Our DIY Budget Powder Room Makeover

Not your standard opening picture. But I thought I'd show an honest 'before' picture of our downstairs bathroom - swimsuits and all. 

We've been putting off renovating this room ever since we moved in fifteen years ago and it's still sporting the same red ceiling and blank walls. There was nothing wrong with it per se, it was just very plain and a little dated. Nothing that warrants ripping the entire room out and starting from scratch at least. Even so, it had become unloved and a dumping ground - there were even some skis in the shower! 

Renovating a bathroom, no matter how small, can be hugely expensive. But having painted the tiles in our laundry room, I felt optimistic that something could be done to our downstairs loo on a budget too!

Here is what we did. 

The first step was to paint the ceiling (I can't tell you how satisfying it was!). We used a white from the Jotun Lady Aqua range. The floor also got a makeover with 3V3 tile paint in Tarmac. 

And then came the rest:

Ta daaaa! 

There's quite a lot at play here. We removed the glass shower door and hung up an L-shaped shower rod (we bought a simple white one and then painted it in the same paint as the floor). The shower curtain (light stone from Humdakin) and rattan matt add a softness to the room and help to dampen the sound - always good in a guest bathroom!  

We kept the wall tiles (one of the biggest costs when renovating bathrooms is the work that goes into replacing tiles) - but since the walls were so vast and blank, we decided to put up a glass cabinet (Hastrup from Jysk). It was no easy feat; we had to use a special sensor to detect what was behind the wall. The last thing we wanted to do was drill through a pipe or electric cable. This is a major danger when drilling into bathroom walls, I'd highly recommend calling in an expert to avoid any accidents! 

When it comes to budget makeovers, I am a firm believer that the devil is in the details. Picking out smart pieces really help to elevate a room. The brushed brass toilet brush and toilet roll holder are both from Danish brand D-line. 

I've had the little rustic stool for years (pick up a similar antique stool here*). And the art is by Swedish painter Carola Kastman. 

The next step was to give this corner an overhaul:  

Here is the result, drum roll please....

We tried to keep the existing bathroom cabinet and sink but it simply wasn't practical for numerous reasons, so in the end we swapped it out for this very reasonably priced cabinet, sink and tap from Hornbach. 

I updated the colour on the cabinet using Mohair from Jotun Lady (thinking about it now, I probably should have used a specific bathroom paint, so let's see how it fairs!) and added knobs and a towel rail from D-line. 

I have never liked the plastic silver lights that were here when we moved in. The problem was we didn't want the faff and expense of changing the mirror so we had to find a light that exactly fitted the holes! I was very relieved to finally stumble across this bathroom light in Bauhaus! 

The final corner to get a simple makeover was this one: 

We swapped out the existing aluminium towel hooks for pretty handcrafted ones from D-Line (which match the other details). 

I'm a big fan of baskets (these are from Granit and IKEA) - they make each hook go a lot further and now we have a lot more space for bits and bobs like swimwear, slippers (from Humdakin), hair stuff etc. 

This is how this corner looks now: 

Right folks. That covers everything I think!

I hope you have enjoyed reading about our budget DIY bathroom makeover! If you have any questions just give me a shout below and I'll do my best to help. 

By the way, have you noticed how tidy it looks? I'd love for it to stay this way. But will I still find empty loo roll cartridges on the side when I go in? Definitely (does this drive anyone else nuts?). Will it be filled with drying swimwear and ten thousand towels within 24 hours? No doubt! 

But for today at least, I will be enjoying it in all its neat and tidy glory!

I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing weekend! 

Niki

A big thank you to Per for helping with so much of the DIY - I'm so lucky to have a handyman and physicist in the house! So much appreciation for the brainstorming and advice from Helen Sturesson too! 

Also, thank you for the press gifts D-line, Humdakin and IKEA.  

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Our Little Cabin Bathroom Reveal + Get The Look

GSI Ceramica and CRISTINA Rubinetterie kindly partnered on our project. 

Hej kompisar! We've been spending some days up out our little cabin and I finally had a chance to snap some pictures of the bathroom! You might remember, back in December I shared the plans. With a room measuring 3.66 m2 / 38 f2, we didn't have a lot to play with. Even so, I was keen to create a beautiful and serene, spa-like space that also worked well with the main cabin living space. It was exciting to see it all come together little by little. And today, I'm excited to share the final result with you! But first let me provide a quick recap of the floorplan and design. 

Floorplan

The bathroom is located in the corner of the cabin underneath the sleep loft. It has a door out to the garden and one into the main living area. 

 

Design

GSI Ceramica helped draw up this plan / design which felt perfect for the space! 

