We are at the halfway point of the One Room Challenge! Luckily, last week was very productive, because, honestly, this week was a slow one as far as the basement bathroom renovation went. We spent the majority of the week in Virginia visiting family and friends, and although the trip was good for our hearts, it was tough to make progress when we were not in the same state as the room. This week, we are taking a closer look at the tile choices.
Tile #1: Shower Walls and Bathroom Floor
Originally sporting a shower insert and linoleum floors, this bathroom desperately needed some beautiful tile. Right away, we were leaning toward a large format, marble-look tile for its clean, modern look. We preferred a white tile with gray veining, and we preferred the tile to be matte rather than glossy. Floor and Decor to the rescue. They had a 24x48 in. porcelain tile that fit all our requirements for $2.99/sq. ft. One tip about large format tile: it is HEAVY. We ended up splitting our tile haul into two loads even though we were driving a big SUV. This tile ended up covering the majority of the bathroom: the bathroom floor and one shower wall.
An in-process photo of the large format tile being installed.
Tile #2: Shower Ceiling
To complement the marble-look tile, we searched for a different tile for the shower ceiling that would then continue all the way down the end shower walls. We wanted a version of white subway tile, but not in the standard 2x4 in. size. That seemed like an easy request but was actually tricky to find in a brick and mortar store (we were on a time crunch). The only tile that was both matte and a complementary shade of white ended up being this 3x12 in. tile. Then it was down to the choosing the pattern for the layout.
After laying out some different patterns on the living room floor, we went with a pattern that included a wider and thinner tile. Even though it was more work for our tile installer—shoutout to Nick!—since it required cutting some tiles in half, he was game because he had never laid in that pattern before. We like the visual interest it adds to the space.
Tile #3: Shower Pan
We actually stumbled on our last tile choice while we were at Floor and Decor. Although penny tile is a classic choice, the dark charcoal penny tile looked fresh when paired with very dark grout, and it highlighted the gray veining in the shower wall tile. Love those easy choices that fall in your lap.
After being installed, we love that the tile choices look sleek but will also act as the perfect backdrop for some warm touches—looking at you, wood vanity and beams.
Here is our to-do list that we will be updating weekly. Italics mean the task is partially completed.
Demo bathroomSource and install tile- Install new vanity or repurpose old one
- Source and install light fixture
- DIY ceiling beams
- Install glass for shower
Source mirror- Source rug
- Paint walls and trim
- Source art
Even with a slow week, we feel like we are in a good place to get this bathroom transformed. Hopefully, the bathroom will get a fresh coat of paint this week, a light fixture installed, and maybe some beams?? Time will tell. 😉 There is so much design goodness going on with the One Room Challenge beyond our basement bathroom. Make sure to check it out!
See you next week,
Staci and Kylie
