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Renovation tips: Maximize your small bathroom space (and budget!)

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I’ve shared some pictures of the guest bath we updated (to pink!) on social media, but never put together an overview of the choices we made during the remodel, all of the sources and the WHY behind every design decision.

The thing is, I love bold powder rooms. The powder room is where you play with design, experiment with wallpaper, do something funky! But this bathroom is more than a powder room that is used once or twice a week by company – it is the only bathroom on the main living floor of our house. Meaning – everyone uses it. It is also the bathroom that guests use when they stay with us. I wanted to create a space with wow-factor that was also 100% functional. Oh – and the bathroom is TINY! Read on for tips on how to maximize a compact bathroom space on a tight budget AND make it beautiful.

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When you’re tight on space, sometimes UP is the only way to go. Once we tiled all the way up the wall with white over-sized subway tile, the bathroom felt IMMEDIATELY bigger and more open. Mounting floating shelves above the toilet draws the eye up as well, creating the illusion of more space.

 

Budget tip: instead of demo’ing the old tile and shower base out of the shower, ask your professional if you can tile over it! We lost a few inches with the new tile board and tile, but the money and time we saved was well worth it.

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Can’t stress enough what a HUGE difference this made in our little bathroom. Mounting the sink to the wall brings the eye up (again!) and subconsciously creates breathing room. It also allows the opportunity to add extra storage to your space.

 

Budget tip: Decorative piping can get expensive. Work with your plumber to determine what you already have and what you need – instead of buying all new pipes in your desired finish, you can take a trip to your local powder coating shop! This will save you a bunch of time waiting on obscure parts to come in, and a BUNCH of money on said pipes.

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Storage shouldn’t be an afterthought when it comes to your bathroom – it should be part of the design plan from the get-go. ESPECIALLY when you’re planning on guest use and heavy traffic. Baskets do WONDERS. Baskets can hold TP, extra washcloths – and be sure and provide an extra empty basket where your guests can keep THEIR stuff so the bathroom can stay neat and tidy during their stay. Decorative boxes and canisters come in handy too – stock them with items your guests may need but might not travel with. Asprin, q-tips, extra lip balm (I live in a very dry climate!) and cotton balls are all good items to include.

Budget tip: Check out H&M’s home section for cute trays, baskets and boxes. They have an amazing variety that will look great in your guest bathroom but won’t break the bank!

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I’m all for pattern play and mix and match, but sometimes when you’re small on space, you don’t want to overwhelm it. Pairing a busy tile with a more subdued tile keeps things interesting AND classic. By selecting a high impact marble herringbone floor tile, we had our wow factor. Although we went back and forth for awhile and what direction to go with the shower, in the end we kept things simple: a large-scale, white subway tile did the trick.

 

Budget tip: Ask local tile stores what tile they have overstocked in their warehouse. If you’re working with a small space, a lot of time they will have enough on hand to get the job done – and get it done with

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Try a new color. Or wall paper. Or fun colorblocking. SOMETHING! The extra bathroom in your house is your place to play. To incorporate elements that complement your decor style, but also take it one step further. I have a lot of blush accents scattered through my house, so the paint choice (Sherwin Williams Intimate White) wasn’t out of left field. But it

Budget Tip: Washi tape designs are all the rage right now! If your budget doesn’t permit for wallpaper but you’re dying for some pattern on that wall of yours, DIY washi tape design could be the way to go. Don’t believe me? Search “Washi tape walls” on pinterest. You’re welcome.

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We didn’t have a huge budget to complete this project. We shopped mostly on Overstock.com, Wayfair and Lowes for the materials and fixtures (in addition to the beautiful overstocked marble herringbone we scored locally!) and accessorized slowly over time and by sourcing items from our own home. It didn’t happen overnight, but we were able to create a bathroom for everyday use that both our guests and us enjoy! You can shop the items from our bathroom below. Any questions? Just ask!

[/et_pb_cta][et_pb_slider show_image_video_mobile=”on” _builder_version=”3.15″ header_font=”Kiona Bold||||||||” body_font=”Lato||||||||”][et_pb_slide heading=”Shower Head & Trim” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aNmWI” image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Shower_Head.png” _builder_version=”3.15″]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Gold Mirror” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aMZAm” image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Mirror.png” _builder_version=”3.15″]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Shower Door” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aNmXU” image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Shower_Door.png” _builder_version=”3.15″]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Marble Shelves” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aM4d1″ image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Marble-Shelves.jpg” _builder_version=”3.15″]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Shower Tile” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aNmY0″ image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Shower-Tile.jpg” _builder_version=”3.15″]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Black Metal Ladder” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017A35176/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cravenhaven-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B017A35176&linkId=e864f69f8ec24af3fc9d82ed4c476f63″ image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1538025267227.png” _builder_version=”3.15″]

I purchased a pack of 2 of these towel ladders awhile back, with plans to put them in different places in the house. I Just knew one belonged in this space to hold extra towels and add some visual interest to the wall. I love how the black metal contrasts next to the mirror and draws the eye up to the black ceiling. I removed the rubber feet from the ladder so it looks more chic, but it is well-worth the $25 price tag.

[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Soap Holder” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aMYED” image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Soap-Dish.jpg” _builder_version=”3.15″]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Celfie Pot” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aNijB” image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Celfie-Pot.jpg” _builder_version=”3.15″]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Wall Mounted Sink” button_text=”Shop Now” button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aLvvh” image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Wall-Mounted-Sink.jpg” _builder_version=”3.15″]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide button_link=”https://rstyle.me/~aNTi5″ heading=”Marble Herringbone Tile (Similar)” button_text=”Shop Now” _builder_version=”3.15″ image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Marble_Herringbone.png”]
[/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide button_link=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BR44Y12/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cravenhaven-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07BR44Y12&linkId=3a60168a7b2c9287d9e5a8e9fb7880d5″ heading=”Faucet” button_text=”Click Here” _builder_version=”3.15″ image=”https://cravenhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Wall-Faucet.jpg”]
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About Mackenzie

An ex-marketer with an eye for design, Mackenzie started Craven Haven in late 2018 as a way to share her passion for all things interiors. 

Mixing high end and budget-friendly pieces, professional installations and easy DIYs, Craven Haven inspires an attainable home that feels designer.

My Home Sources

Everything in our current and past homes, all in one place.

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