Modern and masculine bath

Hello, everyone! I’m finally back to my blog. I’ve been gone so long that WordPress has a completely new update…yikes. But enough about that, let’s get to some design inspiration. How about a modern, masculine, black and white bath?

This bathroom is actually in my son’s and his husband’s home. They came to me last summer when they had a serious leak which pushed the bathroom renovation up to the top of their priority list.

Justin, my son-in-law had already done the hard work and had a very good idea of what they wanted. So I just brought them samples, they quickly agreed on the final selection and once we had the contractor on board, we were ready to go.

This is what we were dealing with before.

Before- Modern,masculine bath
Before
Before modern bath renovation
Before

As you can see it is a tiny bathroom, or as they like to say it’s very quaint bathroom. And it’s their only full bathroom. So, we made sure that all items were on site and ready to install as soon as our contractor was ready to start. That way no downtime. Having them go on a vacation while it was being done was also fortunate. And they came home to a new, leak free bathroom.

Modern, masculine bath
Modern, masculine bath

They had recently replaced the toilet so that remained. The vanity is from Ikea and came with the sink and a bamboo counter. The bamboo wasn’t quite what we wanted so instead we picked up Ikea’s butcher block counter and had it cut to size by our contractor. Justin already had the shelf brackets so we just had the excess butcher block cut for the matching shelves.

Modern, masculine bath
Lighted mirror and shelf for modern, black and white bath

The lighted vanity mirror and the black faucet were found at a big box store.

Detail of shelf
Modern, masculine, black and white bath
Wood accents coordinate with wood floor
Modern, masculine, black and white bath

I love that the wood accents pick up on the wood floor and banister right outside the bath.

Black and white modern bath renovation
Black and white modern, masculine bath

The hexagon floor tile was something that they knew they wanted from the start. It looks amazing and has a little old world feel which is perfect for their almost 100 year old home.

Modern, masculine bath
Modern, masculine bath

The new tub has an updated square profile and the subway tiles are slightly oversized for another modern twist. Dark grout makes cleaning a little easier and the shower door’s barn door hardware picks up on both the grout and the floor.

A new window was installed since this was the ideal time to ensure it was watertight and energy efficient.

Vintage details in bath renovation
Vintage vent

I love the juxtaposition of the new black hexagon floor with the vintage vent. So much character!

Here’s a few more photos of the space.

Modern, masculine bath
Black and white, modern, masculine bath
Black faucet on Ikea sink and vanity
Modern, black and white masculine bath
After - Black and white, modern, masculine bath
Modern, masculine bath

We are all very happy with the outcome. How can we update your bathroom?

6 design ideas to reduce anxiety

Reduce anxiety with some design ideas for your home.

Photo by Jen P. on Unsplash

Feeling a little overwhelmed? How about some design ideas to reduce anxiety? These six design ideas can help reduce your anxiety by targeting some of the smaller details in your home. If you have ever struggled with anxiety you know how hard it can be to manage and to overcome. It has a way of sneaking into every part of our life and we need to chisel it out out of there, little by little.

While these tips won’t cure your anxiety they will help soothe you and your family. They may be just the thing you need to get some calmness back in your life.

  1. Target your sense of smell. This is the perfect time to use an oil diffuser in your main spaces, or perhaps you’d prefer a scented candle. Certain oils such as lavender can help you relax and decompress and peppermint is great for relieving headaches.
  2. Fresh flowers or plants. A touch of the outdoors, especially colourful ones will instantly give you a sense of peace. So don’t you regret that impulsive bouquet purchase at the grocery store’s checkout line, it may be just the medicine you need.
  3. Keep your rooms open and airy. Feeling like there is space in your home, can make you feel more relaxed and calm. Removing a few pieces to give the remaining furniture a little more breathing room can achieve this and may give you more breathing space as well.
  4. Open those windows and drapes. Perhaps those heavy drapes have had their time. Light, airy drapes that will let the natural light in can go a long way to lighten your mood and bring the outdoors in.
  5. Remove clutter. I know this is a huge anxiety trigger for me, and my family knows this all too well. I actually feel a little claustrophobic when I’m in a cluttered space. So no more excuses, it’s time to remove the visual clutter and watch how much lighter and freer you feel.
  6. Use soothing paint colours. There is actually a science to colour therapy and it has been well proven over and over. Soft pinks, greens and blues are know to create feelings of wellbeing and calm, while colours like bright red, chartreuse and neon yellow can cause overstimulation and restlessness. It just may be time to get out the paint deck and contemplate a new colour scheme.

With today’s highly stressed and fast paced lifestyles a little anxiety reduction is always a good thing.  Implementing these small changes may help you create a more balanced and happy life and perhaps reduce anxiety as well!