Entrance

When we first announced that the main cabin entrance is through the bathroom everyone looked at us like we were completely nuts - and even we had a few doubts! However, it's actually worked out brilliantly for three reasons: the bathroom has tiled floors, making it a perfect entrance in all weather, the hooks can double up for towels and coats, and finally, the shower is ideal for washing off sandy feet! 

Once in the cabin you can then open up all the other doors and windows and use those to enter and exit.

The reveal! 

I was eager to create a timeless bathroom with high quality fittings. I have to say, the calm tones, matt surfaces and stone floor create such a wonderful sense of serenity and it feels way more airy than the 3.66 m2! 

Here's the low down on all the details in case you're interested: 

Sink and cabinet

The floating Kube X Washbasin (60 x 47) and Prisma Unit cabinet are both from GSI Ceramica (available through Cosani in Scandinavia) who offer really high quality, well thought out units. I love that the sink has plenty of space at the back for soap / toothbrushes etc and the cabinet is really spacious (perfect when you have teenagers at home!). 

Loo

The wall-hung loo (WC Kube) is also from GSI Ceramica. At first, we were concerned about eating into the wall space - you need to move the wall out by around 20 cm to create space for a cistern (in this case we went with Geberit). But actually, it created a wonderful shelf which has proven to be invaluable! 

The best thing about the loo is the soft closing lid and Swirlflush technology - known for being the quietest flushing system in the world - which is absolutely ideal when you live in close quarters! I love the matt finish on the ceramic (inside the bowl it's glossy to guarantee maximum hygiene). 

Taps

As you know from the various kitchens I've designed (including our cabin kitchen and cottage kitchen), I am a firm believer that a high quality tap can add SO MUCH to the overall experience. We chose a wall mounted tap (CRIT257) and shower (CRIT486) from the Tricolore Verde collection by CRISTINA Rubinetterie - in brushed old brass which has a raw look and lovely rich patina and feel beautiful to use! 

I especially like the addition of the hand shower, it's so well, handy! 

Shower door

 Thank you to everyone who offered tips and advice on the shower door, it was so helpful. Based on your input, I went with one glass shower wall which is 800 mm (the shower measures 800 mm deep and 700 mm wide) with bronze fittings and no door (it works great without a door). It's very sleek and barely noticeable. I'll need to add a cross bar across the top to secure it (it came with one so it's just to put it up). 

The mirror

For years at the cottage we've been using a mirror that's so mottled you can barely see your face. This time, we went for a modern Four Season Mirror with LED (60 cm) which is really practical!  

The walls 

The walls have been painted in Kalk from the Jotun Lady Aqua range which is certified specifically for use in bathrooms. 

The matt white tiles are from Stone Factory and have a beautiful hand cut feel. We used white grouting for a more minimalist feel. 

We really splashed (sorry!) out on the Tumbled Turtle tiles from Stiltje. I fell in love with the matt natural stone with its rich patina - it brings a sense of the rugged coastline into the bathroom. We used leftover floor tiles for the shelf above the sink and a corner shelf in the shower.

The hooks

I bought the simple wooden peg rail from Norrgavel. I might add another row at some point but for now, this will do nicely! 

Blinds

And finally, another great discussion was what to do about the glass door since there's no way you'd feel comfortable showering and worst still, sitting on the loo if people can see in! Thank you so much for all your input, in the end we chose this special Plissé blind that fixes to the door and moves with it when you open and close it. It can be pulled up from the bottom of the window and also pulled down from the top so you can basically move the blind to wherever you need it and still see the lovely nature outside!  

I hope you like tour bathroom as much as we do! I have to say, it's an absolute joy to use and well worth all the extra effort! 

I hope it may have given you some ideas if you're also planning a small bathroom renovation. If you have any questions, please do give me a shout below! 

Would you like to see more of our little cabin? Check out the kitchen, dining area and bedroom. 

Have a wonderful weekend friends. See you Monday! 

Niki

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Tiny Cabin Bathroom Sneak Peek - Plus a Few Questions!

*GSI Ceramica and Cristina Rubinetterie are kindly partnering in our project. 

I can't tell you how much progress we've made in the bathroom at the cabin* since I shared the original plans. After a copious amount of work (who knew a 3.6 m2 (38f2) bathroom could take up so much time?), it's finally coming together! In fact, it's almost finished, woohoooo! Here are some snapshots of the progress which I snapped with my phone. Oh, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on some of the final details too. 

It's been fun to see the space come together - one layer at a time, starting from the bare bones. 

Wall tiles

For the shower and lower section of the wall we chose matt white square tiles with a simple white grouting (I felt this would give a cleaner, less fussy look in such a small space). 

