This Very 1990s Bathroom Gets a Victorian-Inspired Makeover
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: Historic Home
PROJECT TYPE: Bathroom
STYLE: Eclectic, Vintage
SKILL LEVEL: DIY, Professional
RENTAL FRIENDLY: No
The 1990s were a time of interesting interior design decisions, like orange-y oak wood finishes, thick and chunky soffits, lots of beige, lots of vine motifs, and, in bathrooms, chrome hardware, clunky built-in tubs, and fuzzy toilet seat covers with matching U-shaped rugs.
Nicole Kappner’s (@thetealvictorian) basement bathroom, last updated in the W. Bush or Clinton years, boasted “a 1990s hodgepodge of design choices, including a stone shower with assorted retro tile, fake tile flooring, and an old vintage sink with a cabinet we couldn’t even open,” Nicole says.
On top of bizarre design elements, it had poor spatial planning. “Our laundry machines could only fit right next to the toilet, so we would hit the toilet every time we went to do laundry.”
In an approximately $25,000 redo, Nicole and her husband, Louis, worked with a contractor to overhaul the space. They had three main items on their to-do list: First, they wanted to separate the bathroom and laundry spaces, and second, they wanted to add shower, since their other bathroom only has a clawfoot tub, and third, they wanted the style to better match the Victorian style of their house.
Separating the laundry and bathroom spaces was key.
Nicole and Louis designed a new layout using a free 3D rendering program, and then they hired a contractor to do the demo, “including moving plumbing for our laundry machines and shower,” Nicole explains. “The biggest change was adding the wall between the bathroom and laundry room so we could have two separate functional spaces.”
Nicole and Louis are avid DIYers, and it was their first time working with a contractor. Their biggest takeaway is that “[contractors] are there to make sure they check boxes for what needs done, but it is your responsibility to ensure that it is done in the way you planned or expected,” Nicole says. In other words, double-checking measurements and materials as the homeowner is key!
The new shower is a showstopper.
Speaking of materials, Nicole is especially proud of the tiles she and Louis selected and the tile arrangement they designed. “I used the diamond motif to tie in the floor tile and the shower pan. I also love how the traditional subway tile is a nod to our 1896 home and a classic design while still feeling current to today. It was important to me that this bathroom, while brand new, would still reflect the rest of our old home and fit in seamlessly.”
The only hiccup with the shower is that it ended up being smaller than the Kappners expected. “We had planned to put in a glass door, but after seeing the width of the shower was less than planned, we pivoted to using a shower curtain,” Nicole says. “I actually prefer the curtain as it adds more pattern and interest, so it worked out in the end and saved us money.”
The bathroom incorporates vintage elements.
The bathroom makeover has more money-saving tricks up its sleeve, too. “Almost all the decor, such as the hand towel clip, the towel hook on the door, and various art pieces are secondhand,” Nicole says. “Incorporating older or vintage-looking pieces has made the space feel less like a brand-new build and still flow well with the rest of our old home.”
One of her favorite vintage details is the salvaged doors (a Facebook Marketplace find) that she and Louis incorporated into the linen closet in the bathroom. Working with the contractor to get them to fit “was surprisingly easy,” Nicole says, and “the diamond pattern on the leaded glass doors also ties into the diamond pattern in the floor tile.”
The walls got a soothing blue paint job.
In addition, Nicole and Louis painted and did the trim work themselves (thanks to lots of caulk) to save money. The paint color in the bathroom is Benjamin Moore’s Yarmouth Blue.
The marble-topped vanity and new mirror are from The Home Depot, the sconces are from Anthropologie, and the vintage hardware is from Etsy.
For more vintage-inspired bathroom makeovers, check out this stunning blue bathroom and this bathroom with unique lilac fixtures.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
Further Reading
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
