You Won’t Believe What Replaced the ’90s Beige’ in This Tiny Bathroom
I came across this bathroom while scrolling Instagram and stopped immediately. The contrast between the before and after was sharp, but what made it worth saving was how intentional the changes were. This renovation comes from Katheryn Haswell (@haswellhouse), where a larger main-level renovation created the opportunity to finally address a downstairs bathroom that had been “beige and dated” for decades.
Before the update, the bathroom was very much a product of the late 1990s. Beige tiles ran from floor to ceiling, broken only by a brown mosaic border. The toilet sat on a raised tiled platform, adding bulk to an already narrow room. A small window dictated the layout, but the space still felt cold and enclosed, especially since it sat on an external wall with no radiator.
Once work began, it became clear this was not a cosmetic project. The ceiling was removed, joists were replaced, and walls were stripped back to structure. Plumbing and drainage were fully exposed. What looked like a tired bathroom quickly turned into a full rebuild.
The layout was simplified during the redesign. The platform toilet was removed, and the room was reorganized around a cleaner back wall. Because of changes elsewhere in the house, the original window was blocked, allowing the bathroom to function as a fully interior space rather than one constrained by exterior openings.
The finished bathroom leans into color instead of neutrality. The floor is tiled with bold blue geometric tiles from Ca’ Pietra, which add movement and help visually stretch the narrow footprint. Pink herringbone tiles on the wall introduce texture without overwhelming the space. Where tile stops, the walls are painted in Pink Ground by Farrow & Ball, a soft ballet pink that keeps the room light even without natural daylight.
Brass fixtures bring warmth and cohesion, balancing the cooler tones of the floor tiles. A brass-framed mirror above the vanity reflects light back into the room and reinforces the boutique-hotel feel without becoming a focal distraction. A compact vanity replaces the undersized cloakroom sink, adding real storage while keeping the proportions right for the space.
This transformation is a reminder that small bathrooms don’t need to disappear into beige to be successful. When structure, layout, and surface choices are treated as one decision, even a narrow downstairs bathroom can become a confident, fully resolved space.