A Transitional Master Bathroom Tour

Hi and welcome back this week for the continued tour of our transitional master suite!  And just in case you missed the master bedroom tour last week, you can find that HERE.  This week I’d like to share with you how to make your bathroom an extension of your bedroom by successfully carrying elements of that design into the bathroom so that there is flow and continuity between the two spaces, as there should be.  I’ll show you how I’ve achieved this in my own master bath in hopes that it will help you achieve the same.  I have also included a lot of resources in this post to help you recreate this look and am always happy to answer any questions you might have so please don’t forget to leave your questions in the comments section below or, email me here via the contact page of my site.

The first thing I did to come up with my color palette for this space was to use my main inspiration fabric from the bedroom.  Tip Time: Bringing one key element like this in from the bedroom automatically marries the two spaces and creates flow from one space to the other.  The next thing I did to help me choose the wall color for this space was to pull the soft blue/gray spa like color from my fabric and match it up using my paint fan deck.  After choosing my window treatment fabric I would be using for the windows and then the wall color, I then chose a coordinating fabric for my vanity seat (found here).

In the first photo below you can see how the blue/gray wall color picks up perfectly on the blue/gray in my fabric.  For this window treatment I didn’t want to cover the window completely because the window has a decorative privacy glass in it so there was no need to spend the extra money on fabric and labor for a traditional working roman shade, therefore I chose to do a simple faux roman shade.  This treatment dresses the window up by causing your eye to go up and fills in what would otherwise be an awkward, empty space.  It add softness to the space and is simple but perfect for this spot, plus I saved about $400-$500 in fabric and labor by doing a faux roman shade vs. a traditional working roman shade.  

The x bench choice was a semi-custom piece which I ordered in the exact same fabric I used for the master bedroom roman shades (which you can see more of here) but this time I used it in a different color way.  Again, bringing an element like this in from the bedroom brings these two spaces together to create flow and continuity between the two, not to mention helping this space seem all the more serene and spa like.

Get the Look

Now that I’ve covered how I married these two spaces to make them feel more like one, lets take the tour of this coveted room.  The master bath should again (like your bedroom) feel like a retreat to come to in the evening, or any time of the day.  We all shower here, get dressed here, put on make-up here, etc., so the bathroom again shouldn’t be forgotten or placed at the end of your list when decorating your home.  For the tour, I’ll start with a look back into the bedroom where you’ll see the sitting area (you can see more of this space and read about it here) where you’ll see my inspiration fabrics (used on the windows treatments) that I brought into the bathroom to give the two spaces that flow I’ve been talking about.

As we turn our attention to the bathroom, this is this first glimpse you see as you enter the space.  The light that comes into this room is glorious at different times of the day and makes for such a gorgeous atmosphere which is probably why this is my favorite room in our home.

Tip Time:  If you have a small wall like mine (which I often see) next to a vanity cover it in tile (in other words, let it be an extension of your backsplash) vs. painting it to protect it from splashes, toothpaste, etc.  It brings a richness to the space like you won’t believe and the extra cost in labor and materials will be minimal and well worth it!  This little tiled wall is one of my favorite details within the space without a doubt and one I will never regret having done.

The cabinet color and style in this space were a no brainer as I did the same cabinets/color in all areas of my home, except for in my son’s bathroom which I had painted a dark gray.  I love the crispness of them and they make the room feel classic and transitional, which I love as well.

Tip Time:  Use the largest hardware on your cabinets that you can find/afford.  It’s important in my opinion to break up all of the wood and white in order to give the cabinets some interest plus, they keep your hands off of the cabinets and your paint will last much, much longer without needed touchups.  This tip this goes for any room of your home as well, and especially rooms where children frequent.

Get the Look

Next I’d like to turn your attention to the soaking tub.  This little area has a story that I love to share and I have some tips here too!  When we purchased this home it was in the framing staged and this area had already been framed up for a built in tub, which I didn’t want.  I felt like at the time that things were trending toward free standing tubs and I had my heart set on one so, I had our contractor rip out the framing to clear the way for that tub I so desired.  I was also faced with the issue of these types of tubs being super expensive but, I went on the hunt and found an affordable tub that wouldn’t break the bank nor was it any more expensive than all of the framing, tub, tile work, and labor that would have gone into a built in tub.

Tip Time:  Don’t be afraid to tell your contractor exactly what you want when building your home!  Even if that means ripping something out because it’s better to deal with it now vs. replacing it later (or unhappily living with it!), which will cost you much more time, money, and aggravation in the long run!

For the back splash in this area I carried the floor tile up the wall vs. using a contrasting tile to create more flow and and to help give this area that serene feeling I wanted.  Some other elements I used in the space were the modern abstract art (similar here & here) which came from our previous home, the orb chandelier, and this darling little table that was just the right size for next to the tub to hold bathing essentials.  The hand towels are simple with a contrasting trim, which is a common theme throughout the entire master suite and the towel bars were carefully selected as well to blend with the bath fixtures.

Even though I could have purchased the hand towels with a monogram already I chose not to because I couldn’t order them with the large monogram you see here.  So, I took them to a local monogrammer and was able to get this large monogram so that it would show up nice and pretty in this space.  It brings a lot of character and charm to the space as well, which is great because it was a super simple and inexpensive added detail.

