Earth-Inspired Bathroom Renovation Reveal

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April 12, 2021
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My purpose? To create a ripple effect: where my small drop in the ocean expands outward, helping others lean into life, make waves with their work and shift from a place of confusion to a place of clarity.

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I’ve never been so appreciative of a bathroom – yes, because it’s beautiful –  but mainly because we spent much of the past year without a working toilet or shower. This space is super special and this bathroom renovation reveal has been a long time coming!

When dreaming up this space we wanted to:

  • Invoke the feeling of the land and sea we’re surrounded by
  • Create a serene and relaxing space that felt welcoming to guests
  • Combine modern elements with repurposed, vintage pieces
  • Turn this original half bath into a full bath by utilizing the space more thoughtfully
Gorgeous, earth-inspired bathroom renovation via elanaloo.com

The Renovation Process:

We started the bathroom demolition in July of last year and completed the renovation in early December. We started by gutting the bathroom down to the studs – peeling back layers and layers of floral wallpaper and then removing the plaster and lath beneath.

We then worked with our contractors to change the layout to better utilize space, level the floor, install new insulation and moisture board before tiling the shower and pulling the space together.

This quick video shares the process – before, during, after – in 30 seconds.

Modern earth-inspired bathroom renovation utilizing earth conscious materials via elanaloo.com

The Completed Bathroom:

We are so pleased with how all of the elements of this space came together in harmony. The colors of the Rosemary and Sand Dune Tile are a nod to the subtle colors of the atlantic ocean waves and the coastline we love so much.

My intention is to create a neutral, timeless color palette throughout the home that mimics the outside world in subtle and organic ways.

We went with a frameless glass panel and seamless floor straight into the shower to make the room feel more spacious. Our contractors put a slight pitch in the floor so that the water drains properly & the glass panel was an affordable way to make the space feel modern and elegant.

Because we couldn’t place the shower plumbing up against an exterior wall, we had the opportunity to get creative with the bit of excess space between the shower and the wall. We chose to use leftover flooring to create shelves for storage & style them with functional (yet beautiful) pieces.

Modern earth-inspired bathroom renovation utilizing mindful, earth conscious materials via elanaloo.com

For the fixtures, we chose pieces from the Align Collection by Moen from Wayfair because we wanted a cohesive look and weren’t lucky enough to find vintage hardware on our many, many journeys to secondhand shops.

Lastly, Aaron decided to go with in-floor heating which I thought was excessive at first but after they were installed, I was so glad he did because Maine winters are COLD.

Our contractor was Schluter certified so we went with a Schluter tile system and in-floor heating and it was a pretty seamless process. I don’t know much about other systems but based on our experience, I would recommend looking into Schluter if you’re renovating your bathroom.

Modern earth-inspired bathroom renovation utilizing vintage pieces via elanaloo.com

Sustainable Product Sources & Links:

When trying to renovate or craft a new space ‘sustainably’ or with intention – the biggest piece of advice I can give is to use reclaimed / second hand materials and items wherever possible (we used a lot of materials found in the home and others sourced locally), restore or salvage parts of the home that you can and look into the companies you’re sourcing any new materials from (what are their business practices, where are they shipping from, supply chain, etc). Focus on progress, not perfection.

Fireclay Tile

When renovating, it’s crucial to find sustainably made products or materials wherever you can. We absolutely love Fireclay Tile not only because their tile is beautiful but because of their ethos and practices as a B-Corp company.

They make their products here in the US in a factory run on 100% renewable energy, utilizing recycled and natural materials, giving back to their community and valuing their employees.

We have Fireclay Tile in our home in Hawai’i and love how this Rosemary Tile in the shower and Sand Dune Tile on the floor came together. This company is are incredible!

Bathroom Vanity

Our bathroom vanity was a secondhand dresser that we scored on Facebook Marketplace for $50!
Yes, fifty dollars.

Turning a dresser into a vanity was my plan before we even started construction, ensuring that we would have a quality vanity in the space without spending a fortune. I had seen this on Pinterest before & am so glad we went for it!

We had to cut into the top to fit the sink and modify the drawers around the plumbing but it was worth it for the price, the look and the fact that we were able to upcycle a piece of furniture instead of buying new!

Highly recommend scouring thrift and antique stores in your area plus keeping an eye out on FB Marketplace or Craigslist if this is an idea that will work for your space.

Vanity Light

Oval Gold Mirror

Shower Hardware

Glass Shower Door

Vessel Sink

We went with the Nuo Ceramic Rectangular Vessel Bathroom Sink with Overflow but it’s been sold out since we bought it! I’ve linked similar options in hopes that you can find one you love.

Bathroom Faucet

Organic Cotton Towels

Turkish Towels

TP Holder

Towel Ring

Towel Hooks

In Conclusion:

Overall, I am really pleased with our downstairs bathroom transformation. We wanted to honor the natural environment both in the color palette and by sourcing mindful, earth conscious materials whenever possible.

We learned so much in this process – in our next home, we want to learn more about plaster, clay and other natural materials of construction compared to the ‘standard’ building supplies that are used today. You live & you learn. Excited to continue to expand our knowledge and integrate it as we go.

To learn more about reducing your impact in your bathroom, check out my blogpost on Low Waste Bathroom Essentials.

Stay tuned for more from our Maine home renovation. Up next is our kitchen and upstairs bathroom! If you want more behind the scenes of this renovation, you can check out my Instagram highlights xx

Meet the writer

I'M ELANA JADALLAH

Thanks for reading! I'm a photographer, writer & environmental advocate excited to be sharing regenerative solutions, ideas & concepts for our lives & businesses with you. 

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