom. An enclosure would have closed off the space so much, and there really is nothing like taking a bath in a clawfoot tub without having to worry about whether the shower curtain liner is touching you (eww…) by accident. :) As for the hand-sprayer, it’s not like a mounted shower head. The pressure of the spray is very low, really just enough for rinsing off after a bath. You’d have to really TRY to spray water all over the place!

    kay*: As I said in my reply above, it’s really not an issue with water splashing out at all. I’ve never had to wipe up any water. Hand-sprayers have low pressure. It’s enough to rinse my hair, etc., but it’s not meant to be mounted or used while standing. There’s no need for a shower curtain if you don’t have a full shower.

    janet: For the time being, we’re using the tub tray rather than the little stool. This is currently our only functional bathroom, so the stool isn’t really practical. Ordinarily I wouldn’t be shampooing my hair in the bath (it sucks, I’ll be honest!), and I don’t want to have to reach a dripping hand out to the stool to get the shampoo every morning! The stool will probably make a reappearance when the downstairs bathroom is finished and this bathroom becomes more for relaxation than utility. :)

    Lynne: The wallpaper is Bindweed from Ferm Living. It’s beautiful!

    Cassie: Our second bathroom (currently mid-renovation) has a shower, so we didn’t really have to think too much about it. Bathing in a clawfoot tub is a luxury, and I didn’t want to spoil that with an enclosure and a curtain. If we only had a single bathroom, I’m sure we would have bought a conversion kit (something we can still do at any point if we want — it just attaches to the top of the existing faucet).

    As a side note, I should mention that the house I lived in from ages 9 to 17 had no shower, just a large pedestal tub. We didn’t even have a hand-sprayer! We used to pour cups of clear water over our heads to rinse out the shampoo. So I’m used to this kind of thing. Evan, on the other hand…that’s an different story!

  29. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:36 am

    Anna, I’m glad to see your responses re. the shower downstairs–I am jealous that you can eventually use this tub for relaxation only; we have a gorgeous clawfoot tub with really fabulous shower fixtures, but there’s nothing quite as annoying as the billowing double curtains during your morning shower. Ugh. You are smart to let the tub be good at what it’s good at–baths–and then have a better-suited shower set-up elsewhere.

  30. April in CT
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:38 am

    I am absolutely enamored with this bathroom! What an amazing transformation! Thanks for sharing.

  31. donnarino
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:41 am

    We have a clawfoot tub with a vintage showerhead on it and as it is our only full bath we are stuck with it for now. I know you said you don’t use it to shower, but I would like to know how those w mounted showerheads do it because the water gets everywhere and there are no curtains on the market that go all the way around (and the magazines never tell you). I keep having to buy two curtains and then cut them because they are too long and they get moldy fast too because they never dry properly.

    As a result, my affection for these tubs has died. They make for great props but are not practical at all. We’ll probably replace it with a glass shower when we finally get around to renovating.

  32. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:47 am

    donnarino: Don’t despair! You CAN buy shower curtains that go all the way around, you just have to know where to look. :) I highly recommend checking out Vintage Tub. They have a huge selection of products designed for use with old tubs and sinks, and their customer service is EXCELLENT (and free shipping!). Believe me, I’ve tested out their returns policy more than my indecisive nature would like to admit. ;) Oh, and here are the extra-wide curtains you’re looking for. Also, maybe you need to mount the rod enclosure higher if you’re having a problem with standard curtains being too long…

  33. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:49 am

    Anna, it looks incredible! It is certainly a bathroom where I would love to be able to soak in the tub- it looks so relaxing. I can’t wait to see what you all do with the downstairs bath!

  34. Posted December 2, 2008 at 10:02 am

    Nice job you did with a very challenging space!

  35. Brittness
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 10:10 am

    gorgeous! great inspiration for the rest of us…I love that floor and wallpaper!

  36. Posted December 2, 2008 at 10:33 am

    Beautiful work Anna!!!!

  37. Posted December 2, 2008 at 10:57 am

    What a beautiful use of such a tiny space. Your house just makes me sigh with happiness.

