Solving my puzzle of a bathroom, no-reno style
Plus, five must-haves if I do eventually remodel.
New York Design Week always involves calendar chaos for our team (I am attempting to hit 10 events tomorrow alone, wish me luck!). All the running around can be overwhelming, but we leave buzzing with inspiration and story ideas—usually a worthy trade-off (more on that next Thursday!). I always lean hard on routine during hectic work moments; there’s something grounding about ending a whirlwind day with a shower and my trusted skincare. My home’s single full bath has always been a puzzle to me, but I’m slowly figuring out how to make it my happy place… —Lindsey Mather, digital director
On Board
The weirdest thing about our bathroom hits you as soon as you walk in: There are two showers. That’s right, a tub/shower combo and a walk-in. My best guess is that the previous owners took on a half-hearted DIY reno, adding the latter without removing the former. Good times. Additionally, the shower door hinges are on the wrong side and we have zero storage other than a medicine cabinet. To really address all of these issues, the room needs another remodel, but that’s a major cost my husband and I have no interest in springing for.
For now, I’ve committed to finding low-budget ways to improve our current setup like these:
When you’ve got no bathroom storage to speak of, the back of the toilet becomes a shelf for little necessities like cotton swabs and floss. All are safely housed in these simple lidded jars.
I like how Dusen Dusen’s punchy striped towels balance out all the traditional subway tile. I want to add the hooded version to our collection for my daughter.
A peek at my walk-in shower, where you’ll spot a few of these products in action. (For context, the shower/tub is to the left.)
For shower niche overflow and a place to prop a leg, I highly recommend a teak corner stool, but ours was cheap and is completely falling apart. If I could have a do-over, I’d invest in better quality.
My toddler Stella’s bath toys live in this breathable bin. I stuck it to the tile above the tub before our daughter was born and it hasn’t moved an inch since.
My body is desperate for an alternative to hunching over the tub on my knees to bathe Stella. This cute seat fits the bill, plus it has a drawer for extra TP and soap.
Our shower door confusingly opens towards a tight corner where the glass directly meets the hallway door. These stainless-steel hooks make it possible to grab a towel without dripping water across the room.
To maximize every last inch of the medicine cabinet, I corral my makeup and skincare into Muji’s classic containers.
Tried It, Liked It
Five fun things I bought for my toddler recently.
If I’m going to have plastic toys strewn all over my backyard this summer, they better not be eyesores. I bit the bullet and splurged on Smol’s pleasingly pastel water table (above left) and matching slide.
This seagrass basket is giant—18 inches in diameter. I keep it in our living room and throw Stella’s toys into it at the end of the day for some semblance of a tidy space.
After seeing this sweet bathroom on Pinterest, I’ve been consumed with the idea of a bubblegum pink paper lantern over my daughter’s book corner.
Stella’s clothes have officially outgrown her baby-sized drawer organizers (cue the nostalgic sobs). I like the look of these simple ash wood dividers from the The Container Store x KonMari collab.
Not home-related, but I couldn’t help myself: Sherbert-hued “scuba sandals” (above right). Best paired with the water table!
Side Notes
Okay, but if money were no object and we did do a total bathroom overhaul, I’d…
Install an unexpected shower door (with hinges on the proper side!). Annie Meyers-Shyer’s cut-out metal design (scroll through her AMA highlight to see it) is stuck in my brain.
Triple the size of the storage niche by taking it wall to wall.
Buy one of The Water Monopoly’s roly-poly bathtubs, which I keep noticing in designer projects.
Make the floor its own moment—using Concrete Collaborative’s Strands x Domino tile collection, of course.
Get myself a proper vanity with ample drawers. I’m envisioning something furniture-like; Lucy Williams can do no wrong.