Leah's Kid's Bathroom - It's Done.

This reveal has been a long time coming. Especially for me.

Technically, it was usable back on September. But then there was the window treatment. I had so much trouble with the window treatment. More on that later. For now, let's start here.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

You would be screaming too if you had started building this bathroom a year ago. A YEAR AGO. 

Don't you just want to climb the step stool, brush your teeth, wash your hands, water the plant and then brush your teeth again?

I'll try to be brief in walking you through the design choices, but be prepared to indulge me a little. It did take a year after all.

So, once the layout logistics were handled (catch up on that here and here), I dove into the design. There were, however, some logistics to the design as well (as is the case in most spaces) that needed to be considered upfront...before I went on a Target shopping spree. First, the room doesn't get a ton of light. The one, good-sized window is west facing and blocked by some tree shade. Second, I had no flat walls to work with, except for in the shower. The toilet, vanity and towel rack had to fit on walls with quirky jogs. Third, my tiniest family members are the primary occupants of this bathroom. The space needed to be easy and comfortable for wee ones.

To handle the low light factor, I kept the palette white and bright. And white. The walls are Simply White by Benjamin Moore and all the tile is white, not to mention the bathtub and toilet. I did break it up with gray grout, gray and black accents, and wood. But, white is the dominating factor.

I also used chrome for my hardware and fixtures to help brighten things up. These days chrome is the less favored choice when compared to polished nickel because it has a cooler blue undertone and, as a result, vibes less with popular warm finishes like bronze and brass. Meanwhile, polished nickel has a warmer, yellow undertone, hence it plays well with other warm finishes. But chrome, with its blue undertone, is extra bright and extra reflective. It's also simultaneously modern and classic, which is exactly what I wanted. And, in further defense of chrome (because it's my favorite), it plays really well with matte black. 

Once I figured out how to use the funky walls in my favor, they ended up being a silent hero of the room - adding charm and character. The vanity fit into the nook that was once a built-in bookshelf. 

Let me quickly digress about the vanity - it's a hodgepodge of things I love. It's a classic shape in a traditional vintage maple stain. I sold the granite top and beige sink it came with and opted for an almost completely white quartz top and white sink. And, I replaced the hardware with some chrome hexagon knobs.

I'm in love with these little knobs. 

The built-in shelving to the left of the vanity was formerly part of the room on the other side of the wall. It was a narrow nook on one side of a back closet wall. Didn't make much sense in the closet, makes so much sense for extra storage in the bathroom.

The window treatments...oh, the window treatments...were the bane of this bathroom for the last couple months. I tried many different options. Again, logistics played a large hand in this problem/decision. The window is unusually big and unusually low for a bathroom. For the sake of privacy, I needed something with true coverage. On the flip side, I wanted a treatment that allowed some natural light even when drawn for privacy. This ruled out most traditional shade options (I went through a bamboo shade moment, but it would have been drawn the entire day and zapped the little light available to the room). 

This cafe curtain lets light in all day long from above the curtain rod. There are no cords for little kids to play with (makes me so nervous). And, I magically found a fabric pattern that I love. The final result was a little DIY project that I'll follow-up on in a later post. So easy, I swear.

And now, the other side of the room.

You already saw some the tile accent wall behind the vanity - the shower pattern is the same. It's a slightly enlarged subway tile (4" x 8" instead of the classic 3" x 6"). I love designing with repetition, it's one of the simplest ways to create a cohesive feeling. It's just important not to repeat so much that it's in-your-face...or boring.

The low marble shelf in the shower is easy for kids (and adults) to grab what they need. And, the hooks (versus towel bar) are easy for kids to hang their own towels and pink, bear bathrobes. 

Speaking of repetition, here's another black framed photo of an arctic animal (my kids love arctic animals) and another dragon plant in an IKEA planter. Dragon plants are great at filtering air and IKEA planters are the best budget planters around.

A year was a long, long time. BUT, the bathroom is everything we wanted it to be. So...I suppose it was worth it...though you won't catch me (or my husband!) DIYing another bathroom again soon (or again, period). 

