bathrooms – The Artesian Project

(coastal bathroom)

Now that we are on day three of being stuck inside our house due to the Polar Vortex (out of snacks, please send help), I thought I would share the room in our house that makes every day seem like a beach day…the kids’ bathroom.

I am such a sucker for a nautical vibe, so I was excited to put it to work in this bathroom.

I wanted the bathroom for our future children (they were just a gleam in our eye when we built our house — as my dad would say) to be fun, but neutral enough that it could grow with them, so we chose some classics that had a lot of character. The marble hex tile is timeless and pairs really well with the light blue vanity (color tagged at the end) and carrara marble counter top.

Pro tip: you can use a floor mirror horizontally on most double vanities. We found this one at Homegoods for just $60! We also found the cute wooden sharks from Homegoods (my fav).

We went with chrome finishes to lend itself to a fun retro beach vibe (think Beach Blanket Bingo). We chose the Brantford line from Moen for the faucets and shower fixtures; I really liked the look with the smooth, rounded features and thought a single handle would be easier for kids than than two (so far so good!).

We went with the classic ice white subway tile with white grout and then amped up the color with this fun shower curtain that just screams “RELEASE THE KRAKEN!” (right??). I bought this curtain at Urban Outfitters (sold out), but also found it at ModCloth and Amazon. The wicker basket from Target adds some nice texture (and storage!).

I love these light fixtures because they also give me the retro beach feels – and they were very inexpensive! They were only $40 each from Home Depot (similar here).

We picked up this awesome print at the Bucktown Art Festival, the day before our youngest son was born this summer. I was a hot, sweaty mess, but it was a great family day. Our older son picked out this piece by Jillian Nickell and I absolutely love it. Love this one, this one, and this one, too.

These vases are currently available at Target (white and striped). Loving all the textured pieces from the OpalHouse collection that are making this Polar Vortex particularly difficult because they are just so darn cute and springy.

Lastly, the color of this vanity is Sherwin William’s Krypton. It really is an awesome color. It is a grey that reads more light blue and picks up all the beautiful blue undertones in the marble countertop and floor. If you are looking for a fresh, yet subtle light blue – this is your guy!

Alright, time to zone in from this mental vacation and back into subzero temps. How soon is too soon for a mai tai?

Happy weekend, friends! xoxo

bathrooms, Construction, It's all in the Details, The New Digs

(tile style)

Now that all the tile is installed (!!), we had to head over to the house to choose the grout colors that will be poured next week. Here is a glimpse into the master bath (as it currently stands).

The photo on the left is a corner of the Master Shower, which I am very excited about. We wanted to create a calm oasis, if you will, and this arabescato carrara marble seems to do the trick. The photo on the right is a view from the entrance. The shower sits in the nook at the top left of the photo, with a tub (that we will never use) centered as the focus. Not seen: a window over the tub, which seemed like a great idea during the planning phase (yay natural light!), but in reality is a front row seat for our neighbors to hang out on their balcony and get a free show (note to self: make appt with a window treatment company immediately). The tile on the actual floor of the bathroom is an Eleganze Varese tile, which is meant to look like poured concrete. This should look pretty cool (fingers crossed) contrasting the hard and industrial concrete look against the soft and elegant marble. Next up: choosing the hardwood floor stain!

UPDATE: View the finished master bath on this post

Have a great week!

bathrooms, It's all in the Details, The New Digs

(brass is back)

So next on the to-do list is to confirm all the plumbing fixture choices for the house. I thought I would have an opinion about this and let Brass is back | www.theartesianproject.wordpress.com me tell you, I just don’t; except for the brass faucet I ordered for the powder room.

Brass is so back – is there anything chicer than black and gold? Obviously that’s what Wiz Khalifa was referring to in his song “Black & Yellow.” I wish I could make all the faucets in the house brass, but alas, the husband isn’t too fond of the look and always taunts me with Goldmember Austin Powers quote, “I loooove goooold!!” And he is absolutely right.

Anyways, we will be going with the Moen Kingsley in the “antique bronze” finish. It is just the right shade of gold – not too shiny, not too yellow – and fits right into the Parisian Bistro powder room experience I am going for. Yes, an experience (my dream job was to be an imagineer, after all).

Everything else in the house will be stainless steel or chrome; I actually prefer chrome in the bathrooms as it lends itself to a nice retro vibe. I’m still trying to work in a brass faucet for the kitchen (it’s so on point), but I might just have to let this one go…

Here are a few of my fav black and gold combos: