Is it strange to get excited about your bathroom? Maybe. But I sure love this little space in my cottage. I’ve long been a believer in making every room in your home equally lovely, even those out-of-sight private spaces like your bath. So when we were remodeling our little fixer-upper on the lake, I knew this functional room had to also be beautiful. My bathroom is kind of an odd space, but it suits me to perfection.
Since the en-suite bathroom leads right the bedroom, with its large, dark, religious paintings Dan discovered years ago in Europe, the bath also had to make a strong visual statement. My tool? Artwork. I’ve been collecting nudes for some time and had them scattered throughout my home in Atchison. So I decided when we moved I would amass the entire collection in this private space, completely papering the walls with them. It allowed me to squeeze in a whole lot of artwork – something I needed to do all over the cottage if I was to find room for every piece of art I loved from my old house.
Maybe one reason I love the nude studies so much is because they celebrate women of all different shapes and sizes, a reminder that we are all beautiful and need to feel good in our own skin.
Instead of a traditional sink cabinet, I decided to splurge just a bit and instead use a stately piece of furniture, then transform it into a vanity. My goal was to make it the lovely focal point of the room.
I started with this gorgeous sideboard from Nell Hill’s, then had marble fitted on top. In general, I want to keep the furnishings at Innisfree consistent with the style you would expect to find in a lake cottage, simple, casual, comfortable. This elegant vanity was one of my few departures.
In place of a light installed over the top of the vanity mirror, I placed a pair of lamps on each side of the counter top. Every time my sister visits she complains about this set up, declaring that it’s awful lighting for putting on makeup. But I don’t care. Even though it’s not the most practical thing in the world, I like the look of the stately blue and white lamps gracing each end, framing the mirror above.
In my family, no one ever seems to be able to hang their towels back on the towel bars. So I have given up and look for creative ways to hold towels. In my bath, I put hand towels in this delicate crystal bowl. It makes for a lovely display, along with the silver mirror and jar, filled with cotton balls.
Maybe it comes from living in old homes, which are notoriously short on storage, but I like to keep the things I use every day out where I can see them, displayed in beautiful containers. I used one of the silver trays I inherited from Dan’s mom as a staging area for a few daily necessities and treasures that make me happy. An antique mug with my monogram holds my makeup brushes and reading glasses. Another footed bowl is my makeshift jewelry box. And the rest of the space holds things that make me smile, like this photo of my sweetie, Dan, and another of me and my dad.
Everyone in my family makes fun of me for my nightly bath ritual. They all prefer showers. But me? I take a long, hot, luxurious bath every night. I soak until I’m a prune, letting the heat steam away the day, relaxing and reviving me. I keep my bubble bath on this sweet little bench, which used to be in my mom’s house. The glass jar holds my razors – and my readers, because I can’t see any more to shave my legs! I’ve covered the window next to the tub in simple black and white café curtains. They provide privacy while still allowing the room to be flooded with natural light during the day.
In Atchison, I had a beautiful pedestal tub. But I thought that would be too much in our cottage. So I picked a standard tub and did the walls in subway tile with gray grout. I splurged on the fixtures, all in a warm gold finish. A lot of people have switched from brass hardware to silver, then to brushed nickel. In my book, you should never follow a trend when selecting hardware for your home – trends change too fast. Instead, pick a finish you love now, and will for years to come. For me, it was the warmth of gold.
Using lots of fabric in a bathroom helps warm up the space and softens all those hard surfaces. So instead of a shower door, I opted for a shower curtain. I really like this Asian inspired toile mixed in with the other black and white fabrics and accents.
We created a private room for the toilet, which closes off with a pocket door. Again, I filled the walls of this tiny space with nudes. A friend asked me if all these nudes were self-portraits. I told her, “Only the ones with the big tummies and behinds!”
When we lived in Atchison, we didn’t have closets or cabinets in our bathrooms where we could hide our stuff. So I got really good at finding creative, and lovely, ways to store all my gear in plain sight. This wonderful bookcase did just the trick. I used it in Atchison to hold my stack of towels and baskets filled with things like my blow dryer.
I loved the look so much, when we redid the bathroom in the lake cottege I opted against traditional bathroom closets and cabinets so I could use these bookcases once again. I not only love how they look, this open-air storage system forces me to keep my stuff neat and tidy.
Next week …in time for Valentine’s Day, I’ll share ideas for adding romance to your home.
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Janis says
February 1, 2016 at 12:33 pmAbsolutely gorgeous.
Marilyn says
February 1, 2016 at 1:40 pmYou have such beautiful taste. On the hunt for a “M” mug for my makeup brushes!!
Enjoyed seeing your home as always.
Marilyn
franki says
February 1, 2016 at 1:53 pmAdore that bench!!! I just felt right at home in your bathroom…we used “wash stands” and hubby installed brass sinks, stained glass window from former home hangs in front of the bathroom window…luv baths, fishing creel holds miscellaneous make up items….franki
Lin says
February 1, 2016 at 2:06 pmYou know who this reminds me of, huh? We all three basically had same taste. Mine is maybe sometimes a little more contemporary, but you & P & I were all eclectic,is the word I guess I’d use.. Neat bathroom.
Brenda says
February 1, 2016 at 2:09 pmI thought that the pictures were untasteful specially if you have a little children. Other than that all of your things I’ve always seen an appreciator are always beautiful.
Charlotte says
February 1, 2016 at 2:21 pmOne of my all time favorites! We are downsizing and our new cottage has small, but charming bathrooms. So many ideas I can use!
Joan says
February 1, 2016 at 3:32 pmThe idea of the hand towels in the footed bowl is something I want to do when I have card groups visiting! Love the idea.