Here a source list with nearly everything (feel free to comment with questions on anything I missed!):

Wall and molding color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore (eggshell on walls, gloss on molding)

Floor tile - 2" white porcelain hexagon tile

Wall tile - 4" x 8" white porcelain subway tile

Grout color - DeLorean Gray

Vanity - Fairmont Designs

Vanity faucet - Symmons

Vanity knobs - Rejuvenation

White planter - IKEA

Hand towel ring - Pottery Barn

Medicine cabinet - Pottery Barn

Sconces - Houzz (get 5% off with our code: 4E318)

Gray storage bins - Target

Acrylic tissue box - Amazon

Curtain fabric - Joann Fabric

Curtain rod ring clips - Amazon

Door knob - Amazon

Toilet - American Standard

Bathtub - American Standard

Shower curtain rod - Target

Shower curtain - Urban Outfitters (on sale!)

Shower faucet and handheld system - Symmons

Towel hooks - Rejuvenation

Black frame (above toilet) - West Elm

Black frame (above hooks) - HomeGoods

Toilet paper holder - Pottery Barn (on sale!)

Step stool - HomeGoods

Rug under step stool - HomeGoods (but I found one HERE that may be replacing it)

Thanks for watching along as this yellowed, grassclothed No Man's Land transformed into the best room in the house...and the only completed room in the house. On to the next space!

-Leah

*This post contains affiliate links*

Q and A with Gray Oak

As we've navigated this first year of business...technically first 6 months...we've started to hear some of the same questions about our design process and interior design in general. Today we thought it could be helpful, and maybe even fun, to answer some of these questions about how Sonia, Michele and I get our design on. Here we go...

Question - "Do all three of you work on projects together?" 

Answer - YES! We do! We think this is one of the biggest benefits that set us apart from other design teams: clients get three unique, creative perspectives packaged in one, cohesive vision. To streamline our process, there's always a project lead who is the primary point of contact for a client and takes the reigns on major decisions. But, it is very much a collaboration.  

Question - "How do you decorate a house in a style that's not your style?"

Answer - It's not as tricky as you might think. In fact, decorating out of our own design style is usually when we have the most fun. Between Michele, Sonia and I, we have three different personal styles, but we also all love good design in whatever form it takes. A good parallel is fashion. I think we've all admired the clothes of someone else at one time or another, even if we knew it was something we wouldn't wear ourselves. It's the same for interior design. You decorate your home in a certain style because it suits your space and budget and, simply, makes you feel comfortable. But, that doesn't mean you don't walk into a friend's home, which is decorated completely different, and genuinely admire their style...maybe even covet their kitchen island pendants. We love tapping into our clients' aesthetic and creating the style and function that means "home" to them.

Question - "Should I wait to get an interior designer until my kids are older?"

Answer - Nope. We are all moms to young kiddos. Between the 3 of us, our oldest is 8 and our youngest will be born early 2018! Being part of young, busy families, we deeply understand and appreciate the importance of practicality in design. We'd venture to say that designing for families is where we shine. We think about who is going to use the space, whether their hands will be covered in goo or their walking skills are still on the upswing. The goal isn't to have a magazine-worthy home at all hours of the day, the goal is to have a beautiful home that works for the way your family uses it and can be gorgeously pulled together/put away for guests and hosting and special occasions. In other words, we don't follow the "kids can't go in this room ever" style of decorating. 

Question - "How do you choose paint colors?"

Answer - We do a lot of research, we stay on top of trends and we get samples! Whether we get large pre-painted swatches or actually paint little patches on a wall, we try the color in the room before we commit. The amount of natural and artificial light in a room has a huge impact on how a color will read and sometimes one color can appear totally different in two different rooms. With that being said, we have also become well-versed in some staple neutrals that look great in just about any home. 

Question - We get a lot of technical questions about furniture height and curtain length and crown molding shape. Yes, most of these questions are from our moms, looking for some free advice, but we think a lot of people have these type questions and wonder how they play into interior design. 

