Sugar & Spice

I'm working on a new project for two little girls (and their parents) and I'm very excited about it.  There's just something about designing spaces for children that really brings out my creative side.  On the agenda are two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a playroom.  Paint colors are already in place in the bedrooms and playroom, but the bathrooms are fair game - do I hear wallpaper books calling my name??

We're starting in the youngest girl's bedroom and bathroom as her room never got fully finished and it's pretty much a blank canvas.  The crib is staying and my client has a piece of art she wants to use as "inspiration" for the room.  The paint color looks awful in these photos (sorry!), but it's a beautiful shade of pink...

The bathroom is screaming for some pattern and color, right?  This is also the bathroom guests will be using, we can't go too "girly" but I'm definitely seeing some pink in its future...

My inspiration file has continued to grow as I prepare for my client presentation in a few weeks.  Here's a little taste of what I'm liking at the moment.  Enjoy!

Do we do an amazing shower curtain using a fabric like this?

Or a super-fun wallpaper like this? 

This light is contemporary, but with a feminine touch.  A great bath light option.

My client has an existing dresser that we can paint...love the look of this!

My client sent me this picture.  I can't wait to show her my take on this idea!

I'll be back with updates soon!

Shower Tile Ideas

I'm excited to be doing this post as I hope I could find some great ideas for my clients, while researching for this.  I design a lot of showers and one of my biggest struggles is what can we do to really give this space a unique look, without it looking dated in a few years or breaking the bank.  I also like to do something a little different for each client and that creates even more angst in coming up with something creative.

Subway tile is everywhere now, but sometimes you need more than just an all white shower.  This is a great way of adding a little "oomph" to an otherwise plain installation.

Or just by changing the direction of the white subway tile, you create a little more interest in the shower.  I also love the hexagon shape they used on this shower floor.

It can be tricky taking an accent tile out of the shower.  I like how they not only created a ledge inside the shower, but carried it onto the vanity.  Smart!

This is a common example of how border tiles are installed.  What makes me like this one is that the accent tiles are just a few shades darker than the main tiles and they are duplicated on the shower floor.  It's a contrast without being too loud.

Tile panels are a cost-effective way of bringing in an accent tile.  They can be made in all shapes and sizes and even recessed for a more custom look.  My best advice for this idea is to not highlight your faucets, but to locate it on the wall you see first as you walk into the bathroom.  Think of it as a piece of art!

See how much prettier this would have looked if all those other things weren't distracting your eye? 

Finally, in this small shower the accent tile has more presence because it's tied into the vanity area.  Another great example of simple subway tiles turned up a notch!