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Over the years, plenty of 1980s home trends have stood the test of time, from curvy furniture to the Memphis design style. But they’re not all winners. Case in point: This “beige everything” bathroom that hadn’t been updated since the ’80s (and very much looked it).
Taryn Falconer (@tarynfalconerhome) and her husband had a few problems with their 1983 bathroom: The couple had to share a single sink, an unwanted bathtub took up precious floor space, and the room was covered in beige with only a smattering of navy-colored tile mixed in. Taryn was looking for something less 1983 and more 2023.
“I wanted a neutral, organic, modern space that felt calming,” Taryn says. Thanks to a full renovation, she was able to bring the bathroom into the 21st century.
A layout change gives more room for a tub and shower.
Taryn started by putting together a full mood board and floor plan ahead of time, giving her a clear vision that contractors later helped bring to life. The plan involved using the square footage of a walk-in closet to create an oversized shower, the pièce de résistance of the room, in a new spot.
Taryn and her husband decided to knock down a wall and move their walk-in closet to a nook within their bedroom, allowing them to get rid of the pre-existing tub and create a luxurious oversized shower with two shower heads and a Pottery Barn shower bench.
“We have so much more room in that shower,” Taryn says. “We aren’t bath tub people, so this functions better for us.” (Plus, she says, their kiddos’ bathroom already has a tub.)
The layout change made room for a double vanity. “We are so happy to have two sinks,” Taryn says.
The vanity wall wows — but that’s not all.
Taryn says the function of the vanity wall is one of her favorite parts of the after. She says she originally wanted to have a custom vanity built right into the wall, but it didn’t fit in the budget. She decided on a pre-made vanity to save money, and her 72-inch white oak vanity from Teodor Vanities is still a stunner.
Taryn’s mirrors were also a budget find; they’re from Wayfair, and she used Rub ‘n’ Buff to make them match the newly installed champagne bronze fixtures. “The arched mirrors were a wonderful addition to the vanity wall and really added that wow factor,” she says.
The walls and floors brighten the space.
Lastly, the walls and floors helped ditch the bathroom’s dreaded all-beige aesthetic. The walls and trim are painted a classic white (Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace), and the white marble-esque tile throughout is “ceramic versus real marble to save money,” Taryn explains.
The finishing touches are the new sconce between the arched mirrors, the runner, and the Turkish towels. “We really wanted to create a retreat for ourselves,” Taryn says. “The vision came together just as I had hoped … this space makes me so much happier!”
