Hello and welcome to the unveiling of my newly renovated powder room!
I am so excited to share my design reveal with you as a first-time guest participant for the One Room Challenge (ORC)! I am really pleased with how vivid the space turned out, especially since I am such a fan of high contrast.
Just to recap, the One Room Challenge is a challenge to renovate or makeover one room over a six week period. It happens twice a year, once in April and again in October.
Here are links to my previous posts if you'd like to see the transformation from beginning to end: week 1 | week 2 | week 3 | week 4 | week 5.
BEFORE
Before we dive into the final results, let's look back at where where it all started!
The original alder cabinets, installed when the house was built, were right out of the year 2001. Early on, we painted the walls a pale green, but beyond that, we had not really done much else with the space, besides hanging some pictures. After living here with four children for many years, that main floor bath had seen its share of wear and tear. Much to my excitement, it was time for an update!
THE PLAN
For my first endeavor in the ORC, I wanted to keep it focused to a reasonably sized project, especially since my husband and I do most of renovations in the DIY style. It seemed like the time went so quickly as we worked mostly nights and weekends! Our dated powder room was the perfect object of some design LOVE!
Here is the new, re-imagined, and renovated space. Quite a difference, indeed! The new space is utilizing a high-contrast look between the dark wallpaper, slate teal painted vanity and trim, and the lighter quartz countertops and pale walls.
THE ART
One of my favorite things in the new space is the artwork. In many ways, the wallpaper is a type of wall art - complete with a custom painted frame!
I also love the framed fuschia ombre print from Caitlin Wilson. I chose this piece because of its simplicity and monochromatic hue. Because the wallpaper is so vibrant, I needed something that would play nicely with the colors. It also had to add a certain steadiness as a foil to the bright energy of the wallpaper pattern, and that is accomplished with the intense ombre.
The palm leaves wall decor pick up on the matte brass in the lighting fixture, vanity hardware, and faucet - creating a rhythm of repetition.
THE HARDWARE
The vanity hardware are geometric knobs we found for a very reasonable price. They add a touch of modern and don't allow the room to feel too rigid.
Using matte brass throughout the room was a new move for me. Typically, I gravitate towards silver metals, like satin nickel or chrome. But I have been won over by the warmth of matte brass! I wanted something that would contrast well with the array of blues I have for the vanity, trim, and wallpaper and the brass was a very fitting solution.
I kept some aspects more modern and brought in some black elements so that the brass didn't end up looking too precious or traditional. The mirror, soap dispenser and candlesticks add contrast in a place that I chose not to use wallpaper.
TILE, FAUCET, AND ACCESSORIES
When we tile, we tend to employ teamwork. I like spreading the mortar and setting the tile and I like my husband to do the grouting and cleaning! Haha! I am not sure exactly what parts he likes to do, but he is a good sport and supports me in these projects!
The tile is a oval ceramic mosaic with an amazing variety of glossy and crackle glazing in addition to a variation in color from white to a warm taupe. It is a simple but impactful element!
The champagne bronze of our new faucet accentuates the brightness and sparkle in the tile while the backsplash serves as a unifying element between the white of the quartz countertop and the warm tones of the brass accessories.
Don't you just love this little green bud vase? It is very special to me as it was handcrafted by my grandfather and given to me long ago. It is a memento that I treasured for years and am thrilled to be able to have given it a special place in my renovated room.
I had initially wanted to find a chunky wood stool or bench for the powder room, but I had no luck finding the right piece. Fortunately, I had picked up this gold and marble side table (above) in September, hoping to use it in another room, but it had not worked out. Presto-change-o I moved it from a storage space into the powder room. It is a striking contrast to the dark wallpaper behind and makes a great stand for orchids (a bargain for about $13 at Trader Joes) or whatever future bauble strikes my fancy!
Last, but not least, we have the delightful burst of pink and yellow of fresh chrysanthemums. I picked up several stems from my local florist and cut them down to size for a sweet bunch of cheer. This brass vessel is actually a repurposed pencil holder! Improves the aesthetic of the toilet, I'd say!
You won't want to miss the stunning reveals of the featured participants' reveals here: https://www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog/
It has definitely been a lot of work to get this project finished, but it was so worth the effort. The timeline of the event helped motivate me to bring this baby to completion!
Special thanks to Wynne Earl Photography for getting these fabulous shot of this rather small room!
Thanks for following along with me during this journey! Wait and see, I just might do this challenge again - the only question is, which room?!
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