There is a long-standing myth in interior design that small spaces must be painted crisp white to feel larger. But if you want to create a space that feels intentional, memorable, and rich with personality, the opposite is often true.

When our clients came to us wanting a dramatic, high-impact update for their compact bathroom, they had two major requests: bring on the bold design, and keep the existing basketweave tile floor and vintage clawfoot tub.

Here is a look inside the design concept we created to prove that small bathrooms don’t have to play it safe.

The “Before”: A Classic Foundation Lacking Personality

The original bathroom had great bones. A timeless black-and-white basketweave tile floor, a classic clawfoot soaking tub, and traditional beadboard wainscoting. However, the washed-out beige walls, basic pedestal sink, and builders-grade mirror left the room feeling cold, outdated, and underutilized.

Instead of tearing everything out, our goal was to design a concept that celebrated the room’s historic charm while infusing it with modern drama.

Design Strategy: How We Transformed a Small Space

1. Drenching the Space in Deep Forest Green

To make a small room feel grander, going dark can actually work magic. We specified a deep, saturated forest green paint for the wainscoting, trim, doors, and window casings. By wrapping the entire lower two-thirds of the room in one continuous rich color, the visual boundaries of the small footprint blur, making the room feel snug, cozy, and expansive all at once.

Using a bold combination, like orange and green gave this bathroom loads of personality. Here are the colors we chose:

2. Statement Wallpaper That Draws the Eye Upward

Above the dark green board-and-batten paneling, we introduced a large-scale botanical wallpaper featuring oversized leaves in deep green, warm terracotta, and ochre. Using a large-scale pattern in a compact space creates an illusion of height, drawing the eye up toward the ceiling rather than focusing on the room’s square footage.

3. Designing Around Legacy Features

• The Basketweave Tile Floor: Rather than removing the original floor, the high-contrast dark green paneling grounds the black-and-white tile, making it look intentionally vintage rather than outdated.
• The Clawfoot Tub: To tie the original tub into the new palette, we specified painting the tub’s exterior in a bold orange, echoing the warm accent notes in the wallpaper.

4. Doubling Functionality with Double Sinks

Replacing a single pedestal sink with a dark double apron-front vanity added major functional value. Topped with a striking gray-veined marble surface and modern chrome faucets, the new vanity delivers much-needed hidden storage and dual-sink capability without overpowering the room’s traffic flow.

To maximize the small space, using two sinks and two mirrors proportional to the space helps keep the zones clear.

3 Tips for Using Bold Colors in a Small Bathroom

If you’re inspired to bring big personality to a small space, keep these design takeaways in mind:

1. Balance Dark Tones with Contrast: Saturated paint colors need bright elements to balance them out. White porcelain sinks, marble countertops, and warm metallic accents prevent dark rooms from feeling dingy.
2. Go Big on Pattern Scale: Don’t be afraid of large wallpaper prints in small rooms. Small patterns can look busy and cluttered, whereas large-scale motifs feel custom and expansive.
3. Paint the Trim to Match: Painting window frames, baseboards, and doors the same shade as your wall paneling creates a cohesive, high-end look that unifies the space.

Ready for Your Own Transformation?

To get started, schedule a design consultation so we can create a plan for your home. Click the link below to book an appointment.

Final Thoughts

Thank you all for following along! If you’d like to get this blog in your email once a week, please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture at the top of this page. 

If you’ve enjoyed this post, please like FunCycled on  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest if you don’t already. Keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. We share fun tutorials, great before and after, and new design inspirations. 

We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, I only recommend products I genuinely love and trust.

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ; )

Because home is where peace begins.

There is a massive design myth floating around the internet: if a client has a small space, you must paint it bright white and keep it completely minimalist to make it feel bigger.

But what happens when you throw a sharp, awkward attic angle into the mix? You usually end up with a room that feels less like an airy sanctuary and more like a sterile, cramped cave.

When we signed on to tackle this guest bath for our client, we decided to throw the old rulebook out the window. Instead of fighting the architecture, we leaned into it. By pairing moody, high-contrast elements with clever space-saving fixtures, we turned an awkward layout into the most talked-about room in their house.

Whether you are staring down a sloped ceiling of your own or trying to maximize a tiny attic footprint, here is exactly how we mastered this makeover—complete with our exact design board and product links so you can recreate the look!

Here is the concept we pulled together for this bathroom.

