Classic-Meets-Farmhouse Style in a Charming Guest Bath
An 8-by-10 bathroom in Massachusetts is transformed from dated and damaged to timeless and serene
Marianne Lipanovich
11 May 2019
Houzz Contributor. I'm a California-based writer and editor. While most of my projects are garden-based, you might also find me writing about home projects and classical music. Away from the computer, I'm found in the garden (naturally), on my bike, or ice-skating outdoors (yes, that is possible in California). I'm also willing to taste-test anything that's chocolate.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a California-based writer and editor. While most of my projects... More
Photos by Jeremiah True Photography
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: This is the guest bathroom in a professional couple’s second home
Location: Essex, Massachusetts
Size: 80 square feet (7.4 square meters)
Designer: Lisa Walczak of Walczak Design + Build
Frozen pipes and the resulting water damage to the basement and first floor of this house on a 40-acre family farm near Essex, Massachusetts, meant immediate repairs were in order. The couple who owns the farm had already planned to renovate the house and bring what had been the childhood home of one of the owners back to life as a second home. The damage from the winter’s blizzards made remodeling the first floor a priority.
With most of the budget going toward repairs, Lisa Walczak of Walczak Design + Build in Boston needed to give the first-floor bathroom a fresh look without breaking the bank. Basing her design on classic style, she used farmhouse touches, trim details and a crisp, cool beach-inspired color palette to update the bathroom’s look to modern farmhouse without losing the room’s traditional roots.
Find a local design-build firm on Houzz
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: This is the guest bathroom in a professional couple’s second home
Location: Essex, Massachusetts
Size: 80 square feet (7.4 square meters)
Designer: Lisa Walczak of Walczak Design + Build
Frozen pipes and the resulting water damage to the basement and first floor of this house on a 40-acre family farm near Essex, Massachusetts, meant immediate repairs were in order. The couple who owns the farm had already planned to renovate the house and bring what had been the childhood home of one of the owners back to life as a second home. The damage from the winter’s blizzards made remodeling the first floor a priority.
With most of the budget going toward repairs, Lisa Walczak of Walczak Design + Build in Boston needed to give the first-floor bathroom a fresh look without breaking the bank. Basing her design on classic style, she used farmhouse touches, trim details and a crisp, cool beach-inspired color palette to update the bathroom’s look to modern farmhouse without losing the room’s traditional roots.
Find a local design-build firm on Houzz
Before. The original 8-by-10-foot bath included a dated vanity with a single sink that spanned the length of one wall, and a tub and toilet on the opposite wall. Walczak retained the original layout to help keep costs down and focused on updating fixtures and finishes.
After. The centerpiece of the room is the new vanity, which Walczak found on Houzz. At 72 inches long, it provides plenty of storage and has room for double sinks while leaving some breathing room on either side. “There’s enough space to add a storage tower if the couple want to,” she says.
The marble countertop and backsplash and gray walls and vanity base give the room a serene, traditional feel. Walczak installed shiplap on the vanity wall and added three antique-nickel sconces to play up the farmhouse vibe. Faucets, drawer pulls and towel bars in brushed nickel pair well with both elements.
Wall paint: Metropolitan, Benjamin Moore
Browse bathroom vanities in the Houzz Shop
The marble countertop and backsplash and gray walls and vanity base give the room a serene, traditional feel. Walczak installed shiplap on the vanity wall and added three antique-nickel sconces to play up the farmhouse vibe. Faucets, drawer pulls and towel bars in brushed nickel pair well with both elements.
Wall paint: Metropolitan, Benjamin Moore
Browse bathroom vanities in the Houzz Shop
After removing the existing tub and repairing the damaged walls, Walczak installed a new tub and fixtures. Bright white subway tiles with a light gray grout run up to the ceiling and help brighten the tub alcove.
A bump-out at the foot of the tub hides necessary plumbing. Walczak turned it into an architectural feature by topping it with a piece of marble to provide a ledge for soaps and shampoos.
A bump-out at the foot of the tub hides necessary plumbing. Walczak turned it into an architectural feature by topping it with a piece of marble to provide a ledge for soaps and shampoos.
Finishing details include a tall white baseboard and window trim. “Trim around the windows can have a high impact,” Walczak says. “It’s what you see immediately.”
Handmade encaustic floor tile with a subtle pattern is the standout final touch that ties everything in the room together. “The installation and sealing of cement tiles is a bit of a process that increases labor costs a bit, but the final look is nothing short of absolutely beautiful,” Walczak says.
See more of this project
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom design stories and guides
Find a pro for your bathroom remodel
Shop for farmhouse-style sconces
Handmade encaustic floor tile with a subtle pattern is the standout final touch that ties everything in the room together. “The installation and sealing of cement tiles is a bit of a process that increases labor costs a bit, but the final look is nothing short of absolutely beautiful,” Walczak says.
See more of this project
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom design stories and guides
Find a pro for your bathroom remodel
Shop for farmhouse-style sconces
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Great floor , the only thing I would have done is bring in a little color .