  38. Posted December 2, 2008 at 11:13 am

    It looks awesome!

  39. Posted December 2, 2008 at 11:17 am

    It’s so nice to see the final results! So pretty with that wallpaper! I’m curious to know what the wall paint color is? It reminds me of the color I painted my bedroom.

  40. Posted December 2, 2008 at 11:17 am

    I am so, so impressed with your hard work and beautiful design. So clean and classic, yet modern. I’m so happy to have found you through decor8. I can’t wait to read and see more!

  41. Mary
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 11:41 am

    I was so excited to see these pics this morning – Anna, it is GORGEOUS! I love the wallpaper, the floor, all of it. Just beautiful…

  42. Posted December 2, 2008 at 11:42 am

    I am gobsmacked. This is beautiful! This is the standard by which my own bathroom will now be judged.

  43. anh-minh
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 11:42 am

    Lovely! Everything you chose came together so well. (No surprise because you have such a great eye.)

  44. Amanda
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 11:55 am

    Anna,

    I find so much inspiration from your blog. I wonder if you’ve considered acting as a design consultant on the side of your book cover designing? Without hesitation I would hire you to assist with our remodeling adventure. You have excellent, elegant, gorgeous taste.

  45. Posted December 2, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    Wow amazingly beautiful! I’m so proud of you guys, I am going to be modeling my (hopefully this summer) upstairs bathroom on yours!

  46. Christiana
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 12:27 pm

    Wow, this is incredibly lovely – so calming and fresh. I’m beyond impressed!

  47. Posted December 2, 2008 at 1:04 pm

    Wow Anna, it looks GREAT! Really impressed!

  48. Posted December 2, 2008 at 1:20 pm

    Anna, this looks incredible! The various materials and colors you chose are perfect, you could moonlight as an interior designer :) I especially love that you didn’t convert the tub – it’s so luxurious and works great in the space!

  49. CarolineB
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 1:26 pm

    That renovation is ridiculously wonderful!

  50. Jo J
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    Anna, how on earth do you “keep faith” during the whole process (?) ! And are the previous owners of the house following along, I wonder? They must be amazed.. it is truly, gob-smackingly, gorgeous.

  51. Posted December 2, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    fantastic! I love the pink against the white. And that wall paper is amazing!

  52. Posted December 2, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    Love the corner sink and wallpaper!

  53. Posted December 2, 2008 at 4:18 pm

    Well done! It looks great!

  54. Vicki
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 5:01 pm

    It looks very calm and peaceful… Sorry if someone already asked, but did you decide against using the yellow shelf, or is it cropped out of the pictures?

  55. Posted December 2, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    Looks beautiful Anna! I’ve read about everything you’ve been through with this renovation and it really turned out great! (And thank you so much for linking ;))

  56. Posted December 2, 2008 at 5:19 pm

    Oh Anna, it’s gorgeous! And ahem… this is not tiny! 1.5 square meters (our ONLY bathroom!), that’s tiny! ;)

  57. Posted December 2, 2008 at 5:32 pm

    i love everything! you must be thrilled.

    thanks for your interest in mr. sköna. my etsy shop will be up tomorrow, fingers crossed.

  58. Posted December 2, 2008 at 5:35 pm

    wow! You have done a truly great job! I love the use of the wallpaper…it’s not a ‘in your face’ pattern but really finishes the room. Hope you enjoy your new room.

  59. Posted December 2, 2008 at 5:45 pm

    I am even more desperate now to redo my bathrooms. Very inspiring. Love everything, especially the fact that there is even a tub crammed into such a small space.

  60. nicki
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 5:46 pm

    gorgeous- i love your style

  61. Amy
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 7:00 pm

    Love it, love it, love it. You guys did a great job with the reno.