The “Before”: Beige, Boring, and Cramped

Let’s be honest: builder-grade bathrooms love a sea of beige. Our client’s original bathroom was drowning in muted tones, dated faux-wood flooring, and zero personality.

Beyond the outdated aesthetics, the layout had some serious functional flaws that were driving our client crazy:

• The Over-Sized Vanity: The original laminate countertop was far too wide for the sloped wall, making the sink area feel crowded and cutting off the room’s physical flow
• The Shadow Effect: The traditional multi-bulb light fixture over the mirror cast harsh, awkward shadows thanks to the angled ceiling.
• The Claustrophobic Shower: The old shower featured a dated chrome frame and textured frosted glass that blocked light and shrunk the room instantly

The Strategy: Embrace the Angle

Our goal wasn’t to hide the sloped ceiling for our client; it was to make it the star of the show. We designed a dramatic, high-contrast palette: deep charcoal walls to add depth, offset by crisp white vertical wainscoting to keep the room grounded.

Here is how it all came together:

1. The Small-Scale Vanity & Bold Feature Wall

To open up the walkway, we swapped out the bulky original vanity for a narrower, rustic wood vanity with a dark stone top and industrial black hardware.

Next we turned the sharp slope into a feature wall by installing a whimsical, framed-dog portrait wallpaper (our client absolutely loved this touch of personality!). Instead of a traditional vanity light that fights the ceiling angle, we utilized a sleek, circular LED backlit mirror. It provides flawless lighting without taking up a single inch of wall space.

Adding greenery (even faux) offers touches of nature to your bathroom. This will help create a peacefulness and keep your design grounded.

2. The Custom Frameless Shower

A huge game-changer was the shower overhaul. We completely removed the dated metal tracking and installed a clean, black-framed clear glass enclosure.

Inside, we used classic bright white subway tile on the walls to bounce light around, but gave it a modern edge with a matte black showerhead and a graphic, dark-patterned floor tile.

Keeping your fixtures cohesive creates an elevated and modern feel to any space.

3. Graphic Flooring to Tie it Together

To make a small bathroom feel high-end, using strong focal points offers a designer touch and thoughtful approach, making your space feel intentional. To accomplish this, we not only added the bold wallpaper but we decided to pait it with a high contrast floor tile. This bold pattern helps pull together the black and white shower install and you need a strong focal point underfoot. We carried a bold, geometric starburst tile across the main floor. Because the vertical wainscoting breaks up the dark paint and the patterned tile, the busy floor feels intentional and high-end rather than overwhelming.

4. The Secret Weapon: A Custom Door & Shiplap walls

When you’re dealing with tight angles and a small footprint, every single inch matters—including the doorway. A standard door swing would have eaten up half of our client’s usable floor space or constantly banged into the fixtures. To solve the layout puzzle, we added a custom door that fits the space perfectly without sacrificing style or privacy.

Three Rules for Your Sloped-Ceiling Remodel

If you are currently planning your own small bathroom remodel with sloped ceiling, keep these three designer takeaways in mind:

1. Rethink Your Doors and Vanities: Shaving just a few inches off your vanity depth or swapping a standard door for a custom space-saving solution can completely transform the traffic flow of a tight bathroom.
2. Make the Angled Wall an Accent: Don’t paint it out and hope it disappears. Use wallpaper or a statement paint color to make the architecture look entirely intentional.
3. Invest in Clear Glass: If you have a small bathroom, frosted glass is your enemy. Clear glass instantly doubles the perceived size of the room by letting your eyes see all the way to the back wall.

Love this bathroom and want to find similar products? Shop the whole collection below.

Ready for Your Own Transformation?

To get started, schedule a design consultation so we can create a plan for your home. Click the link below to book an appointment.

Did you know? Project Management is Just as Important

At FunCycled, we can also project manage your design project. Whether you are renovating your bathroom, updating your kitchen, or adding on to a part of house, there are so many details that need to be considered and properly managed to assure your project goes according to plan and executed well! Communication and detail management are key to accomplishing this, and FunCycled can do this for you.

As project managers, we ensure your project stays on schedule. These are the details we will ensure: smooth communication with your contractor and any vendors required for your project, ensure proper layout and installation, coordinate details for deliveries, take care of ordering products to mitigate incorrect products, and provide oversight to the full scope of the project.

Final Thoughts

Thank you all for following along! If you’d like to get this blog in your email once a week, please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture at the top of this page. 

