The only thing worth salvaging in this dated bathroom was the blue-and-white porcelain sink, and it inspired the room’s whole new look.
Leslie Davis of Birmingham, Alabama, spent three weeks last spring helping her friend in West Monroe, Louisiana, create the prettiest traditional, yet unexpected bathroom.
“My best friend Dana has always been a collector of blue-and-white collectible china,” Davis told TODAY Home. “This sink was installed by a previous homeowner, but we both felt it was something very special.”
They updated the old white vanity by creating a custom walnut countertop with rough-cut lumber. “We also raised the vanity height and built the addition (of a seated vanity) off to the side to fill the awkward dead space,” she explained.
Davis said it was surprisingly difficult to find a royal blue paint color to match the sink, but after mixing up some different colors, she finally found the right hue, which she used on the cabinets and built-in shelves.
They replaced the old beige floor with white marble-looking porcelain tile to give the space a brighter and fresher feel.
And while all the cosmetic updates give the room new life, it’s the accessories that really bring it together.
The built-in shelves are now stocked with her friend’s blue-and-white pottery, and a set of four prints found on Etsy were framed in inexpensive frames, spray-painted in gold.
It’s amazing how just one small design element like a sink can inspire a whole room. And, of course, the final look was a hit with the homeowner.
“Dana’s reaction was one of pure delight and satisfaction,” Davis said. “The room is the embodiment of her style and everything she loves about home design. While that was our goal, when we stepped back and had time to admire it, we realize how true that statement was.”
See more before and after pictures of this project at Davis’ blog, Deeply Southern Home.
