I can't tell you how excited we are to actually have our very own bathroom.  We've been sharing our current 5x8 bathroom with Emma and our guests for the last couple of years - this bathroom will be a complete luxury for us.   Like most things for the new addition that we've picked out, I have for the most part, always known exactly what we want.  For the bathroom that means some marble, bone subway tile, wood vanity, polished nickel fixtures, brass pulls and accents and mostly cream painted walls.  Trying to figure out where all of these finishes will exactly play out is a little more difficult.   I'll talk more about finish choices, what I need your help with and more below.  For now, let's talk layout - something that was really important for me... and tricky.

The layout and design of the master bedroom and bathroom was really tough.  For starters, I wanted a lot of windows and natural light in our bedroom and bathroom.  The only solution that worked to make that happen was to put the master suite running along the entire back side of the house.  The other problem, was trying to make the window layout on the exterior work with what we wanted on the interior.  We ended up sacrificing some vanity length to make it happen - which I was 100% ok with... which shocked everyone.  The construction process is all about compromise, and priority - and asserting yourself to your architect ; )  

I found (like most things during this process) that most layout designs offered up were not what I was looking for.  It seemed like everything was lined up and push against each other.  For me, that felt too cramped.  As I said, I want our bathroom to feel airy and bright - and since it is not that big of a room, I had to do that with smaller scale things - no lengthy vanities or huge scale tubs and showers.  

Our architect assumed that I would require the 6ft vanity that most bathrooms feature, and told me that there was no way we could squeeze a master bathroom and bedroom along the back of the house (only 29ft wide) that was lined with windows.  However, I knew that my vision for the bathroom, one with airy windows and tons of light was much more important that being able to store 10 years worth of old makeup in my vanity.  Because Mike and I are pretty minimal with our primping, it was an easy choice.  
Our architect also assumed that when I said tub that I meant something that would be 72+ inches long with jets and bubbles and he told me it could never work.  My persistence paid off.   I drew it up myself and included everything I wanted.  It took me forever, but totally worth it. I really love how the layout ended up - it is everything I envisioned. 



Here it is.  As you can see, our Master Bedroom opens up to our bathroom with french doors.  Because neither room is too too big, the french doors will make each room feel bigger.  I wanted the french doors to be perfectly aligned with the tub under a big window that would draw your eye in - all the way from the bedroom.   I feel like this will also make the rooms feel more generous.  I had a vision for a furniture looking vanity that was not butted up next to anything else, but centered along the wall with windows on each side.   Mike has always wanted a big, glass door shower for as long as I can remember, so that was also on our list. 

Here are some inspiration photos that helped me communicate my vision to our architect and finally helped us to get on the same page : 

I also love the wood floors in this photo... am I crazy?  I really want wood floors, but have been told that they won't hold up.  I've seen them in several lovely homes and love the look and warmth they provide.  Does anyone have any feedback on living with a wood floor bathroom?


I'm so tempted to do a cute wallpaper with a small print...  I love how charming it makes this bathroom look.

 

I love the subway tile and glass door of the shower.  I also love the wood paneling - that will be a decision made later in the process once we see how the rest of the budget is holding up during construction.


Here is a very elegant wood vanity with marble top - ours wouldn't be this fancy, but I like the colors of the wood + marble.



The other floor material I am considering (if I'm convinced that wood is a bad option) is a 2" hexagon marble tile.  I like the slightly enlarged scale of the classic 1" hex and think it would be a charming addition of natural stone.


I like the honed (unpolished/tumbled) versions best to give it a less flashy appearance.  




I'm also fan of a little black accent in the tiles, like this one with a basket weave.  It is very classic for an older home and I think the contrast would be nice...


Really love this look.  But we won't have a fancy chandelier, but a brass lantern instead.



So, here is what I need your help with :

Wood Floor?
Marble Hexagon?
Basket Weave Marble?

*Links and sources to photos can be found, here, on my Pinterest Master Bathroom & Bedroom Board.

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