Joan
Nancy Hoskins says
February 1, 2016 at 4:20 pmI read and reread your books and blogs. They infuse my spirt. This one is no exception. I, too, would shrink from the frontal nudity. However, sketches of any kind would work in their place. I adore using footed bowls, plates and platters to gather like things together. Your mother’s bench, and the bookcase, work to bring favored things together in a beautiful way. You choice of varied fabrics furthers brings in so much personality, as all fabric can do. I can no longer get down into my tub and must shower. But I do let the steam build up. Do the fabrics have a special finish? I adore you design style. Thank you for sharing.
Kathy says
February 1, 2016 at 4:40 pmHi, I love those lamps. They are exactly what I am looking forward to go with the Ralph Lauren “Porcelain” bedding in my bedroom. Can you shed some light on the source or manufacturer of these lamps? Thank you!
mjhooper2013 says
February 1, 2016 at 5:27 pmLove the idea of your gallery, but where I live the mold and moisture would take its toll. You must have a sealed up cottage with heat / AC 24/7 !!!!!
Funny how some people have a problem with nude artwork. Kids today know more about the body than I knew when I married! It’s a new world and it would be nice if we all could not view the body as something to be covered up.
At least it’s not nude men. I have a couple of prints from a museum in europe that my brother left me…..haven’t decided to put them out b/c I live in a place where people would get upset at seeing what their God made, so maybe they will have to go in my en suite bathroom. On the other hand, men’s bodies are not that beautiful………….thanks for sharing your private space……it’s beautifulllllllllll……
Mary Beth Crocker says
February 1, 2016 at 7:21 pmA beautiful bath! And I love your opinions about the fixtures, which are stunning in warm gold. We’re looking for the same color for a clawfoot tub in our bath. Where did you find them?
Karen says
February 1, 2016 at 7:43 pmLovely, elegant bathroom. I am inspired by all your “unusual” storage ideas. Am wondering if the gorgeous bookshelf is vintage, or is it available at Nell Hill’s?
Martha says
February 1, 2016 at 8:10 pmThank you for sharing your private space.
Lisa Mercado-Fernandez says
February 1, 2016 at 9:16 pmOh Mary Carol !!!!!!!!!!!!! This post I think is my favorite of all time. Oh my stars! I absolutely love it. This art work and portrait study’s all over the walls is so breathtakingly beautiful. I read this post three times already and if it weren’t 10 pm at night I would be running around the house looking through all my art work and then getting in my car to go search for two lamps to put on my vanity. My husband is sitting next to me and after I showed him and told him about what your latest post was he said and I quote, “I’m gonna have to find a way to block that site from your computer.” LOL.
This is so so beautiful. How happy you must be getting pruny in your tub looking at all your lovely artwork. So happy for you.
Much Love
Lisa
Doreen says
February 2, 2016 at 9:39 amWon’t the high humidity in the bathroom damage the art?
Linda L says
February 2, 2016 at 5:29 pmMary Carol your taste is exquisite! I love everything about your bathroom. Your artwork is so beautiful and I love how you’ve used it here. Very classy and a great Idea! I love how you stay true to your style and I applaud you. Like Lisa I have been coming back to look and read this post over and over again. I really like your use of black here with the bamboo framed mirror, the black bookcase and in the fabric of your shower curtain. A very good lesson to learn. I’m sure it pulls the whole room together. I don’t know why but there was one thing that I thought might show up in your bathroom and that was the wonderful statue that you had at one end of your former living room. What a clever idea to use the gorgeous sideboard for your sink cabinet. You have such a knack for gathering your personal mementos and beauty products and so forth together in such a lovely way on trays. Love the idea of two lamps instead of overhead lighting and love your gold fixtures. You have given me a lot of ideas to ponder and use. Thank you so much for all your inspiration!
Marilou says
February 2, 2016 at 8:24 pmHi, I love your homemade vanity with lamps. This bathroom really struck a chord with me as my mother’s bathroom walls were adorned with all nudes as well. She had a lovely shelf that hung from the window sill that had all of her African violets on one shelf and all of her antique powder dishes on the other. She also had a fancy rug which made the bathroom feel almost like a living room. She also had a dresser filled with her treasures and a open cabinet where she displayed all of her vintage perfume bottles. I have one of her nudes, perhaps I will hang in my bathroom. She would have loved this and so do I. I had to comment to let you know that this looks like a great place to start or end each day, almost like a haven.
Beulah Hendrix says
February 4, 2016 at 2:52 pmLove this beautiful Bath Room, the art work is so beautiful and truly a work of art. I have always loved your style and I have gained many ideas from it. I so look forward to shopping at Briarcliff and receiving your emails.
Rosaleen says
February 7, 2016 at 11:25 amOh Mary Carol I thoroughly enjoyed looking at your bathroom. What a great space for your nude art collection. One needs an artistic bent to appreciate the nudes and not think they would be offensive to some people. When you have guests who use your bathroom where do they put the towels from pedestal bowl after using. Love love your style…..keep it coming. Rosaleen
Fran says
February 7, 2016 at 4:44 pmIsn’t this Mary Carol’s private bath? MC has previously said that she painted her small powder room (for guests) a navy blue. This is a great place to enjoy the beautiful nude art. Thank you Mary Carol for sharing your beautiful and serene private space with us!
Mary Carol Garrity says
February 7, 2016 at 5:30 pmThanks so much, everyone, for all the great comments on my little bathroom! Lots of questions about the artwork and moisture – so far it has never been a problem, but I live in a part of the country that is not very humid. We love how the space turned out: It’s my oasis!
Robin says
February 8, 2016 at 4:59 pmThank you for a helpful, as well as humorous, post.