Transitional Bathroom Tips
Blending New and Old for High Impact
The Transitional Style is widely loved due to the fact that it’s a blend of two popular design styles (Traditional and Contemporary) and therefore leaves lots of room for personalization within. Anchored in traditional shapes, a transitional aesthetic feels timeless yet fresh with it’s contemporary pops.
And given that Traditional is trending, adding a modern spin gives a gorgeous juxtaposition, what’s old is new again in the Transitional style.
If you’re looking to update a kitchen or bathroom with the knowledge that you’ll likely be selling in a few years, consider the widely appreciated Transitional Design Style.
Our Basement Bath
Which leads us to our basement bath reno! We had a shower glass kit kicking around, and given it would only fit in our basement bathroom, we decided she was the winner for the first of 3 Wiersma bathroom updates.
BEFORE
Take a scroll through to see the space before.
This is a windowless bathroom, so I wanted to embrace a mood here. Sometimes the best times to go for a deep, dark paint colour is in a small, dark room. I first thought I wanted to wash the whole thing (including ceiling and trim and board and baton wall treatment) in a dusty mauve, but as soon as I made up my mind I was seeing that colour everywhere. Also, I was a bit concerned that without any natural light, the mid-tone colour everywhere would be too dark. So I switched gears and decided on bead board instead, that way we could just paint 2/3 of the walls in a rich colour, and light and bright elsewhere. Had we not been trying to keep cost down (it’s not our main or guest bath, so I want to reserve more budget for future renos), I would have loved to do wallpaper on the upper half. But in the end, I think there is ample personality in this new space!
AFTER
Let’s Talk Details!
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1. Tile
I once saw pictures of an original century home that hadn’t been updated since it was built. Both bathrooms had a penny hexagon floor tile and I remember thinking, what a great choice given that 100 years later, that tile still feels up to date – we’re still installing that today.
I knew I wanted to do a small scale mosaic, it’s timeless, visually interesting and feels like a complimentary foot massage with every trip to the bathroom 😉 I opted for penny tile but wanted to personalize it a bit, so added a black border which bends around the shower, and mirrored that same border in the shower base.
This had such a high impact it is my favourite part of this room by far. But I must disclose that it was tedious work for Kellen. However, the defense rests…it was well worth it.
As for the grout, I recommend doing a mid tone green grey on floor tiles, which is the colour of dirt. This way you’re already two steps ahead of the inevitable wear. That said, grout has come a long way and is more impervious to stains nowadays, but if you don’t mind a grey anyway, opt for a mid-tone grey with a green undertone and you’ll be less stressed about it. This is Mapei Iron.
In the shower we did a marble looking porcelain in a 12×24.
I was between that and a bevelled subway, but in the end, went for the cost-savings option because I liked the look just fine! A large scale marble-looking tile can give a slab-like impression. While I would do a matte finish on floors (to prevent slips), I really like the gloss on walls.
We did Mapei Frost for the grout, which was closest colour match to the tile for a more seamless look.
Pure white quartz was used for the niche and curb from our friends at Stonequest.
2. Wall Treatment & Paint
As previously mentioned, we shifted gears with the plan for the walls, and I’m so pleased with the result. When doing #millwork on the walls, be sure to paint the trim the same colour, and use a semi-gloss finish. For bonus points, paint the door the same colour too.
I compared a lot of colours to finally land on CC 32 Benjamin Moore Radicchio. I’ll talk more about this on IG, so be sure you’re following us there too @juxta.interiordesign. I wanted it to be the perfect mix of pink, oxblood and purple. I had a couple of inspiration pics from Pinterest, and kept comparing, comparing, comparing to my selected artwork I had for the space until I landed. I almost went for a paint match of Brinjal by Farrow & Ball (used in first inspo pic below), but it is decidedly purple, so continued the hunt.
As for the upper wall and ceiling paint colour, I choose Benjamin Moore Simply White, a slightly warm white which feels more historic than a true white. But I didn’t take it too creamy, as we had true and cool whites in the tile. (Be sure you’re subscribed to receive our upcoming blog post all about the mysterious world of whites!)
3. Finishes
A traditional vanity and faucet, juxtaposed with modern mirror and sconces brought home the transitional vibe. We simply swapped the cheap knobs that came with the vanity with these gold sphere knobs which really elevated it. The faucet is chrome, to match the shower enclosure which we already had. I would have otherwise opted for polished nickel as it has a warm undertone, but it works! When #mixingmetals, always keep the utilitarian fixtures to one metal (sink faucet, shower controls, towel hardware etc). You can mix in another metal in the decorative pieces.
Precious little makes me happier than finding the perfect light fixture, and in general that’s going to be one that acts like a piece of sculpture while providing the function of lighting a space! These sconces are alabaster, a material I’m loving these days – I recently swapped in two alabaster lamps in our bedroom.
If you’re going traditional or transitional in your bathroom, don’t neglect the toilet. This is an affordable option from HD, the American Standard Optum Vormax.
Keeping On Budget in a Bathroom Reno
One sure way to keep cost down in a #bathroomreno is to leave plumbing where it is. We may have otherwise shimmied the toilet over, but this way we had space for a full length mirror, so that worked out nicely. Artwork is from Etsy, printed at London Drugs on canvas, with a thrifted frame 🙂 Mixed in is a more modern mirror, again, adding to the transitional vibes. Great design is all about the mix my friends!
Thank you for touring our new bathroom! If you’re stuck on design or looking for a great team for your own reno plans, don’t hesitate to reach out, book your Discovery Call today!
If you found this helpful, be sure to subscribe by entering your email anywhere on the site so as to not miss future posts! Thank you for reading and sharing, and we’ll talk again soon!! Much love,
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Meghan
