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Before And After: The Girls' Bathroom is finished!

September 21, 2017

The bathroom downstairs, mostly belonging to our girls (but overnight guests will use it, too!) is finally finished! when we first started in February, we never anticipated it taking this long, but here we are 7 months later having just put the finishing touches on. Between pregnancy and having a baby, and several items being backordered, our timeline got fudged. But, we definitely learned so much--a good thing since we have our own bathroom to tackle next!--and most of all, are over-the-moon with the results. (Psst. Every last source is listed at the bottom of the post!)

Here's how the bathroom looks now!

And here's the same angle from 7 months ago before we began:

Besides updating the look of the bathroom, our goals also included adding a tub and a double sink in the small 8'x7' bathroom. Victory!

We kept the vanity where it was previously, but updated it to a new pretty one with a marble countertop and double sinks. Our girls love having their own sinks and mirrors and drawers.

Though the vanity came with faucets and hardware, they weren't quite what we had in mind. We swapped for these beautiful Delta brand faucets in chrome and the cabinet pulls and knobs in aged brass, matching the finish of the sconce we added between the mirrors.

Chris Loves Julia - Kid's Bathroom

A towel ring and towel were added to each side of the vanity, along with a tray and some functional (but also pretty) necessities finished off this corner of the room. Splurge on the little things, I say.

Chris Loves Julia - Kid's Bathroom

On the other side of the room, behind the door, there used to be another vanity sans sink. We know that at least a couple of the previous owners of our home had multiple girls in their family, and while I'm sure the second vanity came in handy, we found it wasn't the best use of space for our girls--although we could see adding one to their bedroom down the road.Here's how it used to look:

And here's how the same angle looks now!:

Moving the toilet over here really opened up the room and possibilities in the room. We were even able to squeeze in a small linen cabinet in the corner.

A simple over-the-door wooden hook for towels add function to even the back of the door--we squeezed it in in here!

Swinging around the room a little more, brings us to the tub and shower--which changed this room entirely. If you're going to have a tub and shower in a kids' bathroom, installing a hand-held shower head will change your life! I didn't know what we were missing. It's been so nice to pop it out (this one from Delta is held by a strong magnet) and rinse off the girls easily. We also hung an extra-long shower curtain (84") that really helped make the room feel taller and grander than it actually is--similar to how you should hang window treatments hight and wide.

And I'm sure the built-in shower cubbies we added (three cheers for no shower caddies needed!), will be lined with tiny rubber fish and shopkins in no time.

The last before shot brings us nearly full-circle:

Perhaps the often unspoken, but definitely noticeable difference is lighting. While the original bathroom had some old-school hollywood vanity lighting, it lacked any overhead lighting, always making the room feel dark and dingy. We added two recessed cans and sconces on both sides of the room so the whole tiny space feels brighter and bigger.

Despite taking 7 months, the finished result feels worth every minute. The project was not without hiccups--maybe we'll save those for a different post--but with our first gut bathroom remodel under our belt, we're ready to take a deep breath and dive into our next one. All sources listed below!

Wall Color: Farrow & Ball Calamine
Double Wall Sconce: Schoolhouse Electric
Single Wall Sconce: Schoolhouse Electric
Mirrors: Target
"Mask" by Jennifer Ament: Serena & Lily
Sink Faucet : Delta Faucet
Faucet Handles: Delta Faucet
Towel Bar
: Amazon
Shower Head
: Delta Faucet
Shower Curtain Rod: Amazon
Towel Ring
: Amazon
Toilet Paper Stand
: Amazon
Drawer Knobs:
 Rejuvenation
Tub Spout
:Delta Faucet
Shower Valve
:Delta Faucet
Cabinet Pulls
: Rejuvenation
Toothbrush Holder
: Pottery Barn
First Aid Box
: McGee & Co
Bath Towels
: Target
Basket
: McGee & Co
Hand Towel
: McGee & Co
Subway Tile
: Wayfair
Floor Tile
: Cle Tile 
Vanity
: Wayfair
Linen Closet
: Pottery Barn
Soap
: McGee & Co
Brushes
: McGee & Co
Striped Linen Tray
: McGee & Co 
84" Shower Curtain
: Restoration Hardware
Over-The-Door Hook: The Container Store
Stool
Grout:
Warm Gray
Tile Chair Rail

Missed part of the process? Catch up with these posts:

BATHROOM RENO 101: LET’S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING
BATHROOM RENO 101: VENTS & DRAINS
BATHROOM RENO 101: COMING UP WITH A DESIGN PLAN
(FINALLY) MAKING PROGRESS IN THE DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM!
THE TILE COMBINATION FOR THE GIRLS’ BATHROOM
BATHROOM RENO 101: THE TILE IS IN!
CHOOSING A PAINT COLOR FOR OUR SMALL, WINDOWLESS BATHROOM
OUR FAVORITE FREESTANDING BATHROOM LINEN CABINETS
MIXING METALS IN THE BATHROOM 101

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  1. Hi! Could you share where your bathtub is from? We're currently in the process of renovating our bathroom and still deciding what tub to go with but ours will be an alcove tub similar to the one used here. I don't see it linked in your sources though, wondering if you could share where it's from that would be super helpful!

