joanne1953

Hall Bathroom - Before and After

Joanne Heintzberger
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Standard early 1990's hall bathroom, 8'4"x5'.
From dingy and yellowish to light and bright.
66" high medicine cupboard behind door.

Comments (73)

  • Phyllis
    9 years ago
    Gorgeous! Well done!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Phyllis
  • diyer59
    9 years ago
    Nice job! One suggestion: I'd change out the busy shower curtain to a solid color--perhaps the beautiful blue I see in the towels.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked diyer59
  • capeanner
    9 years ago
    Very nice! Curious about the towels hung behind the toilet as I have never seen that before. Was it intentional or were the towels longer than expected? Glad to see the inclusion of the grab bars. May not be sexy or stylish, but many people forget the whole purpose of a home. If a living space isn't comfortable and safe it isn't much of a home.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked capeanner
  • chloebud
    9 years ago
    Really NICE transformation! I agree with capeanner regarding the grab bars. I never gave them much thought until we bought a new home...all 3 bathrooms have them.

    Also agree on the suggestion of a solid color shower curtain...lovely!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked chloebud
  • mslillee1
    9 years ago
    Nice and bright and clean looking!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked mslillee1
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Diyer and Chloebud, I know you are right about the shower curtain - it really clashes with the wavy accent tile. If and when I ever find a good replacement, I'll buy it. In the meantime, it works well with the mirror and accessories, and I just sort of ignore the obvious disconnect with the tile!
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago
    Capeanner, interesting you caught our toilet/towel dilemma. For some reason, when the house was built the toilet was placed a full three inches from the wall. We never noticed since the large gap was covered by the countertop extension. When the new toilet was installed, we gasped. Rather than try to "fix" the problem, it turned out to work for us since the towels fill the gap perfectly. If we have houseguests who will use the towels, I will launder them first.
  • PRO
    JudyG Designs
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago
    Love the reno. You have posted looking for comments, so...Shower curtain...maybe a plain dark blue? Sconces...something more simple? Towels...too many and none should hang over the toilet. Accents...remove all the stuff, including the toilet paper supply stand, all the bottles and the bar soap. In a bathroom, less is the way to go, IMO.
  • chloebud
    9 years ago
    joanne, definitely no rush on the shower curtain. It's a easy fix and will be fine until you find something else.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked chloebud
  • Mary Ann Rhode
    9 years ago
    We are just starting to remodel our bathroom. It's our main bathroom. With minor exceptions, your before photo is a carbon copy of our current late 1970's bathroom. Your after photos are very close to what I'm planning and you have given me confidence that what I've chosen is going to work out fine.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Mary Ann Rhode
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    JudyGDesigns, ummm, thanks, I guess. I didn't realize when I posted this that I was asking for suggestions. One reason I didn't hire a professional is exactly because of ideas like yours. Why in the world would I remove all the "stuff"? That "stuff" is the stuff that makes this bathroom usable. If I remove the soap, what do you suggest I wash my hands with? Remove the toilet paper holder? Then where is the tp when I need it? Am I to stop wiping my bum as well as not washing my hands? Remove the bottles? Then where do I put the pills that I take every day? Do you suggest I close the door, turn around, open the medicine chest behind me, and get my prescription meds, then hide them away again? rather than simply getting them from the decorative bottles next to the water faucet? Personally, I thought that was a genius solution for not having prescription bottles on the shelf. What good is a bathroom that doesn't work for me, but rather makes me work for it? As for too many towels and some law about no towels above the toilet - again: where's the usefulness in that? My house doesn't have enough storage as it is. What better place to "store" bath towels than in the bathroom?
    Please, designers, design with USEFULNESS in mind, not for purely aesthetic but useless reasons.
  • mamabear2014
    9 years ago
    You did a wonderful job. I like the tile alot...but I love the floor!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked mamabear2014
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Chloebud, I agree - the shower curtain remains til I find exactly the right blue. I do recognize that it isn't perfect, but really, it isn't like this bathroom is being photographed for a designer magazine. If it was, there would be nothing useful in it, but for sure, the shower curtain would be perfect.
    MaryAnn, good luck with your Master redo. That is what we are facing next month, and my husband wants a totally different look. Not sure how that room will end up, but I have hopes.
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago
    Thanks, Mamabear, the floor and the mirror are my two favorites things. But I wouldn't suggest marble - especially white marble - for a high use bathroom.
  • happyleg
    9 years ago
    Great job!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked happyleg
  • dex Alexander
    9 years ago
    i'm sorry, i missed the specifics of the tile detail. this is immaculate and beautiful . well done.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked dex Alexander
  • myperfectadvice
    9 years ago
    nice transformation
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked myperfectadvice
  • PRO
    Comwest Construction
    9 years ago
    Nice job looks good
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Comwest Construction
  • PRO
    The RTA Store
    9 years ago
    Very nice transformation!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked The RTA Store
  • cececaldwell
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago
    Great transformation. It is a nice place to retreat to. We have 2 bathrooms that will be getting the sledgehammer this spring. You are spot on regarding rooms that are used daily and need to be user friendly, not designer open house pleasing. Most of us have conventional sized rooms that are utilized by the family and not just for display for visitors. You made sensible decisions that fit your lifestyle. That is what makes it a home and not just a house.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked cececaldwell
  • lindsrenee
    9 years ago
    One of the best ways to make a small bathroom feel larger is to hang the shower curtain higher than the standard height. Long shower curtains can be bought at Amazon.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked lindsrenee
  • kbietz
    9 years ago
    Stained patio door w white trim
  • PRO
    Interior Affairs -- Vickie Daeley
    9 years ago
    Good for you...very nice...!!!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Interior Affairs -- Vickie Daeley
  • aquietjourney
    9 years ago
    Beautiful & practical transformation. If the non-matching grab bars really bother you, there's a spray paint available that gives things a shiny "mirror" finish. I wouldn't worry about it too much though because I doubt the "bathroom police" will be popping in anytime soon :-)
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked aquietjourney
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Thanks, aquietjourney. Nothing in this bathroom bothers me enough to change it. LOL. For my tastes, I got the major choices/purchases right. Being happy that I didn't make a glaring mistake (like hating the tile or the sink or the tub), allows me to accept the other, imperfect choices, knowing I can always change them out if they ever bug me enough. Besides, if the "bathroom police" ever visited my home, I'd usher them to the not-yet-renovated master bathroom. That room would kill them!
  • katie122
    9 years ago
    I see a lot of people have suggested changing the shower curtain, but I think the one you have adds to the vintage/classic feel of the bathroom. The crystal door knob and soft floral curtain look perfect together.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked katie122
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Thank you, Katie. You "got" what I was going for with the shower curtain. However, I do understand the suggestion for a blue one. If I am standing in the tub looking at the mirror, sink, floor, and crystal door knobs, then I feel like the silver shower curtain is perfect for the "glam" vintage look. However, looking at the curtain in the same eye sweep as the contemporary, wavy tile accent, I see the disconnect. I have often wondered if that tile was a wrong choice, but I love it so much, that I have decided it's the "unexpected" touch that brings the bathroom into the modern era. Mind you, I may be way off base and delusional with that idea, but I like it, and that is all that matters. I'm keeping my eyes open for some kind of (blue) shower curtain that will combine the vintage glam with the modern tile.

