Blue Lagoon Bathroom Reveal

It is my favorite day in blogland—room reveal day!

Back in August I shared thedesign plan and layout for this room, but this project actually started way back in May, right before we moved into the Heights House. This room did not exist before—we created it by stealing a few feet from the existing bathroom and adjacent bedroom.

Building a bathroom from scratch is a major undertaking, from running all new plumbing, electrical and AC to constructing new walls and floors and cutting an opening for a new window. We hired most of it out, but squeezed in a few small DIY tasks where we could (look at the last progress post here).

Measuring a whopping 30 square feet, it was an interesting challenge to find the most efficient layout without feeling too crowded. Because this house will be a vacation rental, our goal is to give each its own unique theme and leave a lasting impression. What this room lacks in size, I think it makes up for in personality. Certainly a departure from my own neutral and more classic decorating style, but taking risks and exploring your creativity is what makes design so much fun!

Welcome to the Blue Lagoon Bathroom…

The star of the show is undoubtedly the Cloe baby blue tile. I knew The aim was to use this line when I saw the samples in person last year, and the glossy watery blue tones are what set the stage for this 'swan lake' inspired design. Speaking of swans…

This faucet is what started it all. When I spotted it on Amazon, I just had to have it (especially for under $100!) and everything else in the room came together afterwards. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I just think it is so funky and unique. Who does not love a good swan (or 3?)

I spent hours looking for the well suited petite pedestal sink that was stylish, affordable, and the smallest depth possible. This Barclay model from Lowe's checked all the boxes!

The mirror was another Lowe's budget find (only $66 and almost sold out!) The scalloped edges mimic the curvature of the sink and is very swan-esque, do not you think?

I use these refillable amber pump bottles in all of our bathrooms. They are so classic and much prettier to look at than regular soap bottles, and you cannot beat the $3.50/ea price tag.

I am also a big fan of the layered look achieved by mixing warm gold and silvery metals. I finally caved and got the towel ring and matching tp holder I would been eyeing for months at Anthro. A small splurge, but worth every penny.

The seagrass wastebasket and hand towel were both Target finds. They are neutral in color but the woven texture is a nice contrast to the tile. And about that pebble tile…

This was a last minute change of plans when I spotted it at Floor & Decor, originally looking for marble floor tile. The stones were just too well suited for the theme of the room, so I splurged and paid the $13/sf, justifying the cost because the footprint of the room is so small. For the grout I chose Alabaster, which is a warm gray and should be relatively easy to clean (we used the same grout for the Cloe wall tile).

A unfussy, elegant brass & white glass pendant (also very swan-esque) hangs above the vanity (and the price is a steal!) The 9' ceilings certainly help the room feel larger, along with the new 4' Jeld-Wen window we added. One of my favorite features of this room is the wood ledge that spans across the back wall. Storage space is at a premium, and this was a natural way to incorporate it without hanging bulky shelves that would make the room feel crowded.

We used a 1×10″ piece of pine wood, cut it down to size, and I applied a weathered wood stain (I still need to varnish it to protect it from moisture!) Another great storage solution is this $20 seagrass organizer bin I found on Amazon. It is the well suited size for a small toilet tank, and neatly contains toiletries for guests.

Above the toilet, I hung these two abstract swan prints I made just for this room in 12×16″ Ikea Hovsta frames. (PS, I take custom orders in my print shop and am happy to make these for you too, just shoot me a message!)

The potted fern was another Amazon find and it looks very realistic! Definitely worth the $12.

This 96″ waffle weave shower curtain is one of my best design secrets. There is a serious shortage of quality 8' long shower curtains in the world, and the only other I am aware of is this one from Bed Bath & Beyond—but it is double the price of this one and often out of stock.

I found this curtain after searching out of necessity, and was pleasantly surprised at the quality (I used the same one in the main bathroom).

I also bought this white 96' liner but we have not hung it yet. Shower storage was a bit of an afterthought and we forgot to add a built-in niche before it was too late, but I found an alternative solution with this glass corner shelf (secured in the tile with anchors).

I am a huge fan of this refillable shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottle set. It is well suited and cost-effective for a vacation rental, but also a good option in your own shower if you do not like staring at mismatched bottles every day.

I used my go-to budget champagne bronze Delta faucet (seriously, you will not find anything else in this color at this price. I have looked!)

Behind the door, I utilized the 30″ wall for towel hooks that can easily be reached from the shower. A cheerful message fills the space above, another custom design I printed and hung in a matted Ikea 16×20″ frame.

I think that covers everything! There is still a few things left to do before we can officially call this room done, like varnishing the wood ledge, sealing the floor tile, painting the door and installing the window shade, but we are thrilled to have one more room pretty much crossed off the to-do list.

Adding a second bathroom to this house was a necessity for a vacation rental, but it has also significantly increased the value and our equity in the property, which is always top of mind as investors. Another successful before & after in the books!

Sources

Wall & trim color: SW Pure White (eggshell + semigloss)

Cloe blue wall tile

Pebble floor tile

Grout

Pedestal sink

Swan faucet

Window

Mirror

Pendant light

Shower faucet

Towel ring

TP holder

Towel hooks

Shower curtain

Seagrass storage bin

Seagrass waste basket

Hand towel

Faux fern

Amber soap bottle

Refillable shower bottle set

Shower glass corner shelf

Picture frames