  2. Hi! We are almost finished remodeling my daughters' bathroom with this bath valve and handle. It seems to only turn fully on in the "hot" position. The "cold" position is when the handle is turned almost completely off. I keep panicking to my contractors for silly reasons. I thought I'd check with you this time for help first!

    Thank you so much for putting these sources out for clueless people like me to remodel their homes.

  3. How has the vanity held up after nearly 2 years of use? Looking at purchasing a similar one for my boys’ bathroom. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

      1. So happy to hear that because it seems like such a good deal! Good luck with the move and thanks for the reply.

  4. Hi! The bathroom looks great. I’m planning a bathroom Reno right now and and getting a combined shower and bath as well. I’m just was wondering if you have an opinion on the pros and cons of having a glass partition vs a shower curtain.

  5. I am considering those same cement tiles from Cle. How have they held up? I would be putting them in a kids bath shared by 3 boys.

    1. Cement tiles aren't as easy as ceramic, per se. Ours have held up pretty well but they make so many look-a-likes now, I might go in that direction for durability sake.

  6. This is beautiful! Wondering about the durability/quality of the Wayfair vanity. Has it held up? Considering using them in an upcoming master bath reno and curious about the quality. They have a great selection.
    Thanks!

  7. Hi, I was wondering if you could post what light bulbs you used in the Schoolhouse sconce? I'd really appreciate it! Thanks so much!

  8. Hey there!

    What did you use to cover the space between the ceiling and shower wall tiles? I am redoing our bathroom myself and have the same space yall did in the previous post that the tile was in. Is it just corner round or some sort of tile?

    Thanks!

  9. Hi Julia, The tile in this space inspired me to look at Cle Tile for my upcoming Laundry Room project. I got all setup with my order and found out that shipping was $200 at checkout! Just wondering if there was anything you were able to work out with them on a more reasonable shipping price. My laundry room isn't huge at all, I suspect it's the same as this bathroom, and $200 for shipping seems really high. Love you blog and miss your podcast. Thanks!

    1. Unfortunately that's often just part of tile shopping online. There are better prices because of low overhead, but shipping is where it picks up. But sometimes you can find shipping coupons or even sending them a message and asking can help.

      1. Hey Julia! I don't see the bathtub linked in the sources. Can you add or share here? :)

      1. Ah it was! Thanks so much! Did the backsplash come separate from the countertop? I like how you’re looks with your own subway tile instead of the backsplash that seems to come with it.

  10. What do you use to clean the cement tiles in the girls bathroom? I typically use vinegar diluted with water to clean my porcelain tiles but would vinegar be too acidic for cement tiles? Considering using cement in next bathroom remodel, thx!

  11. Beautiful renovation. We are in the middle of our own right now. I would like to know how the marble counter top is holding up with kids? I have three boys under 10 that will be using our bathroom and I am wondering if you are getting rings or water stains on the counter top?

  12. I am obsessed with the tile in this bathroom. I went to your source and realized that sadly it's out of my price range. Did you find any similar tile that was in a lower price point or do you have any ideas on how to replicate that look using cheaper tile? Thank you!

  13. Why are there drawers at the bottom of the vanity? I’m assuming there’s a utility to them that I can’t think of?

  14. Fantastic job on this bathroom! I remember you talking about this on one of your instagram stories (which I love, btw) but I can remember the name of it...did you guys use something for the vanity light to make it perfectly symmetrical? I want to say it was some kind of junction box...am I talking crazy here? Ever since you pointed that out in the instagram story, I've noticed every single bathroom vanity light is off center in my house. Help!

  15. you IG-storied Chris centering the light between the mirrors with a recessed junction box. currently dealing with a box that is not centered and trying desperately to find what you used to solve the problem. would you mind posting how you fixed that issue?

  16. Thanks so much for all of your sources!!! I'm going to use some of the Gatco cafe items in our reno soon :)

    Curious, what light bulbs do you recommend in a bathroom without windows?

  17. Wow! Wow! This is so impressive! What a great job, the before & afters are amazing! So talented, thanks for sharing your ideas and experise! Can’t wait to start my own renos!

  18. This is truly so beautiful! I wonder what went into changing the plumbing fixtures (moving the toilet, etc.) How much did a plumber charge for this? Is it worth doing for the cost? We live in a track home and the bathroom was not designed well. I'd love to gut it but have no idea what the costs/work associated are. Any input helps. Thank you and you guys did amazing on this project!!!

  19. Can I ask how wide your vanity is? We are about to dive into a bath remodel of our own and I am debating between one mirror or two and lighting is up in the air. It's a 72" wide space currently lined from wall to wall with a double sink vanity.

  20. This is beautiful! Congratulations! It's hard to see the details but can you please tell me what you did where the tile meets the ceiling? Is that just caulk (your favorite word!) or is there some kind of trim?

  21. Crazy question...I want to switch out our stationary shower head for a wand type, but I love the two in one look! Does water still flow from the stationary part when the wand is detached?

  22. It's gorgeous! I'm wondering if y'all have formula or a rule of thumb that you go by to determine lighting choices. We're about to remodel a bathroom for our three boys (also for overnight guests) that appears similar in size to yours and same shape as well. Long, narrow. It has a big skylight which is great natural light. It takes up a lot of the ceiling, so we don't have room for cans. We're replacing the long, frameless mirror (I call it the College Apartment Mirror) with two mirrors similar to yours. My concern is that we have a four bulb light fixture now and we'd love to replace it with a two bulb, single fixture, just like you have done. How do you decide between one fixture with multiple bulbs in between the mirror versus a fixture above each mirror? I'm stumped.

      1. Ha--sorry to be unclear. I looked at the link to the shower door, and did you order one of those, or two of those?

  23. I love this bathroom! I love the long shower curtain choice, I remember your mood board had a patterned one from UO, but this one works better. I also have chrome faucets throughout our bathroom and thought I couldn't use brass knobs, but now I see it can work.

  24. Okayyyy.. you just made me order that Studio McGee basket! Ah-Mazzini!
    You're inspirational and my bank account thanks you????

  25. I would love to know about the process of switching from one set of water lines to two for the new vanity. Is that something that would require a professional plumber or some basic diy skills? We have 4 kids sharing one sink (!!!) and I dream about giving them two sinks---no more spitting toothpaste on each other---ha!

  26. We remodeled our girls bathroom this summer as well. Feels so good when I walk in there now. Love your floors. I also went with a patterned tile for the floor. Was wondering what paint color you used.

  27. Did you take or paint the ceiling above the tub? Do you have a vent fan in the bathroom to help move moisture out? Curious

  28. Looks incredible. Great job! Can you speak to your decision to use a toilet paper stand vs. a wall-installed holder. Did you not want to break the tile? Seems like it might get in the way during bath time for your girls, but perhaps you can move it to the other side of the toilet. Also, can you please link the black door handle & hinges?

  29. But what about the door threshold before and after? ????

    Love the bathroom! I didn't know about the pink but it's 100% perfect, subtle, and chic!

  30. It looks wonderful as well as useful and practical. I definitely appreciate the photos comparing the exact same areas. They make it so much easier to follow the total plan.

  31. Brilliant! That is fantastic! And, having had 3 girls myself, you are 100% right about the handheld shower...it is life changing! :)

  32. Amazing!!! So well done you guys. I'm so impressed you were able to do this in the midst of pregnancy and newborn life!! My husband and I are needing to remodel both of our bathrooms thanks to Harvey, so we will absolutely be using this for inspiration (per usual) when the time comes and budget allows. Thank y'all so much for being awesome! Love everything you do.

  33. Wow! It's truly beautiful! I love seeing pieces like the gingham tile and the more rustic linen closet that I wouldn't normally be drawn to used in a more modern way. I'm getting ready to design 4 bathrooms in a home we're building and feel completely overwhelmed! There are so many beautiful options out there. May I ask about your door knobs? What brand and finish are they? I've been searching for an affordable matte black with a rectangular back plate. Thanks!

  34. This bathroom turned out awesome! I love that it's classic but still has a slight girly touch with the pink and such a sophisticated look! So many times people think kids = primary colors. Don't feel bad about the 7 month timeline either. I mean, you had a baby! We are on month 5 of our master reno and I think we will be around 7 when we are finally done too ???? Can't wait to see what you have in store for your bathroom!

  35. I love how you took the tile all the way to the ceiling. Unfortunately in so many builder basic houses (mine included) they don't do that. For a long time I've wanted to put in tall shower curtains like this but wonder if it would work since it's on the wall and not tile. What do you think?

    1. We have same. Why couldn't they just take the tile all the way up!? We have our shower curtain rod (similar to theirs-tension style) on the drywall and it's been fine.

  36. I love this bathroom, you did a wonderful job putting all of the finishes together! We actually got the same vanity back in January for our own bathroom remodel and love it, and the price cant be beat! I actually might use the same mirrors you ended up using, they look great with the vanity. Just wondering why you didn't use the faucets which came with the vanity, they look identical to the delta ones!

