Basement Guest Bath Design

At the beginning of the year, I found myself thrown into an unexpected design project when our basement flooded. I shared my design boards that I put together for our basement project (here and here) back in February; now our basement is mostly finished. What we only partially fixed up during this project was the existing (tiny) full bath. While it got all new drywall, a new door, new trim and baseboards, tissue and towel holders, and a fresh coat of paint, we did not replace any of the fixtures, but hope to in the future.

This little bathroom now looks better than ever, but what will always bother me is the raised platform stool and the standard fiberglass shower kit that exists out of necessity to sit above the plumbing. I think the solution would be to completely tear up the floor and dig new plumbing underneath, which I am sure is not a light undertaking. The ceilings are already short in here, so anyone nearing 6’ needs to stoop a bit to take a shower. I would love also love for the stool to sit level with the floor and not be raised, and for the shower to be a walk-in, tiled continuously with the floor and to have a fixed glass door. This bath would be the third and final one we’d need to work on, giving the two upstairs baths priority, but it would be a worthwhile project to eventually complete. I put together some inspiration images for how I would tweak this space. I would use the same marble honeycomb flooring that I would install in the upstairs guest bath because I think continuity of materials and colors versus a patchwork of different ideas over time makes for a much more considered and well-thought-out home. I would also replace the porcelain pedestal sink with a classic nickel (or brass) washstand, and would upgrade the stool.

For now, with fresh paint on the trim, walls, and tile floors, a large, round brass mirror (a big mirror in a small space is a good idea), brass towel bar and tissue holder, a brass tray holding tissues and a vase for flowers on the back of the stool, a vintage botanical print hung on the wall, pretty hand soap, and white towels with a French linen, this room has a whole new look. Simple really is better! We have just a few finishing touches on this overall basement project, and I am waiting to share a reveal of everything once complete!