  62. Posted December 2, 2008 at 7:37 pm

    And because it is so tiny as you said your work in it is even bigger and prettier. It’s gorgeous how you made such a cozy place from that tiny bathroom. I feel like I would like to be in that tube for a looooong while, lol…

  63. Posted December 2, 2008 at 8:03 pm

    What a cozy room you’ve created!
    This means there is still hope for our tiny bath room.
    Of course, we need to save up to do it properly, because, like yours, it will need to be completely gutted so we can start from scratch.
    I really love your details. You make it look like you stepped into a time machine and brought back the entire room sparkling new from the 1920’s or 1940’s. I really love what you have achieved! Gorgeous!

  64. Posted December 2, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    heather: The wall color is the same as throughout the rest of the house, BM Moonlight White (the beadboard/trim is BM Simply White). It reads much more warmly in the bathroom than it does elsewhere! The final photo that shows the open door actually has the same paint on the wall in the hallway. Weird, yeah?

    Amanda & Jessica: I could only moonlight as an interior designer for people with exactly the same taste as mine! I’m not good at making concessions when it comes to decor — I have such a specific vision, and it’s not particularly varied!!

    Jo J: The previous occupants were renters, but I think it’s safe to say that neither they nor any of the various people who have owned and/or rented this house over the past 125 years are paying attention to this blog. ;)

    Vicki: No, the shelf isn’t there! It didn’t work in the room after all, and wouldn’t have really served a purpose.

    Thank you for all the nice comments, everyone! We’re very happy to have such a beautiful bathroom in our house at last. Hopefully the second one will be just as nice…but done in far less time!!

  65. lisa
    Posted December 2, 2008 at 11:41 pm

    very smart, very beautiful choices. nothing superfluous.
    congratulations! and i wonder… if that room were a scent what would it be??? not masculine or feminine. it would have to be a little bit androgynous. maybe morrocan fig. or something a little churchy like http://www.aedes.com/product.php?product_id=2309
    or this
    http://www.aedes.com/product.php?product_id=1710
    yet. i might hide the candle because the sight of it would disturb the perfection that is your new bathroom.

  66. Posted December 3, 2008 at 6:29 am

    I love it!!! great idea and gorgeous wallpaper!!

  67. donnarino
    Posted December 3, 2008 at 9:44 am

    Thanks Anna, I’ve seen the curtains at Vintage Tub before but holey moley are they expensive or what?!

  68. Posted December 3, 2008 at 11:28 am

    yes it reads warm and looks just perfect with the floor tile! i picked one white to use around our place too… keeps it all unified.

  69. Posted December 3, 2008 at 4:39 pm

    wow, it looks fantastic!! i love the wallpaper you chose.

  70. Posted December 3, 2008 at 5:39 pm

    oh my goodness! this is incredible what you’ve done! we are too in the process of renovating our tiny bathroom, and it seems as though we’ll never finish. we have curtains for doors, and are putting off ripping up the sheet vinyl flooring fearing what we’ll find, but you’ve renewed my enthusiasm, and i hope that we’ll be done some time next year!

  71. Posted December 3, 2008 at 7:01 pm

    So pretty! It gives me hope for my super ugly bathroom. The wallpaper is an especially nice touch.

  72. Helena
    Posted December 4, 2008 at 10:16 am

    Great work and the wallpaper is amazing.

  73. Posted December 4, 2008 at 11:05 am

    Wow! Looks great!

    The wallpaper on one wall really works with the high ceiling. The different wall treatments break up the space very nicely.

    We’re still working on our bathroom remodel, but it’s almost done. See shots here.

  74. Posted December 5, 2008 at 2:41 pm

    AHHH, I love it, I realize that you have 70-odd emails all saying how great it is, and my comment is kind of boring, but WOWOOWOWOOWOWOW, I love it. The morning pee would be so much fun in that room, I bet I would hop out of bed much faster if I got to go in a room that pretty!!!

  75. Posted December 5, 2008 at 4:41 pm

    Looooooooove. I am enamored with black and white decor and white bathrooms in general. Amazing job!

