Black and White

So, we still do not officially own our "new house" but I consume a lot of my time planning out the future modifications (demolition) of existing finishes and fixtures so that when the time does eventually come, I am not overwhelmed and indecisive!  When John gives me the go ahead and asks me to pick what I want you better believe he won't give me weeks to decide.  It will be a now or never situation.  I gotta be on top of my game.

Bathrooms scare me.  I have never participated in a remodel of one.  I have never picked out a toilet, sink, tile, plumbing fixtures, replaced a cabinet or chosen the proper light fixture.  I am a newbie at all things except paint.  I can paint a room.  It takes a few tries to get the right color because I do suffer from the inability to trust my instincts on colors and go the other way but by golly I can trim out a room with no tape and only get a little bit of paint on the floor.  Adds character, right?

I know in my heart what my style is and it is traditional.  I waiver from it with trends but what I've always been drawn to are the tried and true.  You cannot go wrong with a black and white bathroom.  The builder went down the trendy (wrong) path in this house by putting in blue toilets, blue bathtubs, peach toilets with yellow toilet seats, pink bathtubs and a combination mustard, peach and pink vanity and sink.  I THINK he was a follower of trends... I'm not sure they were the right trends but trends all the same.

This house longs to be traditional, simple and clean.  It sends me texts asking for the status of our purchase... it sends me emails with tips on how she wants to be updated and what her personal taste is.  We are in sync and I can't wait to bring her up to the standards she has always wanted to be at.  Classy... we are going for classy.  I'll honor her mid century birth with an updated twist.

Exhibit A:  The first bathroom we will tackle.
Reasons:  It is the first bathroom any guest or family member will use.  It is right off the foyer.  It is the ugliest bathroom in the house and it actually interferes with my happiness.

         

Here is what I'm going for...

 

I really want to do a black and white penny tile pattern on the floor.  White cabinet, grey marbled counter and I'm completely open on faucets and other plumbing fixtures.  I love a white subway tile and darker grout.  I like the idea of sconces on either side of a decorative mirror and since this bathroom has a window I can get away with a tad less light.  Plus, this will be John's bathroom and I'm hoping to have a masculine feel to it.

If anyone has gutted a bathroom, tile and all, and wants to leave some tips or warnings I'm going to allow it to happen.