Classic, Moody Blue Bathroom Reveal

See how a 1980’s standard space was transformed into a moody blue bathroom with elegant, timeless appeal.

I struggled with what to title this post. Do I call it “my favorite makeover ever”? Or “the only room in the new house that I’ve completely redesigned”? Or “the French-style bathroom of my dreams”?

80s Bathroom Makeover

I jest (sort of), but I really do love this bathroom design that I created for my daughters. It was a mixture of DIY projects and hiring out to professionals. I experimented with new skills (for me), like smooth coating the texture walls. And, like most things, because of all the time and energy that went into the design plans and construction, I think I love it even more.

Here is what the bathroom looked like when we bought the house:

I don’t know about you, but carpet in a kids’ bathroom seems like a really bad idea to me. And once the carpet came out, I wanted to update the 40 year old toilet, tub, and particle board cabinets before installing new flooring… So one thing led to another.

Here are the projects and details that went into this space.

Moody Blue Bathroom Renovation

Skimcoating and Picture Frame Molding

I started by covering up the old wallpaper damage and orange peel texture with drywall mud.

Tip: Learn how to smooth out textured walls here.

Then I installed this beautiful picture frame molding. This was one of the easiest but most impactful updates. I love the elegant French influence.

Tip: Learn how to install picture frame moulding (without power tools!) here.

Patterned Marble Tile

Sources: floor tile | wall tile | pencil edge | back of niche | sides of niche | grout

I’ve always been a sucker for Carrara marble. I used it in our last kitchen, our previous master bath, my daughter’s white bathroom with blue vanities at the last house, and our new bar area. In this space, I knew I wanted that same material, but I wanted a more whimsical, feminine touch. These mosaic floor tiles are perfect. The center of the floral pattern even looks like a blue tile against the blue walls.

I used a classic honed 4×12 in a brick pattern in the shower. And I finished that off with a 1/2 inch pencil tile for a clean, elegant edge.

I also used more marble to create a shower niche for toiletries.

Tip: Get more marble tile combinations here.

Antique Wood Vanity

There is definitely not room in this small bathroom for a double sink vanity, but that didn’t stop me from dreaming up something dramatic. This was the vision I had: single-sink dark wood vanity with pretty curves and an antique dresser look. I found this dresser on Facebook Marketplace and converted it into a vanity. Here’s the tutorial. I even kept some drawer storage in the conversion.

Then I added a honed Carrara marble countertop with a simple white porcelain sink.

Just look at that pretty backsplash cut out.

I can’t decide if the bathroom vanity or the marble is the focal point of the space. The mirror was a marketplace find, as well. I wanted something a little funky and unexpected, and I love the way the ferris wheel shape plays with all the rectangles in the space.

The Perfect Moody Blue Color

Source: SW Morning at Sea

I gathered blue bathroom ideas on Pinterest. Then I tested several shades of blue. I considered both green and blue walls, but I narrowed it down to this rich muddy teal-ish blue. It makes me so happy.

I’m typically drawn to neutrals, but I’ve been incorporating more hues of blue in this home. And the color gives me a sense of rejuvenation and relaxation. The color is SW Morning at Sea. Although the room has no windows, we have a fair bit of natural light from a skylight, which kept me from color drenching this room (i.e. painting the ceiling, too) because I didn’t want to climb into the window tunnel to paint it blue.

I think this color would be perfect for any bathroom or powder room. It’s rich and moody but subtle and not too dark. It has green and gray and blue tones, so it never feels flat.

Hardware

Sources: pocket door hardware | sink faucet | shower faucet | vanity light
towel ring | toilet paper holder | towel hooks | switch plates

Unlacquered brass hardware is always one of my favorite finishes (read more about it here). But I also love to mix metal finishes, especially in bathrooms. Polished nickel plumbing fixtures are such a good combo with gold hardware because they are silver with a touch of warmth. I chose fixtures with a traditional English style.

We tried several light fixtures before landing on this one. But I love how it mixes a modern element into this otherwise classic space.

The girls use old turkish towels that I already had. I love that they are lightweight and dry easily (since there’s not a lot of space to hang towels in this little bathroom). The brass hooks, toilet paper holder, and towel ring from Etsy are stunning, quality pieces.

I partnered with Emtek to use their beautiful French Antique hardware in this house, and I think the modern pocket door locks are so elegant, especially against the blue. And the brass switch plates (from Amazon) definitely elevated the final look!

Finishing Touches

Sources: turkish bath towel (similar) | turkish hand towel | rug | shower curtain | vintage art

I decided to use pinch pleat drapes rather than a traditional shower curtain. And I’m so glad I did!

Tip: Get all the details on the shower curtains here.

You don’t need much in the way of art and accessories in a small bathroom like this. In fact, with the picture frame molding, I probably could have skipped the art altogether if I wanted. But I love a little vintage art, and I felt like it added a fun touch for my girls. I also like how they add a bit of variety to the color scheme of the room.

I even gave the hunting dog one the faux oil painting trick.

Tip: Find out how to make a print look like a painting here.

The frames are thrifted, and I love printing vintage artwork at my local print shop as a super affordable option for gallery walls like this.

Tip: Need tips on hanging art? Check out this post.

A pretty candle and a little philodendron (who loves the skylight, by the way) were all the decor the room needed.

What do you think? Did I capture a mix of whimsy and serenity? Elegance and relaxation? I hope you love this bathroom remodel as much as we do, and I’d love to hear if you are inspired by any particular part.