    You noticed the crystal knobs on the medicine chest. Here's the doorknob. I LOVE it.
  • Laurel Ennis
    9 years ago
    GORGEOUS mirror! It makes the whole bathroom fabulous.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Laurel Ennis
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    ROFL, pizzapantsdan. Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel.
  • zazfuzzroc
    9 years ago
    Very pretty, nice work. Love the colors you chose. Have a nice new year! :)
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked zazfuzzroc
  • User
    9 years ago
    Nice job, Joanne! Someone above mentioned hanging the shower curtain higher for additional visual height. I did that but not with a shower curtain. I found some regular window curtains that were perfect for my bath and hung them on the outside of the tub. I have another clear vinyl curtain that hangs inside the tub. I love the look. This also helps me hide any unsightly bottles and tubes of shampoo, etc., that I have sitting around the tub. Win, win. Seeing the back tile details on your tub, you may not want to pull the curtain all the way across the rod but the idea actually does work.
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked User
  • PRO
    Lewis Design-Build-Remodel
    9 years ago
    Great job. Big improvement. What rooms next, I know it can be contagious
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Lewis Design-Build-Remodel
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Master bathroom begins next month. It isn't so much a contagious thing, but a 25 yr old bathroom thing!
  • jillybeansisme
    9 years ago
    You did a beautiful job. Enjoy it immensely! I personally dislike shower doors on tubs because they are awkward and the tracks get yucky and I don't want to clean them! I use two shower curtains -- the pretty one for the outside and a plastic one inside. On my daughter's bathtub, the inside one is Hello Kitty . . .

    I'm sure your Master Bath will be just as fabulous . . . but give us pictures anyway when it is done!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked jillybeansisme
  • mamabear2014
    8 years ago

    Beautiful!

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked mamabear2014
  • PRO
    May Construction, Inc.
    8 years ago

    Great job, it's gorgeous!

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked May Construction, Inc.
  • Joanne Heintzberger
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Hi again - thanks. Totally different feel from the master bathroom which may give our home a bit of a double personality, but we loved giving a masculine and feminine design to our two bathrooms.


  • PRO
    Nandina Home & Design
    8 years ago

    Great work!

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Nandina Home & Design
  • fgivelis
    8 years ago

    I know this is an older post, but I really like both bathrooms. Your first bathroom remodel looks like our hall bathroom which currently needs an update. Our master bathroom we did first. Looking through all these great ideas like yours is inspiring! Our tastes are similar!!

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked fgivelis
  • aak4
    8 years ago

    It's beautiful! Enjoy!

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked aak4
  • PRO
    User
    8 years ago

    Beautiful job, Everything has been very well chosen. And of course the mirror steal the show. Congrats!

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked User
  • Lisa Hays
    8 years ago
    Beautiful!
    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Lisa Hays
  • PRO
    Addition Building & Design, Inc.
    8 years ago

    Very nice. Great job.

  • PRO
    K&N Appliance Gallery
    8 years ago

    Very beautiful renovation, love the details.

  • PRO
    CGIFurniture
    5 years ago

    Thanks for helpful article!

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked CGIFurniture
  • PRO
    MPT Enterprises, Inc.
    5 years ago

    From old and dingy to light and bright, indeed! The accent tile is gorgeous!

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked MPT Enterprises, Inc.
  • PRO
    OTM Designs & Remodeling Inc.
    4 years ago

    Great work !

    Joanne Heintzberger thanked OTM Designs & Remodeling Inc.
  • PRO
    Vanguard Development NYC
    4 years ago

    Beautiful !!



    Joanne Heintzberger thanked Vanguard Development NYC
  • PRO
    FrameMyMirror
    4 years ago

    It looks great! I love the color scheme. It makes for a very bright, crisp and clean look for the bathroom. The pedestal sink definitely opened up the room and made it look much more spacious!

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