*Post Updated on 1/30/2024

Hello from chilly Michigan! Today, I am sharing the renovation of the small bathroom renovation we did at our Ludington, MI, short-term rental. This tiny bathroom was one of the grossest parts of the distressed property when we bought it. See how we took it from dirty and dated to a pretty, pink space that fits the age and character of the home beautifully.

Getting Started on a Bathroom Renovation

First, a little backstory. We bought the property at an auction for foreclosed/distressed properties sight unseen. You can see the entire home renovation here. The photo was taken the day we received the keys to the house. This is what the bathroom looked like when I opened the door. Hold on to your hats….it is pretty gross. And oh my, I wish I could erase the memory of the smell.

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That first day, we took general notes on what we could see needed to be done. I took some measurements of the square feet and looked to see if there was anything we could keep and reuse. We really wanted to keep the cast iron tub, as it weighs a TON!

We knew we had some electrical work that would be needed for this project. The house was all knob and tube wiring. So, calling an electrician was on the list. My husband acted as the General Contractor, so we hoped to be able to get it done in four weeks and a total cost of $3000.00

Mood Board

I like to start a new project with a mood board. It helps keep me on track- which is good because I can veer off quickly at the sight of sparkly objects. 🙂 I love having a color scheme early on as I choose the finishing touches. With smaller spaces like this, I am a fan of a neutral color palette. Is pink neutral? Yes!! What will be the focal point? A Mood board pulls all the details together for me, giving me an idea on paper of how the space feels. In the end, I think we changed up a few things but stayed pretty close to the original plan.

A Note: I LOVED the shower curtain in the photo, but it was way too short when it arrived!

A floor plan can also be helpful in the beginning planning stages. A bathroom layout this small really makes you think about storage. For example, a pedestal sink saves space, but what about extra storage? Where will you put the toilet paper roll?

Let the demo begin:

We did run into some mold issues, so we took everything down to the studs except for the tub and the small linen cabinet. Once wall repairs were made and the cement board installed and waterproofed, it was time to put the bathroom back together.

Choosing Finishes for a Small Bathroom

Shower Tile:

For the shower, I chose a classic white subway tile with grey grout. 2 x 3 subway tile feels timeless to me and fits the era of this 100-year-old house. A plus was that it was in stock at Home Depot, so it would be convenient if we needed more. The ceramic tiles with grey grout will also be easy to keep clean, perfect as we hope to be able to use the home as a rental property.

I ran the tile to the ceiling to add visual height.

Bathroom Vanity:

“It’s time to choose a vanity cabinet. I found this 24″ vanity at a big box store and loved the light grey color and the faux marble countertops. I switched out the cabinet pulls for something I liked better.”It’s time to choose a vanity cabinet. I found this 24” vanity at a big box store and loved the light grey color and the faux marble countertops. I switched out the cabinet pulls for something I liked better.

Floor Tile:

I chose a penny tile for the floors as it was easy to install and worked well with the Subway tile. The black and white floral pattern looks adorable for a cottage. Grey grout helps to tie it together with the shower tile.

Now to that tub…

You can see below I am desperately trying to get that tub clean! All the elbow grease in the world wouldn’t have made it sparkle. I must have tried every combination of cleaners I could find online.

Ultimately, I used Rust-oleum Tub and Tile refinishing kit to paint the tub. It turned out great, and I’ll give an update in six months to let you know how it holds up!

Metal Finishes

I love mixing metals. In a small bathroom design, you need interesting materials to keep it from looking sterile. I mixed nickel, brass, and black, keeping all the metals in a matte finish. Just make sure you have enough to make it look and feel intentional.

Bathroom Decor

Now comes the fun part! I painted the walls SW 7107 Fancy pink, a very soft blush pink (there is nothing better than a fresh coat of paint to make a space come together!). I love the pink as it has color but helps the light bounce around the room. Great tip if you are working with a lack of natural light.

The cabinet is Iron Ore SW, which is more dark grey than black and matches the doors in the hallway.

The 5th wall (or ceiling)

“Because of the size of the space, I wanted to add a”wow” factor. Here, I decided on wall decals. I love adding something unexpected, and these have a big impact. The large floral print adds a punch of dark color while remaining soft and pretty. They are easy to install, and the moisture from the bathroom has not been a problem so far.” Because of the size of the space, I wanted to add a “wow” factor. Here, I decided on wall decals. I love adding something unexpected, and these have a big impact. The large floral print adds a punch of dark color while remaining soft and pretty. They are easy to install, and the moisture from the bathroom has not been a problem so far.

I chose a mirror from Target and light fixtures from Amazon.

In place of towel bars, I found a black metal ladder for hanging towels. I found a pretty toilet paper holder on Amazon and then added some decor pieces. The wire basket is a vintage piece I found, and I just added a leather piece to hang it from.

This sign is a favorite of our Airbnb guests!

You can shop on my Amazon Store for more bathroom decor ideas!

That’s it for today! Thanks for stopping by.

Related Posts:

One Room challenge Short Term Rental Reveal

Small Cottage Bathroom Renovation

Before and after-the cutest powder room

Penny tile with typography

Until next time,

-Libbie