Answer - Part of interior design is understanding and implementing the little, technical elements of design that make a world of difference in the practical use of a room. Having a seriously gorgeous rug under your dining room table doesn't outweigh the annoyance of pulling your dining chair out and having 2 legs on the rug and 2 legs off the rug and being off balance and spilling your soup. A proportionally sized rug is functionally important and it also looks great. When we design a space we prioritize beauty, of course, but we do so within the context of what functionally works for the space (ceiling height, window size, etc.). 

And that's that...for now. If you have any burning questions about our design process or interior design in general, fire away! Thanks for reading.

- Leah

Holiday Gift Guide - Sonia's Picks

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Who is OVER turkey? First there's the real deal roast turkey on Thanksgiving, then there's turkey soup and then turkey sandwiches and then...more turkey soup. So. much. turkey. Anyone get creative and make turkey meatballs or turkey pot pie with their leftovers? 

Sonia is wrapping it up today with her gift picks for this holiday season (click here for Michele's picks and here for Leah's picks). With Thanksgiving officially behind us, holiday gift shopping is on. Sonia has some amazing ideas for you and with today being cyber Monday, it's THE day to get gift shopping handled. 

First up are ideas for your sister, mother-in-law, neighbor who walks your dog, mailwoman who hates Dunkin Donuts giftcards, or...you (no shame in having a wish list!!!).

1. 2018 planner - Help her start the new year right. You can't go wrong with this chambray striped planner.

2. Jar candle - Nothing comes close to the scent of this peppermint candle - so festive. And bonus, it's on sale, which is unheard of for this beauty.

3. Do One Thing Every Day That Centers You: A Mindfulness Journal - Great little journal for anyone in your life who could use a bit of ommmm, which around this busy time of year is just about everyone.

4. Birch candles - These candles come in an assortment of sizes and will be sure to make any holiday party a bit more festive.

5. "You're Amazing" and "I Know" mugs - This set of black and gold mugs are a fun and cheeky addition to any coffee lovers collection.

6. Trinket dish - Who couldn't use a colorful trinket dish to help corral all the little odds and ends that collect on your kitchen counter?

And here are her picks for home related gifts.

1. Cake stand - Pile this blue and gold plate up with some tasty holiday cookies and it will make any hostess's day!

2. Snack bowl - MoMA has partnered with Nordstrom to offer select items in their stores, and this "flooded" snack bowl is on my wish list!

3. Candle holder - I love this metal candle holder,  gifted with some white tapered candles and you'll be good to go.

4. Alphabet cookie cutters - For those who like to give gifts that include experiences, these cookie cutters will offer hours of fun for any bakers in your life.

5.. Cable knit faux fur throw blanket - In a neutral beige, this knit and fur blanket will be a cozy addition to any living room.

Instead of gifts for him, Sonia rounded up some amazing kid gifts. I think the toddler apron from Anthropologie might be my favorite...and going under the tree for each of my daughters this year (thanks Sonia!).

1. Race car - High quality wooden toy car that will keep little hands busy playing for hours. 

2. Unicorn doll - If your little lady is as into unicorns as mine, then this plush little number will be sure to bring some holiday smiles. 

3. View master classic - You can't go wrong with this classic, it's made children happy since the 1970's.

4. Wooden dollhouse - Because I would have loved this sweet black, white, and green doll house when we were kids, I'm are betting that little ones nowadays will love it as well.

5. Toddler apron - All hands on deck during the baking season, deck your little helper out in this floral apron and get baking!

6. Pom pom canvas bin - This canvas bin will come in handy to help control the post holiday toy explosion.

7. Magnetic tiles - Kids of all ages love playing with magnet tiles, so do yourself a favor and put out a bin of these colorful tiles at your holiday feast and keep the kids table entertained. 

Thanks to Sonia for this great round-up and happy Cyber Monday to you! Hope you scoop many, many fantastic bargains.

- Leah