  37. It truly amazes me how you can transform a room. You two are truly a gifted duo. It really helps the rest of us who lack in that department. I transformed my basement to look like your reading room. It looks awesome! Thanks for the inspirations. :)

  38. Looks amazing!! How do you take such well-lit photos of a room with no natural light? Every time I try, the photos look yellow or distorted when I try to brighten them after the fact. We're getting ready to list our home and I'll be taking the photos myself. Would love to hear your tips!

    1. It's all about the amount of lighting and the color of the bulbs. We use 3000k bulbs in the recessed lighting we added and it's a nice clean white. A little white balance helps too!

  39. It is just beautiful, I especially love the buffalo check tile. I have been thinking of wallpapering our foyer with Caitlin Wilson's buffalo check, but didn't know if the style would stand the test of time. So love it ????

  40. I know you just finished this but I'm wondering how you like the delta shower head? I'm considering the same one for our master bath but have read pretty poor reviews on the water pressure. Have you guys had any issues? Do you like it? Thanks!

    1. We like it so much. Maybe the only downfall is the magnet is so strong, it really takes some oomph to get it down, but that's not really a total negative.

  41. What is the source for the bathtub? I am in the midst of planning our reno for our only bathroom, but it is a big bathroom. We currently still have the tiny, 1960 iron tub in there. I dream of doing a longer, deeper tub (no jets), but get so overwhelmed with figuring out what we should do. Would love to know the brand and size of yours.

  42. Such a beautiful, sweet bathroom. I'm sure your girls love it :) Well worth the 7 months it took to complete. It definitely seems bigger and brighter now. Awesome job!!!

  43. Love every last thing you did...except, I would love to know why you didn't (or why someone would) paint the strip above the vanity pink instead of the somewhat choppy look of pink wall, white ceiling (soffit?), pink wall to the real white ceiling. I would, I think, paint the soffit area pink. But I don't know why other than to make it not stand out so much. Is there a better reason to do it? I realize there must be great reasons for not doing it and am just very curious. Thanks!

      1. agree with Julia about texture and also even if it wasn't textured---I learned from a painter long ago that walls are walls and ceilings are ceilings (verticals and horizontals) and in 'most' cases, try to keep it that way. Sometimes changing the rule can give a room a more modern edge than you had intended, and your eye and brain are like "that looks weird." We had a lot of soffits in our basement and followed the rule and it looks great.

  44. This is really lovely! Beautiful Job, dream bathroom! I love the way you bring in the warmth with tiny details and touches.

  45. The bathroom turned out so beautifully! I love every bit of it, and am inspired for my own guest bath! To the left of the tub is a wall that wasn't there before; are you using that enclosed corner (where the toilet used to be) for an adjacent room or closet? I saw that you added the shower cubbies on that side, but they don't seem deep enough to use all that walled off corner space!

    1. Nope! It serves the shower niches, the hand towels, but also as a stop point for the shower/tub and the vanity. By adding it in, it actually opened up a lot of options, making the small room a lot more functional. On the other side of the bathroom is a closet.

  46. What is the cover painted next to the sconce on the wall with the toilet? I have one in my house and have never figured out what it is!

    1. It's a junction box that we pulled wires from for the new sconce, unfortunately the wiring in the wall didn't leave us much play so we had to cap it and run new wires over to the new location.

  47. Gorgeous...I'm in the middle of remodeling my kids bath and have used almost everything you've posted minus the tile...thanks for all of the ideas! Love your blog!

    Where'd you get the succulent with the white/gold base?

  48. Gorgeous room! PLEASE come do my bathroom next! (we have only one full bathroom in our house for all 4 of us, with 2 pre-teen girls).

  49. You guys seriously killed it on this one! The tile, the mixed metals, and that vanity - wow. It's hard to believe that the before and afters are the same room. Thanks for the continued inspiration!

  50. Wow, it looks great, and I LOVE the floor tile! One question I just thought of, that I may have missed in the previous posts... what's going on in the corner you built out to enclose the tub? Is it just dead space, or is it a closet accessible from another room?

    1. The shower niches are there, but besides that, I guess you could say, it's dead space. But we added so much functionality to the rest of the room, we like to think of it as more necessary than dead. Blocking off that corner really allowed us to do so much more.

      1. good thinking on the 2 shower niches!! I see so many people put one in. When we had our kids' shower put in, I had 2 niches with 2 shelves each--there are 3 girls (and one boy!) that use that shower! They each have like 5 bottles of stuff they use :)

  51. Weirdest question probably but what color bulbs are you using? The standard 2700k ones? My windowless bathroom just looks so yellow with those!

  52. Really love how it turned out! How you mixed finishes keeps it from feeling stuffy or too precious. How did it go, moving the toilet?? That's always the big obstacle when doing a bathroom remodel, isn't it. I'd love to know if it was an issue, challenge, or what. Thanks and congrats!

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