color me blue

 This project had an unusual work process for us. Typically, the paint color comes in last in the planning process and plays a role of the backdrop to a painstakingly chosen elements in the room. This time, the relaxed blue color of the wall was what dictated the whole project.

​We had to work with a very delicate balance of grays, blues and greens for this bathroom. We ended up loving working "backwards" and feel that the final result was well worth it.
Take a look at couple of Before and After pictures below. 

The only thing that was changed in this bathroom was the tile. But what a difference! The peach-toned ceramic 12"x12" tile was replaced with the large format rectangle porcelain in warm grays with blue and green undertones. They paired so well with the existing blues of the walls. The rust-colored marble vanity top had blue veining and tied in very nicely into the overall color scheme.

After

Before

The 15 year old acrylic shower base had seen better days so we wholeheartedly said good bye to it and welcomed new tiled shower base with open arms. Add a frameless shower door - our all-time favorite - and this shower went from drab to fab in an instant. (Of course, the project took a little longer than an instant, but it was worth it!). 

After

Before

Since soaking tub does not have the shower head, so the tile did  not need to go up all the way to the ceiling, but only just high enough for the water not to hit the paint. Two rows of tile with a thin accent strip did the trick.

The larger accent strip from the same mosaic as by the bathtub was used in the shower. It blends in so organically with the sandy grays, blues, and green undertones of the tile, we could not be more pleased with the final result.

I know I mentioned before that "the only" thing that changed in this bathroom was the tile, but it made all the difference. And the difference is not just in the color. The size and placement of the new tile played a huge role. While we have nothing against the squares stacked above each other, sometimes the stacked pattern may seem too stagnant and rigid, with parallel and perpendicular grout lines creating a grid effect.
The large rectangular tiles placed on an offset pattern break up the rigidity of the grid and make the space more dynamic and interesting to look at.
​The combination of pattern and the color change was definitely a recipe for bringing this bathroom to the 21st century.