The tub filler was carefully selected as well as its shape mimics the bathroom faucets.  Again, these can be super expensive but I went on the hunt to find a more affordable option (here) that would work.

Tip Time:  One of the hardest things when designing a bathroom can be finding fixtures that work together if the brand/line that you are using doesn’t have each piece needed for the job.  The most important thing to remember is that your finishes should match.  Either use chrome or brass or bronze (or whatever finish you are using) but don’t mix in the bathroom in regard to your bath fixtures.  This breaks up the flow and doesn’t make sense so please don’t do it.  Now, if you want to mix in a brass chandelier even though you might have chrome fixtures that is completely acceptable but totally different because it’s not a bath fixture, it’s a light.  Also remember to use fixtures that have the same or very similar shape if you have to choose fixtures from two different lines and/or brands, which is what I did here with my tub filler.

Get the Look

Getting over to the vanity side of this space makes me giddy!!  I knew the second I ran across these mirrors they were perfect for the space.  The juxtaposition in materials between the counter tops, white cabinets, and the rustic wood frame on the mirror is so yummy and adds such character in here…wish you could see them in person!  And speaking of the marble, the counter tops in here are carrara marble and the back splash is a 1×2 carrara marble sheet that comes in 12×12 sheets.  I also used the back splash material in the shower, which I’ll share in a moment.  And in case you are wondering, carrara in the bathroom is a dream and we’ve had no problems with it in here what so ever!  I keep my counter tops in here just like you see them (which means I keep things tidy and put away) so there is no worry of stains with make up and the like since I keep those type things in drawers.

Tip Time:  If you are afraid to use carrara in the kitchen but still want to use it in your home the bathroom is a great spot since you don’t have all of the issues with food/drink, etc. in the bathroom to deal with.  I share a lot more about my choice to use carrara marble here in my kitchen tour.

And here is a little {rare} DIY I did for the space.  Tip Time:  I wanted to use these frames in here but couldn’t find the John J. Audubon prints I wanted in the correct size to fit the frame so I took an old John J. Audubon book we had had for years, tore the pages out, and simply added them to the frames.  My husband loves JJA’s work and these were just perfect for this space on his side of the vanity.

Looking back to the other vanity..one thing I get asked about a lot when I share this space on Instagram is this large urn (similar here & here) with this simple spray of cherry blossoms. Tip Time: I needed something large to fill up this spot and to add a visual focal point here so I simply arranged these cherry blossoms in a large urn and viola!  Simple but the perfect solution to cozy up and add a bit of character to this spot.  The original plan was to have a 3rd mirror and sconces here but I stand up to put make up on, dry my hair, etc so it wasn’t practical to put those items here when we didn’t really need them.  Besides the mirror, this arrangement really makes this side of the bathroom so beautiful and adds a little texture here as well.

I keep my vanity pretty clean and simple only having a hand towel that I use daily, a soap pump and a wedding photo of my honey and me;).  Again, I personally like to put my daily essentials away so that things always feel clean and picked up in here.

The bath sconces and faucet were another first love of mine for the space and again a no brainer.  You can find these exact products here and here to recreate this look.

The sink also stole my heart with it’s classic yet contemporary style and was pretty affordable to boot.  You can find this exact sink here.

Lately I typically keep fresh pink flowers on my vanity to cheer up this spot for those mornings I don’t feel like moving.  I love these simple, affordable Alstroemeria that can last for up to 3 weeks if you replace the water and cut the stems every few days.  I have more fresh flower tips you can read about here and here.

Get the Look

And last but not least is the shower.  In here because we were reaching the top of our budget for this room I used a tile that looks like carrara marble, with the exception of the floor and the accent tile that runs around the perimeter of the shower.  This tile was a great alternative so that we wouldn’t completely bust our budget by going full on marble in here and it looks just fine.  Especially when you mix in the real carrara marble as an accent (same as the back splash behind the vanity) and real honed marble on the shower floor, no one would know the difference if I didn’t tell.  The floor marble is honed so that it’s not slippery when wet and comes in 12 x 12 sheets as well.  Mine were sourced through a local flooring store but I’ve sourced some of these materials here and here but any local flooring store near you should carry these products.  You’ll also notice that we have three shower heads, which we didn’t plan.  The plumbing had already been run when we purchased the home during the construction phase and personally, although it’s nice to have I suppose, I think its a bit overkill and I only use one of them (taking notes for our next move here;).

So that brings us to the end of the tour but I hope you enjoyed our transitional master suite over the last couple of weeks and please don’t forget to leave your comments and questions below.  I also hope you were able to learn how to marry your bedroom and bathroom to create one cohesive master bedroom suite.  Thanks for stopping by and I look forward to seeing you here again next week when I talk about my tips for prepping your guest room for visitors this summer, since we have some special guests arriving late next week!

*Don’t forget to tour the master bedroom part of the master suite if you haven’t yet been able to!  You can do that HERE

Xoxo, Bree

 

Bath Fixtures: 

 

Lighting, Mirrors & Hardware:

 

Linens & Accessories:

 

Similar Tiles:

 

 

*Wall color is Silver Lake by Benjamin Moore / Cabinet, door and trim color is Decorators White by Benjamin Moore

**Affiliate links used and where an item is no longer available a substitute has been sourced in it’s place