With only one day to go before the guy comes to install the marble hex tiles (a 4-day process, apparently), I’m starting to move a little closer to picking out the finishing details for our bathroom. Because the room has so many details (wide moldings, beadboard, vintage clawfoot tub and sink, Victorian hardware, wall-mounted cast iron radiator, etc.) in such a small space, I’m trying to keep everything else very simple and clean.
1. Teardrop pattern to paint/stencil on the wall. I’m going to keep it contained in one area, possibly on the wall above the tub.
2. Stainless steel GRUNDTAL bath accessories from IKEA. I’m a GRUNDTAL devotee, what can I say? This stuff is amazingly cheap, really good quality, and it looks great.
3. Kartell componibili storage unit. For storing extra TP, hair dryer, flat iron, etc. I think the lower, 2-level model is probably best. I’ll put a round cork mat on the tray and keep shampoo (thank goodness I use one that comes in a nice bottle!) and soap on top.
4. LOMMAREN corner mirror cabinet from IKEA. I can’t believe how hard it is to find a simple corner mirror cabinet! This one is perfect. I love how tall (31″) and skinny (12″) it is. The proportions are just right for my bathroom, and there’s lots of storage space inside.
5. LACK shelf from IKEA, painted yellow. We’ve had an oak veneered (they used to be covered in real wood, not “birch effect” plastic) LACK shelf sitting in storage for years and years, and it takes paint beautifully. I want to mount it high on the wall above the tub for extra towel storage, and as a graphic counterpart to the black teardrops.
6. Organics Bath Rug from Crate & Barrel. WHY is it so hard to find a bath mat that (a) is thin enough that it will dry quickly, and (b) doesn’t have a rubber backing, so it can go in the clothesdryer? It don’t know, but I finally found this one at C&B.
7. BASISK pendant lamp from IKEA. It’s kind of funny how IKEA always seems to have just the right thing, regardless of price. This is exactly what I had in mind for the bathroom—white glass (matte with a glossy band at the bottom) and polished nickel, 8″ diameter. AND it cost $15. (Why exactly do people complain about IKEA?)
14 Comments
People like to complain… nothing wrong with Ikea (apart from their shoddy customer service when they supply you with the wrong waste for your kitchen sink… grrr) & you’re right, they often seem to have just the right thing!
ps… great Kartell storage unit!!
love the plan! the raindrops are so cute! i love ikea too regardless of price!
all of the accessories look great, i can’t wait to see the finished bathroom….i guess you can’t wait to have a finished bathroom 😉
You’re going to have an awesome bathroom. I can’t wait to see it! Are you still painting the tub pink/red?
i used the grundtal accessories in my bathroom & i love the hooks! the quality is great and they came in handy when we have guests (1 bathroom + 2-4 people = a lot of towels).
we’re actually remodeling our bathroom now (see link to flickr page) and we will be installing the grundtal towel bars, hooks & toilet paper holder in the new bathroom.
can’t wait to see pictures of the finished bathroom, anna! yay!
I’ve used the Kartell unit (ours in the three tiered one) in our bathroom for years, and have to tell you that while it holds and hides a lot of stuff, there’s one thing about it that drives my little anal-retentive-self crazy. The top of the unit is not level – it has a slight dip in towards the center, so setting things on top of it can make it look a little wonky. A nice vintage plastic tray sitting on top can fix the issue… just wanted to give you a heads up. Looking forward to seeing the finished bathroom, as all of your spaces make me drool!
We bought the Basisk pendant lamp for our living room and we like it a lot.
Looking forward to your bathroom!
Great choices, as always!! I’ve been looking for a bathmat like that as well, thanks for the tip.
jennifer in sf: I’m afraid to say I am probably backing off on my plan to paint the tub red/pink. The bathroom is just too small! Now that the walls are in and I have a sense of what the light in there is like, I really feel like it needs to be WHITE WHITE WHITE with some hits of pale gray and a wee bit of contained color (like the shelf).
Susan: That dip in the center would probably annoy me, too, but I’m planning to put a thick piece of cork on the top, so it should be OK. 😉
Anna I love the teardrop idea. I can’t wait to see it finished. The rest of the accessories look like a perfect combo.
The teardrops are going to look amazing. I’ve been thinking of potato printing a teardrop pattern onto fabric and maybe making cushions or curtains. Your teardrop obsession is definitely infectious.
Componobilis are perfect for bathroom storage. We use two as bedside lockers which they’re not entirely ideal for, but for good looks and maximum hidden storage in a small space they’re the best.
I have several bathmats that come from towel collections…all of which were purchased at Century 21, a favorite store of mine. No rubber bottoms and go along with my towel seats. Not. Matchy. Matchy. Just nice, soft bathmat towels underneath our feet when we get out of the tub.