Wall mounted loo and taps

I love a wall hung loo (specifically the WC Kube X from GSI Ceramica) they look so sleek and also help to contribute to an airier feel in a small space. I was also keen to install wall mounted taps (I selected the Basin Mixer CRITV257 from series Tricolore Verde by CRISTINA Rubinetterie). However, in order to achieve this we needed to build out a section of the wall by 15 cm (wide enough to fit a Gerberit cistern). I was a little nervous as it's already a narrow bathroom - but actually, I'm thrilled with the result. The shelf has turned out to be a real bonus!  

Bathroom paint colour

For the ceiling and walls (without tiles) I went for Kalk from the Jotun Lady Aqua bathroom range. It's a lovely, soft, warm tone which compliments the matt white sink and loo as well as the stone floor. 

Wall mounted sink and cabinet

Here's a close up of the sleek, timeless Kube X washbasin (60 x 47) in matt white. I'm so happy with it as well as the Prisma Unit cabinet (also from GSI Ceramica) - it's perfect for storage, and since the entire unit is mounted, it gives the illusion of space. 

Taps and shower

Above and below you can see a close up of the basin Mixer CRITV257 and External Thermostatic shower mixer with overhead and hand shower CRITV486 from CRISTINA Rubinetterie. The 'brushed old brass' finish has a beautiful patina and adds so much texture. 

Shower door

We still need to add a glass wall (80 cm wide) between the shower and sink. However, I haven't decided if we also need a shower door (70 cm wide) across the front, what do you think? 

Floor tiles and details

And finally - the stone floor. I sourced the Tumbled Turtle tiles from Swedish brand Stiltje (I love the owner Pamela; she has incredible taste!). We really splurged on these and once the floor had been laid, there were a few tiles leftover which we used for the ledge above the sink and a corner shelf in the shower.  

I hope you like what we've done so far! I'm so excited the bathroom is nearly finished. We're on the home straight! 

 

The next step is to add:

1. A shower wall and potentially a shower door 

2. A privacy film inside the garden glass door (or should we go for a blind?) 

3. A loo roll holder - any thoughts on where this should go? 

4. Hooks for towels, robes, swimwear etc. 

5. All our toiletries! 

I'd love to hear your two pennies worth! 

Hopefully it will all be finished in the next few weeks - I'm so looking forward to sharing the final reveal once everything is in place!

Niki

All photos taken with my iPhone. 

*For those of you who are new to My Scandinavian Home - Per and I are building a 30 m2 (323 f2) cabin in the garden of my Mother-in-law's summer cottage on Sweden's West coast. You can see the plans here. 

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A Scandi-Inspired Warm and Relaxed Family Home

When I first came across Sabrina's home over at @maisonpourcinq I assumed it was Danish. There is something about the way she has balanced minimalism with a relaxed, warm vibe as well as her choice of interior items like the wall mounted mug storage, specific prints and the cone shaped wall lamp that gives it a Danish touch. But actually, upon reaching out, I discovered Sabrina resides in Marl, Germany with her husband Ouissem and three children Vega (15), Mika Anouk (3) and Jonah Nael (1). Which just goes to show, you don't need to have the Viking gene to create a beautiful, Scandi inspired home! Ready to feel inspired by this relaxed family home? 

"A lot of our furniture is used and I never really liked for it - it found us. My instincts know what fit into our house. Sometimes I don't even think it's beautiful at first, but I know it fits a particular room or corner and emits a good feel. I've learned that not everything I find beautiful fits into this little house. It can be a sad process sometimes, but we love the finished rooms" - Sabrina 

Can you spot the TV? 

Sabrina and her husband have been painstakingly renovating the house over a number of years. the below before, during and after pictures provide a snapshot of what they have been contending with! 

I recognise that Geberit cistern from our own bathroom build up at the cabin! We also opted for the same Geberit flush button.  

So beautiful! The off-white tones give the space such a calm feel. I love the use of the Ikea 'Moppe' mini chest as bathroom storage too! 

I really enjoyed this! It's so relaxed and full of interesting, inspiring details.  

I particularly loved the little dragon! How about you? 

See more over at @maisonpourcinq.

Since it's put me in a Danish frame of mind, here are a few homes to enjoy from the other side of the Öresund bridge:

The handmade home of a Danish architect and carpenter

A playful Danish home with the cutest boys bedroom

Before and after: a rundown cabin becomes a vibrant summer home

Tomorrow my younger sister arrives from London for the weekend - I can't wait! I hope you have some nice plans lined up too!

Trevlig helg! See you Monday! 

Niki

PS The news is just so hard to digest right now. Yesterday I felt like doing something extra, so I signed up for the charity donation based 'Run for peace' and ran 10 kilometres (unbelievably stiff today!). If you feel like doing something similar over the weekend, you can make a donation and sign up over at Virtual Runners (there is also the option of a 3 km and 5 km which you can run or walk!). 

Now for a hot bath. 

Photography: Sabrina / @maisonpourcinq

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