Belle Home Tour: Bathroom Before and After

So... what did we think?! I'm so overwhelmed and grateful for all of the positive feedback about my home tour. I know it's quite different from my old place–more bold, more grown up, more finished. I know the living room is much more masculine than I think anyone would have thought I'd do. But as I said in my interview, I was determined to decorate an all neutral space using a lot of graphic patterns and shades of grey, and I love that I stuck with that and how it turned out.

Over the next week or so, I'll be doing a lot of back-tracking. Taking you on full before-after recaps of how my apartment got to where it is. So if this isn't your bread and butter, I apologize. If it is, get excited. We are starting with the biggest transformation of all. The bathroom.

You may recall I referred to this room as the black sheep of the home when I was first signed the lease on Belle. (And for those of you who are REALLY new, I refer to the apartment as Belle. Long story. It doesn't matter why, just know that I do it.) It was dirty-looking, dark, awkward, w/ a funny shaped tub/shower situation and parts missing from the ceiling. Charm city.

There she is.

Looks like a frat house bathroom, no?

Painting this wood paneling was a real B. The wood acts as a sponge so it took an entire can to cover this small room. I documented the whole painting process here.

And here it is through the Stoffers' lens. Instead of going the typical bath mat route, I went with a black and white striped runner by Dash and Albert available through Layla Grayce. The room itself is long and the mucky-colored floor tiles are quite ugly, so I thought this was the best solution to hiding as much of it as possible. Plus it keeps my tootsies warm. The stylist in me is kicking myself for not having some cool black and white art hanging on the wall to the left. Oh well.

Oh, this next before and after is my favorite...

Before. Love the missing lightbulb, splattering on the wall, and empty soap dispenser. Seriously like a bad cabin motel rental.

After! White, bright, clean, and lovely. Yes, I humpty-dumptied a few photos together to give you the full picture of what's going on from this angle. Adding gold finishes was always on the to do for this room. I changed out the knobs on the cabinet with leftover knobs after a family member's kitchen renovation. And I bought the cheapest option of toilet paper and towel rack Home Depot offered in this shiny brass finish. (Actually it was the only one they offered–every other piece of bathroom hardware in the store was polished chrome or brushed nickel.) I am aware investing any money into fixtures in a rental sounds... well, not smart. But I can't tell you enough how happy this transformation makes me. This went from being the worst room in the house to one of my favorites. A relaxing little haven where I can escape and pamper myself with a nice bath, scented candle, and glass of vino.

Another favorite shot. The gold details and the glow of the candle are everything. The photograph is my own; I snapped it in London's Covent Garden. Oh, how I miss that city.

And another before for comparison.

Crazy, right?! And how sharp are those black ceiling beams?! That's my favorite part of the bathroom, hands down. Note the shiny brass toilet paper rod is the same collection as the towel bar.

Let me tell you, brass shower curtain rings are NOT easy to find. I had to get them off this random site the Bed Bath Store. Love them paired with my simple white shower curtains from Pottery Barn. Also, I painted the metal curtain rods. Not sure you're supposed to do that, but it worked.

This apartment is huge, but there is no "linen closet" for bathroom storage. So I used one of my expedit shelves to corral towels, toiletries, and extra tp. I'm not going to lie. It hardly ever looks quite so organized, but at least the bins hide medicines, tampons, and all the other goodies you don't want lying around in front of guests.

Stoffer Photography's snapshot. Much prettier. Obsessed with that skin care collection you see there with the dots on it. Somme Institute. If you're in the market, I highly recommend giving it a try. My skin feels so much better and the dark circles under my eyes are slowly fading. Yay aging prevention! That sweet gold candle, and black candle and diffuser atop the shelves are all by Dayna Decker. Another brand I've fallen in love with. Their candles crackle like a fireplace and the packaging is perfect for any decor savvy shopper. They are a bit pricey, but keep them in mind as an extra special gift (Mother's Day!).

The trimmed towels and brass container are Serena and Lily. Now, I have to be honest. I have S&L bedding and am obsessed. Super soft and luxurious and great quality. The towels, however, aren't holding up like I would hope! Threads are coming undone along the edges which I find very disappointing since I haven't had them long... at least they look awesome. The polka dot make-up bag is Kate Spade. The framed photo is my own–I had it hanging above my bed at my old apartment.

So you can see the goodies on top a little better. Yes, that's a fake orchid. I've had it for years and I love it because it never dies like every other plant I own.

Last shot!

COMPLETE LIST OF BATHROOM SOURCES
Dash and Albert Lighthouse black ivory runner, Layla Grayce
gold Marni glass, Jayson Home (used here as vase)
black candle, Dayna Decker
Twirl perfume, Kate Spade
brass shower curtain rings, Bed Bath Store
grand embroidered shower curtain, Pottery Barn
face products, Somme Institute Skin Care
brass candleholder, Serena and Lily
faux Boxwood topiary, New Growth Design via Joss and Main
striped towels, West Elm
Bark border frame towels, Serena and Lily
white Expedit shelves, Ikea

SEE THE FULL HOME TOUR HERE!

really pretty photos by Stoffer Photography for The Everygirl
other photos by me