Well, hello there...

Sourcing faucets for a project and happened across this guy and had a lightbulb moment. I was actually searching deck mounted tub fillers for freestanding tubs, so this is not a match, but it is a match for our own tub - I would love to swap out our existing fixtures in the short term (full bath reno in the long term) and the idea of using one of the existing three hole drillings for a hand shower is brilliant -- I much prefer a single-lever control anyway. Now the trick is to find something that will coordinate well with the lav faucets I've got my eye on. I found a couple along these lines:

but I just don't like the scale of the hand shower relative to the faucet. Feels a bit clumsy and disproportionate compared to the one above. Hmpf. To be continued...

Space saver

I love simple solutions like this for tight spaces. Genius! It may not be as cute as this, but it does provides both storage and a dispenser. A very simple, modern design. From Urban Outfitters.

It's the little things...

It's not the most glamorous topic, but it is functional - so might as well make it Modern Cottage, too :)  That's right: toilet paper storage. Keeping a few extra rolls near the toilet not only saves time when it's time to reload the holder (versus digging under the vanity cabinet or other storage location for the next roll) but also feels a bit luxurious - there's something about having the basics fully-stocked. I typically don't like anything sitting on the floor unless absolutely necessary (living with a golden retriever for 10 years will do this - dog hair clings to everything) so I pictured a basket that could be wall-mounted. I wasn't feeling woven - more utilitarian/sturdy/minimalistic. I decided I would hunt down a vintage-y wire basket. I started on Etsy and found our winner on the second page of my search - it was almost exactly what I was envisioning, and after verifying dimensions, I determined it would be a seriously perfect fit. How often does that happen? Silver Bee Vintage was great and the piece arrived promptly from Texas. A couple of nails later and voila! Cutest TP storage ever, don't you think?

(Ball jar photography available here.)

Stripey tray love...

I've been so good this post-holiday about refraining from shopping online sales (I always love a great bargain in those clearance sections of my favorite websites after Christmas :) ... however I let down my guard for just a second (almost literally - in between baby and work duties!) to see what was new at West Elm and came across this pretty and fresh striped tray. One of my good friends (who happens to be a longtime professional stylist) used something similar in a photo shoot once as a desk accessory and I thought it was so beautiful and unexpected... so when I saw this it spoke to me. Well-suited for the bath of course, as they intend, but I think it could be beautiful almost anywhere you need something to act as art or to corral smaller objects. And, it is on sale. Need I say more?  Looking forward to your arrival, pretty striped tray!

Master Bedroom

Is it really nearly August? Hope you are enjoying the summer so far :) Here is the final post on our latest project... the master bedroom and bath. It's a great master suite with a walk in closet, cozy wall sconces, and a bathroom that turned out beautifully...

It was definitely rough before ... the vanity was in great shape but was a horrible oak with brass knobs. We were glad to recycle it and make it into something much more glamorous! Here's where we started:

Love love love making things pretty!

Easy, fuss-free style: Guest bath

We were very pleased to give an antique farm table new life in the guest bath of our latest project! With our rough desired dimensions in hand, we scoured the antiques stores for just the right fit. There were a few possible contenders, but this one was just right (we had to look past the chippy pink paint of course... see what it looked like originally below). It was the right size, the drawer with it's original bin pull was totally charming (you may recall we have a thing for bin pulls) and it offered the opportunity to add a slatted shelf below for storage. With the modern square sink and carefully selected fixtures and hardware, I think we achieved a great balance of modern and vintage. The slatted shelf provides storage space for baskets or buckets to store towels and supplies for an easy, fuss-free style. We're super pleased with it and can't wait to rescue some other old piece and do it again  :)

p.s. Isn't the faucet adorable in action??