I Hate Our Bathroom!

Let me say that again (since I can’t say it enough), I. hate. our. bathroom!  It’s so small, so ugly, so moldy, and it’s located completely on the opposite side of the apartment from the bedroom.  When Vincent and I rented our St. Louis apartment, we knew we were spoiling ourselves, and that we wouldn’t be able to live in a place as new and modern as that once we moved to the east coast.  However, I thought we’d be able to get a bathroom at least better than this one.

The toilet paper holder never worked right--and eventually fell off the wall--so I got a cheap Ikea TP holder that functions better, only to discover this mess.  Instead of taking the hardware off before repainting (why were the walls green in the first place?!  And why did they think one coat of white paint would be enough to cover said green walls?), they simply painted around the toilet paper holder.

The handle on the pocket door doesn't allow you 
to pull the door shut, so we had to put a 3M hook
on sideways as the door handle.

I understand the original builder’s reasoning behind placing the bathroom at the back of the apartment - it keeps all of the plumbing in one area, since the kitchen sink and laundry machine are located right next to the bathroom - but no architect would ever design a layout like this.  The bathroom’s small size makes it very difficult for Vincent and me to get ready at the same time (and usually Colbert and the cats try to follow us in there too).  In fact, I have a hard enough time drying my hair in there when it’s just me.

This is an example of a well planned, small bathroom.  This is how my bathroom should be laid out.

via houzz

In my future house, I don’t even need the coveted double sink (although that is better for resale value), I just want a longer sink counter and enough space for both Vincent and me to get ready at the same time.  We actually had that in our bathroom in St. Louis because the toilet was situated next to the long sink, providing a lot of space for the two of us (and Colbert).

via Chezerbey

via houzz

One element of our current bathroom that is not terrible is the shelving tucked in next to the toilet.  Although cramped and awkward to reach, it provides much needed storage.  I think I prefer shelves over a linen closet because, if done right, it can become a decorating element.  This is something I would want to have in our future house as well.

via Arianna Belle Organized Interiors