A VINTAGE-INSPIRED PRIMARY BATHROOM REMODEL
How thoughtful planning, selective custom work and a high-low mix gave a 1965 Lake Highlands home more function and charm
Built in 1965, this Lake Highlands home already had the kind of character our clients loved. Its primary bathroom, however, was not working nearly as hard as it could. The room had been divided into two small areas - a vanity space and a separate bathing area - making both feel tighter than necessary.
Our clients, a young couple with a love for traditional and vintage design, wanted a bathroom that felt more open, more functional and much more like them. They also had a very real budget. That meant every decision had to earn its place, whether it improved the layout, added useful storage or brought in the charm that would make the finished room feel personal.
Opening Up the Existing Footprint
The most important change was not decorative at all. We opened the two existing bath areas into one cohesive room. Without adding square footage, the new plan allowed the double vanity, shower, toilet and linen storage to relate to one another instead of feeling like separate pieces squeezed into small compartments.
The result is a bathroom that feels substantially larger and easier to use, even though we worked within the home's existing footprint. It is a good reminder that a better layout often delivers more value than simply adding more space.
Starting With Color
The palette began with a soft moss-green tile and warm brass plumbing fixtures. The green has an old-house quality without feeling overly period-specific, making it a natural bridge between the clients' vintage taste and a bathroom that still feels fresh today.
In the shower, we used the green tile vertically on the lower walls and repeated it around the threshold. An ivory tile above keeps the enclosure light, while subtle variation and a penny-round shower floor add texture. The effect comes from the tile layout, contrast and proportion rather than from using costly decorative material on every surface.
Knowing Where to Spend
We originally sourced a marble mosaic for the bathroom floor, but as the design developed, we decided those budget dollars could do more elsewhere. We replaced the marble with a beautiful ivory ceramic tile and redirected the savings toward a custom tall linen cabinet.
That is a tradeoff we make often in remodels: not simply asking which option is more expensive, but asking where the investment will have the greatest effect on how the room looks and functions. Here, the quieter floor supports the rest of the palette, while the linen cabinet adds substantial storage and gives the room an architectural focal point. Its decorative door cutouts bring in another layer of vintage character.
A Custom Vanity Made for the Room
Because the vanity needed to fit an existing recessed area precisely, a stock cabinet would have meant compromising either storage or proportion. We had one custom-built to use every available inch.
The stained wood gives the room warmth, while the drawer-heavy design makes daily storage much more practical. Fluted detailing across the upper drawer fronts adds texture, and the dark finish gives the piece the presence of an antique cabinet. During construction, we tested several stain options beside the wallpaper to make sure the wood, pattern and color palette worked together.
For the hardware, we found vintage-inspired pulls on Etsy that combine ivory ceramic with brass. They are small details, but against the stained wood they became some of the most memorable elements in the room. This is where the space begins to feel collected rather than simply new.
Solving the Vanity Lighting Beautifully
With two sinks, we wanted to preserve as much mirror space as possible. Traditional wall sconces would have interrupted the mirror, so we suspended milk-glass pendant lights in front of it instead. The pendants provide the needed light while becoming part of the composition.
Behind the mirror, Birds & Cherries wallpaper makes the vanity area feel special. The pattern is traditional in spirit, but its softened greens, blues and golden tones keep it from feeling overly formal. A warm wood mirror frame connects back to the vanity and helps the entire wall read as one considered design.
A High-Low Mix With Plenty of Personality
Custom work mattered in this room, but not every element needed to be custom or trade-only. Our client found the floral cafe curtains on Amazon, and they could not have been more perfect. Anthropologie also proved to be a helpful source for accents with the slightly nostalgic quality we wanted.
That mix is part of what makes the bathroom feel natural. Custom cabinetry, Etsy hardware and accessible retail finds are not competing ideas; when each piece supports the same point of view, they can live very happily together.
The Finished Bathroom
The completed bathroom feels as though it belongs in this 1965 home, but not as though it has been preserved in time. Opening the layout gave the room the function it was missing, while the moss tile, stained cabinetry, wallpaper, warm metals and vintage-inspired details gave it personality.
Most importantly, we did not need to splurge everywhere to get there. By using simpler materials where they made sense and reserving custom work for the places where it would have the greatest impact, we were able to squeeze every ounce of charm, function and character out of the budget. Planning a bathroom remodel? TATE | studio can help you decide where to invest, where to simplify and how to create a room that feels personal from the very first detail.
TATE | studio • Lake Highlands Primary Bath Remodel
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