  76. Meg
    Posted December 8, 2008 at 3:40 pm

    It’s so perfectly British! Kudos on keeping the space small and simple with only the essential fixtures (I believe in small bathrooms even when you have the space!!!) For symmetry I would wallpaper the opposite wall in the same print or paint horizontal lines for contrast (thin for effect, thick for impact), and add shelves for storage (I-heart-Ikea Lack shelves’s invisible hardware, though adjustable shelves provide flexibility and brackets provide visible stability…you really can’t go wrong!) Oh, and congrats on surviving the renovation…that’s a feat in and of itself.

  77. Posted December 14, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    Wow, your bathroom is stunning! LOVE the radiator, and I can’t belive that the tub tray is from ikea!

  78. Vanessa
    Posted December 18, 2008 at 6:26 pm

    Where did you get the radiator???? :D

  79. Posted December 18, 2008 at 10:25 pm

    Vanessa, the radiator came with the house! It was in the bathroom, and is probably from the ’20s or ’30s. It was very rusty and covered with peeling paint — we had it sandblasted and powdercoated (we did the same with the tub and sink, which also came with the house).

  80. Posted December 20, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    Anna, I just found your blog through The City Sage. I love your bathroom. It’s so clean and fresh and the wallpaper is really fun. I have a lot of color in my house, but no wallpaper and I’m so dying to use some. I’ll be adding you to my blogroll to see what you are writing in the future! Happy blogging!

  81. Posted December 24, 2008 at 2:31 am

    AHHHHHHHHH

    i just found your blog earlier today (i forget where, to be honest) and after scrolling through all the back pages of entries, i just want to say that i am in love with your house! especially your upstairs bathroom. it’s so serene.

    besides the ferm wallpaper, i think those honeycomb marble tiles are my favorite part.

    anyway, congrats on an AMAZING transformation! that before picture of the rotting wood/etc almost made me throw up in my mouth (haaaa, just kidding) and it’s almost miraculous that this final product came from that!

  82. Jan
    Posted December 26, 2008 at 11:49 am

    The bathroom turned out beautiful. Thanks for sharing your home renovations with us all.

  83. Posted December 30, 2008 at 10:34 pm

    i think this may be my dream bathroom! Love the wallpaper and the bathtub!

  84. Loreen
    Posted January 3, 2009 at 12:34 am

    Hi Anna, Your work is lovely!!! Just the inspiration i need to tackle my bathroom renovation…Happy New Year!

  85. Cala
    Posted January 4, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    Anna,
    Love the bathroom–I think it is almost exactly the size of the bathroom we need to redo. What are the dimensions of the room?

  86. Posted January 4, 2009 at 3:20 pm

    Cala, the bathroom is about 5 x 10 feet, minus the area of a small (2 x3) closet in the adjoining room. :)

  87. Cala
    Posted January 8, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    Thanks! It is actually a bit bigger than mine, it turns out! It has some great small space solutions, so thanks for the inspiration.

  88. Posted January 8, 2009 at 5:36 pm

    Anna,
    I love the (finished) bathroom and what you have done/are doing with your house! Love the blog as well!!!
    ps.
    We have the exact same floor tiles in our tiny bathroom: http://4408.blogspot.com/2007/10/october-2007-house-tour-upstairs.html) We still have a tremendous amount of work to do on our place though…

  89. Posted February 22, 2009 at 8:53 pm

    So yeah, I’m one of those people who surf blogspot for pictures of other people’s gorgeous homes, hoping I will be inspired to do something with my own space. And yours is the home that has inspired me today! Thanks for that :)

    Your bathroom walls are gorgeous and your floors are to-die-for!!

  90. Suzanne
    Posted February 24, 2009 at 10:02 am

    I really like your bathroom. Could you tell me how you like the Toto toilet? I am considering it for our bathroom remodel.

  91. Posted May 10, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    So here I am, looking at pictures of bathroom remodels because I have to buy tiles TOMORROW! And, though I want penny rounds or hexagonal tiles on the floor, I am totally torn because I don’t know if that would work with a very modern looking tub. Had I the time, I’d source out a clawfoot tub. Shoot. Thank you for the inspiration though!

  92. Posted June 14, 2009 at 11:35 pm

    I am also interested in your thoughts on the Toto toilet. We are considering one for our basement bath

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