As some of you know, one of my many hats is that of a decor consultant. I'd like to share with you the first bathroom renovation which started my tile obsession! What can I say? Some girls go crazy shopping for shoes, I love to help people shop for granite and marble...

This bathroom morphed from a cold, dated gray and white box into an inviting, current atmosphere hinting at old world charm. To achieve this natural look, we selected a creamy Jerusalem limestone for the floor and the tub surround (12 x 12 inch on the floor, 6 x 6 in. in the tub). To add interest and movement, the tub area tile was set horizontally on the lower half, then diagonally on the upper part.

The "stripes" in the tub - applied to separate the change in tile direction - were achieved with 1 x 1 inch black mosaic marble tile; accented with quads (4 1 x 1's) of the mosaics. A handful of 2 x 2 inch Italian glass accent tile were randomly arranged on the floor to lend depth, color, and continuity with the black marble and the black vanity (not visible in final pictures, but see tile samples in picture on right).

The mushroom wall color reflected the deepest shades in the limestone. It was easy to add texture by using a carved wooden picture frame, natural window treatment (see reflection in mirror) and a basket-weave tissue box. The burgundy soap dispenser and pot pourri dish, along with a set of towels in a floor basket (not pictured) picked up a red undertone in the antiqued black vanity paint; this also gave a nice pop of unexpected color and warmth to the room.

To soften the hard angles of this bathroom, we used an oval shaped mirror which also mimics the sink shape. The final touch of the "jungle" shower curtain and towels, i.e. leopard print, pulled all the neutral colors together while adding whimsy and personality. The shape of the leopard print is similar to the abstract shapes in the Italian glass tile. 

If you have a bathroom that needs updating but don't know where to begin, then check out this quick slide-show for ideas and inspiration... Anything is possible! Sorry for the one blurry picture, but you can clearly see the dramatic before and after transformation.