Master Bathroom Mood Board: Modern Spa-Punk Bathroom

We’ve got one last big project in the works before the big project in my belly arrives. Which is a complicated way to say we are going to gut and remodel our master bathroom before April when we had a newborn to the family. Here’s the master bathroom mood board; I’m calling the look a “Modern Science Lab Spa-Punk” Bathroom. The goal is to mix modern spa-like with some more industrial “steampunk” touches to create a bathroom that is a nice start to my day even though it’s little.

Speaking of little, I’m serious. It’s tiny. 80 inches by 40 inches. And therefore impossible to photograph. But here are some starting points.

You can see from this picture, that the sink, toilet and shower are all about 2 inches apart from each other. You can also see the original mustard tile and the giant gaping hole in the shower. About 3-4 months ago, our Monday morning started out with the handle of the shower popping off and water gushing out full force until the city could come out to turn the water off at the street. Then the only thing to be done was cut the pipes and disable the shower until we could get the full remodel going.
Here’s the view the other direction from the farthest corner of the shower. I hate that mirror. And it’s hung so high I can’t see my whole face in the mirror. Clearly the mirror is to blame, not my shortness.

And here’s the view from the door, which as you can see opens directly into the sink. There’s not enough room to open the door at all if someone is standing in front of the sink. But that problem will be eliminated soon because I plan to remove the door and build a sliding barn door outside the bathroom instead.

So now that you’ve seen the “before” we are working with, here’s the master bathroom mood board.

The biggest goal and biggest challenge for the bathroom remodel is the small size. Our bathroom is pretty teeny tiny–only 80 inches long by about 40 inches wide. I’m keeping that goal in mind as I choose finishes that are sleek, clean-lined, and consistent. I’m confident that after the remodel it will feel bigger even though we can’t add any square footage.

Here are the details and sourcing for our master bathroom mood board:

1. Rensselaer Sconce by Schoolhouse Electric. $159. One on each side of the mirror.

2. A blue vessel sink. $100-150. This one is from Overstock but it’s likely I’ll pick one out in person at Seconds and Surplus in Richardson.

3. Butcher block counter top. We have a section of butcher block leftover from our kitchen remodel that I want to use for the countertop. In the kitchen, the butcher block is unstained and sealed only with mineral oil. In the bathroom though, I’m planning to stain it a little darker and seal it really well against all the moisture.

4. Godmorgon bathroom vanity from Ikea. $149. We used Godmorgon cabinets in our last bathroom remodel, the modern playful bathroom. I really love the glossy finish and the storage they provide. In our tiny master bath, the storage is especially needed.

5. Hang 1 Mirror from Blue Dot. $307. Because the wall space above the sink is so limited, at first I thought I couldn’t use sconces and would have to rely only on overhead lighting. But then I found this awesome teardrop shaped mirror. The extra space at the top will give room for the sconces. And the teardrop shape is fun and spa-punk-y.

6. White subway tile. My plan is to tile two walls of the shower with rectangular subway tile and then to continue the tile halfway up the wall around the rest of the bathroom. Right now the shower has a curtain, but with a glass door and the subway tile extending out of the shower around the rest of the room, I think the room will feel bigger since the sightlines won’t be broken up but will extend through the shower.

7. Chrome wall mounted faucet, Kohler Purist. $350. This faucet + me = love. I love the cross handles that feel kind of vintage or science lab-esque but are so simple and updated and modern. I think the wall-mount is a fun and unique look, too.

8. Blue Mosaic penny round tile. From Floor and Decor. This tile will cascade down the back wall of the shower and then continue out as the bathroom floor. Again, extending sight lines, eliminating visual breaks in material, will make the bathroom feel bigger. The variation of blue shades will give depth and interest.

9. Spa Shower. $245. Maybe the most important part. It was an absolute requirement for me that the shower has massage jets. Phil really wanted a rain head. For now, I think the winning option is the Lanikai Shower Spa from Wayfair.

So that’s the plan. And hopefully the remodel will be in full swing within the next month. Do you have any tips for making a tiny bathroom work?