With a toddler and new baby on the way, I knew that my builder-grade primary bathroom was no longer compatible with my family’s lifestyle. It had a jetted tub (a staple in early 2000s-bathrooms), and if you’ve ever been victim to a jetted tub yourself, then you know how annoying it is to keep clean. Obviously, an easy-to-clean tub for bath time was a priority, plus we needed more — ideally stylish — storage for bath toys.
And speaking of style, we wanted to give the beige and brown bathroom with chrome finishes a style boost, too. My husband likes Japanese-style interiors, while I prefer Scandinavian design. The perfect compromise between the two is Japandi style, which offers a clean, minimalist look that creates a calming atmosphere — perfect for a spa-like space like a bathroom. Japandi style leans mostly neutral, but I did want to add at least one pop of color.
Three key changes transformed the space into the functional spa-like Japandi oasis of our dreams — all before the arrival of our new baby.
The biggest difference is on the tub side of the bathroom.
We hired a contractor to get rid of the jetted tub and all the obtrusive gray tile surrounding it (this was the fastest option, plus they hauled it all away instead of my husband and I having to rent a dumpster), and then my husband and I got to work.
We replaced the dark gray tile with a clean maple-colored ribbon-style tile and also installed a neutral tile on the floor. This instantly opened up the space and made it appear larger and brighter.
We built a bench for the shower, we swapped out the jetted tub for a freestanding one, and we installed a floor-mounted tub filler to make it feel more elegant and spa-like.
I built an arched-shaped shelf for above the tub.
I love the new tub, but removing the old built-in one and replacing it with a freestanding fixture meant losing some storage space. To solve for this, I built a floating arched cabinet.
I bought a simple kids’ bookshelf from Amazon, painted it black, assembled it, added an inexpensive backing, and made an arch out of MDF and plywood (also painted black). To give it some texture, I added rattan webbing. Repurposing saved time rather than building from scratch, and the whole thing maximizes storage and takes up minimal space.
I repurposed the vanity with a pop of color.
We saved money in the makeover by reusing the double vanity we already had. (We just swapped out the undermount sinks for vessel-style sinks for a more modern look.)
I put my furniture flipping skills to the test and repainted the old brown vanity using a gray-green color (Behr’s Nature’s Gift). This gave the room the pop of color it needed in a sea of neutrals.
I swapped out the hardware with the perfect Japandi-style cabinet knobs I found on Amazon. I saved time on the drawer pulls by buying adjustable ones. This way I didn’t have to drill new holes; I could use the ones already there. Throughout the entire bathroom, I went with black, more modern hardware.
We were able to finish this whole project with time to spare, and the baby arrived on time and safely (and had a luxurious bathroom to come home to). The space transformed from a dark and dingy 2000s builder-grade bathroom to a bright and open spa-like master bath.
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