Inside Design: Cabana Stripe Bathroom
My inspiration for my new bathroom was derived from stripes found on cabana towels and images of Paris. I love the work of Gray Malin and scoured many of his images for pictures of Miami, Coast of Italy and Palm Springs for the color palette in this bathroom. I love the cheerful hue of yellow, but had to work with a rental bathroom. Luckily, the floors were a nice engineered wood and I had simple black and white tile in the garden tub.
I went for a Parisian look. I happen to love all things French... food, art, and the appreciation for taking time to really enjoy the things we do everyday. The French have a way of trying to make everything beautiful. I wanted the space to be easy to organize and keep clean, but also graphic. Not to forget, I wanted it to feel feminine. The past few places I've lived they had a more androgynous and masculine feel. This space was designed to be light, airing and lift the spirits of those who visit.
Storage is always a concern in any apartment, town home or loft. This was true in this space! I decided instead of taking up precious space in my linen closet (behind the door in the bathroom), or under the sink (because we all know what that can end up looking like) I decided to use containers for my towels and toilet paper.
Here are a few tips I have when designing a small space or a rental:
- Pick a Color Palette - Small spaces can be tricky. I chose white, yellow, black and hints of silver. Try to work with what you have in the space. For instance, I had white and black tile. As much as I wanted to do everything in pastels, it just didn't make sense to work that way.
- Hang Wall Art - I bought both of these frames at the dollar store. However, if you have a few frames lying around, it's really easy to spray paint them. It makes such a difference when you add art to your spaces. Photographs in black and white are also a good idea - especially because you can surround yourself with good memories or images. I also added an inexpensive mirror from Ikea above the hand towels.
- Storage - Find unconventional items to use for storage. I decided to use this Vera Bradley tote put my towels in and then a chevron bucket for toilet paper. That makes it really easy for a guest to find items they frequently have to look in the cabinets for or have to ask for.
- Add Accessories - It's nice to have a few finishing touches like a vase, a small item (here I used an Eiffel tower my Mom brought me back from Paris when I was little.) I'm not really a fan of a lot of clutter, but two or three items are not difficult to pick up when you have to clean the counter.
- Hooks Make it Easy - To stay organized, I put hooks on the back of the door. No one wants to take the time to delicately hang a towel after they shower. Having a hook for everyone who uses the bathroom, and some for guests make it easy to keep wet towels off the floor.
Having a space that's simple, colorful and easy to keep organized is the best use of any space. I will be adding content to the blog as I finish each room in my new space. Please comment or email me any questions on where I found an item or questions! I love to hear from you!
Yellow Towels: Ikea // Small Mirror: Ikea // Silver Frames: Dollar Tree // Small Black Vase: Dollar Tree // Prints: Gray Malin // Shower Curtain and Hooks: Fallen (similar here) // Bath Mat: Fallen (similar here)