Sneak Peek of New Bathroom Fixtures...

We're doing our bathroom remodel in stages, replacing the sink and toilet first and then the shower in the spring. I just finished ordering everything we need for stage one, and we should be able to install them in early January. The faucet from Porcher I posted a few days ago:

The vanity and stand are from Rohl; purchasing online from someone who had a clearance sale of old models saved us $500. (Even among online vendors, there was a difference of $800 between the highest and lowest price. Seriously. For the exact same item, with the exact same item number. Do they just pull prices out of the air?) At present, we have a humongous cabinet vanity which is way too bulky for the room. Although this has approximately the same footprint, it will make the bathroom seem bigger because of the openness. We toyed with the idea of a pedestal base, but opted for this one because our bathroom--which is only 5x7--has little room for towel bars and toilet paper holders. We'll be able to hang hand towels from this and store toilet paper rolls on the glass shelf below.

And finally, what I'm most excited about, a reproduction pillbox toilet from Sunrise Specialty. I've wanted one ever since I spotted it in Jane Powell's Bungalow Bathrooms. It was the biggest splurge, but we're justifying it, at least in our heads, because we have been able to save money elsewhere and were also able to restore our original 1920s toilet in the basement rather than replacing it, as we thought we'd have to do. Again, it was going for 50% of what similar vendors were asking.

Isn't it just beautiful?

Bungalow Envy

I love our Box House, but I am suffering a bit from bungalow envy. It's not like I've even been in very many of them. Most of our friends live in condos or two flats or out in the suburbs. Ted and I have one friend who just purchased a 1920s bungalow, but as he lives on the far southern end of Chicago as to be practically in Indiana, we haven't been out to see it yet.

So why am I envious of these homes I've only really ever driven by? It's the bathrooms. Or at least the ones I've seen in Jane Powell's Bungalow Bathrooms.

They're gorgeous, big and roomy. I know I sound crazy when I describe the spaciousness of bungalow bathrooms, but compare them with what we have at The Box House:

Wait, that's part of the master bath at our condo, where our tenants are currently enjoying the jacuzzi tub and the marble shower (oh jacuzzi how I miss you). Here we go:

This is the bathroom in Mom's unit. That's Mom's hand in the photo; she was jotting down measurements during our final walk through before close. Give or take an inch, the bathrooms measure 5 feet by 7 feet. Each unit has only one bathroom, not counting the scary toilet in the basement.

The bathrooms in both units do have the original hex tile. But the old medicine cabinets are under forty layers of paint, the toilet is wedged between the sink and the wall (your elbows bump both), there is an oversized radiator behind the door that is taking up precious space, and yes, the sconce light with its open socket is actually within the confines of the shower, inches from the shower head. We figure the toilet and tub are original, the shower head, shower enclosure, and vanity are not.

The bathrooms are at the top of the list of things that must get renovated this year. I can go for quite a while without a dishwasher or doing my laundry in a 30-year-old washing machine, but a girl needs a decent bathroom.

Seeing as how our design options are limited due to space, what would you do to update this bathroom? We're ready to gut it to the walls, and are open to any suggestions.