Master Bath Redo Featuring Reclaimed Barn Wood

I love to add warm, rustic wood to rooms with a mostly white color scheme, as you saw in our kitchen makeover.  The two colors, as well as the texture of the wood, pair together beautifully.  White rooms have a tendency to feel cold and sterile but if you throw some wood into the mix, it instantly warms it up and creates a cozy feel.  

Our master bath was boring, a sea of white.  The countertop, which consisted of white/cream ceramic floor tiles, had no personality and drove us crazy.  So, with an abundance of reclaimed barn wood, the idea of incorporating it into a countertop, and a couple of other special things, was born.  Here's a before pic.

First thing we did was remove the large generic mirror that seems to come with all bathrooms.  This is where the project went from fun to a stressful nightmare not so much fun.  Behind the mirror was a patch of mold.  After quite a bit of wailing calm investigation, we were relieved to find out it was from condensation getting trapped behind the mirror (no exhaust fan installed in there), not a leak.  What a relief that was.  So, after cleaning up the mess, we continued on.  

Next we pulled out the sink and removed the tile back splash and tile countertop, but left the existing plywood that the tiles were attached to, in order for us to have a base to attach our boards to.

I had already sanded and prepped the reclaimed boards with my palm sander and some 150 and 220 grit sandpaper.  So, the next step was to fit them to the plywood on top of the countertop and cut out a space for the sink.  

To do this, I simply laid them on the top, crawled under the countertop and traced the already existing circle for the sink onto the boards.  Then cut out the circle with a jig saw.

It's starting to look like a countertop!  So exciting!

To attach the boards to the plywood top, we used Liquid Nails and the nail gun for extra stability.

We used three planks of barn wood for the top.  For the trim in the front and on the side, I took another piece of barn wood and ripped it on the table saw to be 2 1/2 inches wide, turned it on its side and then attached with the nail gun.  It creates a nice finished edge. 

And that's it, as far as building the countertop goes.  To seal the wood, I used Tung Oil, which prevents water from penetrating the wood, but also brings out the beauty of each piece.  I applied it with a dry rag.  This stuff has a strong odor, so, I opened the windows and used gloves.

Next, we put the sink back into place, reconnected the pipes and turned the water supply back on.  And that's it.  Isn't that wood gorgeous?  So much character.....

I didn't want to put that giant mirror back on the wall so I bought a smaller plain beveled mirror at Wal-Mart for 10 bucks and attached it to the wall with the hardware provided.  I used some extra barn wood to trim out the mirror and to hide the hardware.  

Then I extended the bead board that was already surrounding the claw foot tub, around the countertop as a backsplash.  I installed that just like I did in my kitchen makeover.

I love our claw foot tub but it needed a rack across the top.  I didn't want to pay a lot of money for one, so, I just made my own by preparing another piece of the reclaimed wood, attaching two blocks of wood underneath to prevent it from sliding or falling and coating it in tung oil.  

I used a saw drill bit to create two holes halfway through the wood in each side to hold candles.  This tub used to have a shower but since we have a shower in another bathroom, we decided to remove all the shower parts and let the beauty of the original vintage tub be the focal part of the room.

I got these cute little robins egg soaps from a local shop called The French Hen.  I think they add a special little touch and I just love 'em.  So fun.....this picture doesn't really do them justice.  They are the perfect shade of blue and the little specks are so charming.

My hubby found this soap rack in an old home that is in the process of being renovated.  He knows the owner and got permission to take this little treat home.  Another fun detail.  I have no idea if it is vintage or not, but I sure love the lines and patina.

And here is the other side of our master bath which includes the faux vintage ladder I built just for this room.

We couldn't be happier with the results in here.  And the best thing, the only amount of money I spent was 10 bucks for the mirror, since we had all the other materials.

I've had lots of questions regarding my paint colors, so, if anyone is interested, the paint color in this room is called Cloudy Morning and it's from the Color Place selection at Wal-Mart.  Hope you like the result as much as we do!  Thank you for visiting..... :)  And have a great day!! Linking up at The Lettered Cottage!