The Tile Pattern Risk That REALLY Paid Off In This Kids' Bathroom

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The Tile Pattern Risk That REALLY Paid Off In This Kids’ Bathroom

Today

First, I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who read and commented on last week’s post about our primary bathroom! Your kind words really meant so much. I’m not a regular writer on the blog, as you know, so it’s still a little nerve-wracking for me to put myself and our home out there—but hearing from you sure makes it fun!

Today, I’m excited to share our daughters’ bathroom! When you last heard from me back in July, I gave a little peek at the space pre-demo, but here’s a quick refresher.

Honestly, compared to the primary bathroom, the girls’ wasn’t quite as bad. I mean, both were pretty bad, but the condition of the tile in this one wasn’t quite as tragic—and it’s a slightly larger space overall. Unlike the primary, where we had to take down a wall, this one was more straightforward: rip out the old, bring in the new, and make it feel fresh again.

Here was our moodboard for the space…

If you remember, designing this bathroom felt way more challenging to me than working on our primary. I think there are a few reasons for that. First, when we have guests over, this is the bathroom they’re more likely to see. Some of our friends didn’t even realize we had a bathroom off our bedroom until our reveal last week! (Ha!)

We also have a half bath off the kitchen that we quickly updated during our big main floor remodel—we carried the hardwood floors in, painted it white, added an inexpensive vanity, and called it good. It’s teeny-tiny, but it definitely has potential. I’m kind of hoping to give it a little refresh in the New Year—maybe some fun wallpaper? Stay tuned.

Anyway, since more people are likely to see the girls’ bathroom than the primary, designing it carried a little extra pressure. I wanted it to feel fun and playful for them now, but as I mentioned in my previous post, also a space that won’t feel too “little girl” as they get older. If I’m being honest, I’m not totally sure I’ve nailed that balance—but for now, it’s pretty cute 🙂

The Tile Saga

The morning our tile installers arrived, my husband and I both had a brief moment of panic. I was about to head out for a shoot when he came rushing in, asking, “Are you completely sure you want to do the patterned tile in the girls’ bathroom and not just a solid?” Truthfully, I’d been second-guessing it myself—should we go checkered, vertical stripe, horizontal stripe? I had just shared our bathroom plans here on the blog a couple of weeks earlier, and all the feedback about the tile pattern had me questioning things. Should we just play it safe and go with a solid?

When my husband admitted he wasn’t sure if he was sold on the checkered layout either, I started to worry we’d be making a mistake. We ran out to the garage to count how much of the yellow tile we had, and realized we were just a couple of boxes short of being able to pivot and go all solid yellow. Thankfully, we didn’t have enough to change course—because in the end, the pattern completely transformed the space (as you can see in these process shots, we went with checkered). It brings such a playful vibe to the space, and now I can’t imagine it any other way. My husband and I are both so happy with the result.

Alright, here’s where things got a little tricky for me. It might have been because I’ve never designed a bathroom before and wasn’t totally clear in my communication with our subcontractors—or maybe because I have a hard time speaking up in situations like this—but when I got home from work the day the tile install began, something around the niches immediately felt off. I loved how the tile itself was looking, so I tried to convince myself it would all come together once the grout was in. (I know, I know—I should’ve said something right then.) But once they finished grouting, it was clear the niche situation wasn’t improving.

Maybe this sounds dramatic, but I was so bummed. We loved the tile, the color, everything—except that one detail. It felt like I’d completely failed the project (renovation emotions are so, so real). In my mind, it was done, set in grout, and we’d just have to live with it. I texted Emily a flood of photos over the weekend while she patiently talked me off the ledge (I’m fully aware this is a very privileged problem), and she simply said, “Why don’t you just call your tile guy and see if he can fix it?” It honestly hadn’t even occurred to me that it was an option. Again, I sometimes have a hard time speaking up in these types of situations. But sure enough, he came back the next day, fixed it, and was so kind about the whole thing.

Alright, that’s all for reno drama. I think it’s time for the final reveal…

We’re so grateful to AllModern for gifting us so many beautiful fixtures for this space. We love how simple and playful this vanity is. The sides are doors, and the middle section is drawers, giving us plenty of storage for all the knick-knacks, jewelry, headbands, and hair ties that my 8- and 5-year-old girls collect.

You may notice a small change from our original mood board—I swapped out the large pill-shaped medicine cabinet for this smaller mirror. I wasn’t sure the original shape would work with the other elements in the bathroom. Maybe down the line I’ll be bummed on not having a medicine cabinet in here, but for now, this mirror feels just right.

Light Fixture

I found this cute little light fixture on Etsy. Again, on a dimmer, of course 🙂

For the floor, we went with a sweet 2×2 tile in Ivory Gloss, and on the shower walls, we mixed 4×4 tiles in Tumbleweed and Haystack. Just like in the primary bathroom, we stuck with Alabaster grout throughout, which brightens the whole space and makes the pattern pop. Honestly, now comes the real test—keeping it clean. I’m already doing daily wipe-downs, but truly, it’s worth it for how fresh and happy this bathroom feels.

Pink Tile | Yellow Tile | Shower Set

As I mentioned before, I’d planned to stay away from anything too pink—but clearly, that kind of went out the window. Once we started looking at paint colors, we decided to just lean in. We tested a bunch of shades, from pale blushes to darker pinks, but Pinky Beige by Sherwin-Williams ended up being the perfect in-between. It’s warm and cozy without feeling heavy, and just different enough from the floor so it doesn’t feel too matchy-matchy.

And just like in the primary bathroom, we decided to panel the walls here too. It adds so much warmth and texture—honestly, it gives the space way more character than plain painted drywall ever could.

Towels | Towel Rack

This bathroom had zero natural light and felt very sad, especially pre-remodel. But the moment that the Velux skylight went in, it was a total game-changer. Instantly, the space felt brighter and so much happier. Who knew a little window in the ceiling could make such a big difference? Thank you again, Velux!

Skylight

And that’s a wrap! I said it last week, but thank you, Em, for this opportunity—for your trust, your partnerships, and for letting me share a little glimpse of my little design journey without totally messing it up. And of course, a huge thanks again to Afore, AllModern, and Fireclay for making this space feel so special!

*Design and Photos by Kaitlin Green