There’s going to be lots of potty talk on the blog this week. What a way to start the new year! Not the almost-two-year-old kind of potty talk that elicits giggles from words like poo-poo and pee-pee. (We’re currently knee-deep in that stage over here, and I may have giggled a time or three.) I’m talking about the toilets in the two main bathrooms at The Minne Stuga. To be honest, I can’t remember which toilets we went with, but I can remember everything else, like that stunning matte black tile that lines the floors of the bathroom and the walls of the shower. But before we dive into the pretty details, let’s take a walk down memory lane.
Before
The downstairs cabin bathroom was decently large for a cabin bathroom. It was quaint, too, and lined with cedar and plywood like the rest of the cabin. The orientation of everything was just a little askew. The toilet sat ever so close to the vanity with a full view to the hallway. And the shower was tucked in a dark cove, away from the window.
We always dreamed of a shower with windows, but that’s not really feasible when you live in the city, 10 feet from your neighbors. But at the cabin, where you can’t see the neighbors if you tried, this was totally doable. So what if we moved the shower by the window and put the vanity where the shower was and tucked the toilet in between?
We did just that.
After
And what if we drew inspiration for the cabin bathroom from a camping shower stall mixed with bar decor? We also did that, while pulling several design elements from the kitchen—like the cabinet color, counter, and pulls. As mentioned in previous posts, The Minne Stuga was a preservation project foremost. But at the same time, we had to update the guts of the cabin—like the plumbing, windows, electricity, and heating—to get it up to code and make it livable in the winter. So rooms like the bathroom and the kitchen, which needed lots of behind-the-wall and under-the-floor work, got a little bit more of a makeover.
Maybe the biggest makeover was the floor-to-wall Satin Black tile from Mercury Mosaics. We were so honored to get the chance to work with this Minnesota-made, woman-owned company. Their tiles are handmade, by humans, and you can tell. They are perfectly imperfect, and I am in love with them. I was most interested in their matte tiles. Call me Eeyore, because I have a thing for dull. They have a handful of matte options seen here (and glossy, too, if that’s more your sheen).
In trying to honor the original design selections of the cabin, we went with Mercury Mosaics’ craftsman tiles for the bathroom, as seen in the before bathrooms images, as well as in the original front entryway and underneath the fireplace. Traditionally, craftsman tiles have a variety of colors within the same color family. I wanted to do an updated application of that style with a single colorway. A nod back and a nudge forward. I’m so happy with how this stunning tile treatment turned out! Note: in-floor heating takes the chill off your feet.
Ok, now it’s time for a design confession of sorts about the vanity lights. I was up at the cabin unpacking when the light fixtures were to be installed. At the time, we could only find one of the two fixtures. I had been up a couple weekends prior and knew there were two. I held them in my hands. So in a last-ditch effort to find the missing fixture, I jumped into the on-site dumpster. (Did I mention that I didn’t have running water during that 4-day trip up? Peeyew.) At the very back of the dumpster was an open box with a dirty rag stuffed inside hiding the light fixture below. A needle in a haystack if there ever was one. I ran it inside with my trophy and kept working elsewhere.
Later that afternoon I found the installed light fixtures installed…in the wrong spot! They were supposed to hang on either side of the round mirror as seen here, the mirror that ended up being too wide for the final dimensions of the space. So they drilled them into the only extra space, up top. And there they’ll stay unless I come up with another solution because you can’t patch cedar-lined walls like you can patch drywall. In design, you win some and you lose some. Quite literally in this case. Light fixture placement aside, I love the way this bathroom turned out.
PS: We’re opening the spring rental calendar this weekend (1/8/22). Sign up here for earliest booking access.
Cabin Bathroom Sources: Mercury Mosaic Satin Black Large Craftsman Tile* | Similar Vanity in Benjamin Moore Tate Olive | Walnut Knobs rubbed in oil | Richlite Countertops in Heritage Slate | Delta Faucet in Brilliance Stainless | Kohler Undermount Sink | Black Round Mirror | Rejuvenation Thurman Wall Sconce in Burnished Antique and Opal Clamshell | NewMade LA Toilet Paper Holder | NewMade LA Towel Ring | Buffalo Check Hand Towel | Girl in a Boat Print | Red Blouse Print | WC Sign | All other wall art is vintage | Norden Planter + Greenery | Huckberry First Aid Kit | West Elm Organic White Towels | Minnetonka Slippers
*Denotes items discounted or gifted
Construction by Taiga Design + Build
Interior Design by Melissa Coleman (me)
Photography by Melissa Coleman
See the other cabin reveals: Living Room | Kitchen | Dining Room | Downstairs Bedroom | Loft | Upstairs Bathroom | A-Frame Bedroom | Exterior | Outdoor Furniture
I love everything about this bathroom and wondering what stain you used on the cedar/knotty pine? We are using Hershfields if you could share a stain formula?? Trying to create a lower cabin bath similar to this! Thank you!
I love everything about this bathroom and wondering what stain you used on the cedar/knotty pine? We are using Hershfields if you could share a stain formula?? Trying to create a lower cabin bath similar to this! Just LOVE LOVE LOVE! Thank you!
Hello,
a lovely space.
Curious if you did anything to treat the cedar. Debating putting it in my master but am nervous about steam/moisture.
Thank you.
I keep coming back to this bathroom. Can you share what paint finish you used for the cabinets?
Hi Kate! Ack, I’m not sure. It’s matte in appearance but wipeable. If I had to guess it’s satin.
I am so obsessed with you. Please don’t ever stop blogging.
Thanks for the love! Bottling it up!