If you’ve enjoyed this post, please like FunCycled on  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest if you don’t already. Keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. We share fun tutorials, great before and after, and new design inspirations. 

We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, I only recommend products I genuinely love and trust.

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ; )

Because home is where peace begins.

When we first met our clients, Heather and Brian, we knew it would be such a wonderful experience working with them! They were truly excited about having a fresh take on their bathroom and really willing to trust the process of design.

In reviewing their bathroom with them, we noted some key elements that needed change: 1) it was outdated; 2) the shower was way too small; 3) there was a lack of storage; and 4) the bathroom had absolutely no personality. After discussing some of the hopes and needs, we went to work on planning a stunning at-home spa experience for these well-deserving clients!

Given the details our clients shared with us, we leaned into a modern farmhouse aesthetic for the bathroom. Here’s the design board we created to envision a new retreat for our clients. The design feels grounded, clean, and just a little bit indulgent.

YOU CAN SHOP THIS DESIGN BOARD HERE

The Bold Move: Swapping the Tub for a Luxury Walk-In

The centerpiece of this renovation is the massive walk-in shower. We said goodbye to the barely used tub area and cramped shower and hello to a custom tiled sanctuary.

Here is the before of a cramped shower and not so very big tub. Both really not accommodating for this family.

And here is the transformation. Oversized shower with simple but thoughtfully designed storage cabinet.

• The Setup: We installed two overhead showerheads (because why fight for the warm water?) and a built-in bench seat for that true spa experience.

• The Vibe: The entire space is encased in a black paned shower enclosure. It provides that “industrial edge” that keeps the farmhouse look from feeling too “country.”

• The Execution: To really embody the luxury feel for this bathroom, we paired deep gray tiles with dark grout with the black shower fixtures – all within the stunning paned shower enclosure. Together, these really create an elevated and luxury feel.

Storage That Doesn’t Look Like… Storage

One of the biggest pain points in any bathroom is clutter. We solved this with two strategic moves:

1. The Arched Cabinet: Tucked right next to the shower, this adds architectural interest while housing fresh towels and a few “just for looks” decor pieces.

2. The Hidden Gems: We swapped standard mirrors for round medicine cabinet mirrors. You get the sleek, circular look that breaks up the sharp lines of the tile, plus a secret spot for your toothpaste and skincare.

Warmth Meets Industrial: The Vanity & Tile

To keep the black accents and deep grays from feeling too cold, we brought in a rustic wood double vanity. The soft brown tones provide that “organic” feel that is essential to a modern farmhouse.

We also took the tile work up a notch, literally. We tiled the floor in a grounding gray with clean lines and then ran white subway tile halfway up the walls on three sides of the bathroom. It’s a classic design trick that protects your walls and makes the room feel significantly more expensive than it actually was.

When working with a palette of black, warm white, and deep gray, texture is your best friend. The wood grain in the vanity is what makes this room feel like a home rather than a hotel.

pro tip from the funcycled design team

Shop the Look

Love the pieces we used? You can source the exact items (or our favorite alternatives) for your own home below:

Ready for Your Own Transformation?

Whether you are staring at a 1990s honey-oak vanity or a tub you haven’t used since 2012, we’re here to help. Our team doesn’t just dream up the design, we work with you to help bring the vision to life!

To get started, schedule a design consultation so we can create a plan for your home. Click the link below to book an appointment.

Did you know? Project Management is Just as Important

At FunCycled, we can also project manage your design project. Whether you are renovating your bathroom, updating your kitchen, or adding on to a part of house, there are so many details that need to be considered and properly managed to assure your project goes according to plan and executed well! Communication and detail management are key to accomplishing this, and FunCycled can do this for you. That is exactly what FunCycled did for this project, and can do for your project as well.

As project managers, we ensure your project stays on schedule. These are the details we will ensure: smooth communication with your contractor and any vendors required for your project, ensure proper layout and installation, coordinate details for deliveries, take care of ordering products to mitigate incorrect products, and provide oversight to the full scope of the project.

Final Thoughts

Thank you all for following along! If you’d like to get this blog in your email once a week, please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture at the top of this page. 

If you’ve enjoyed this post, please like FunCycled on  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest if you don’t already. Keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. We share fun tutorials, great before and after, and new design inspirations. 

We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, I only recommend products I genuinely love and trust.

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ; )

Because home is where peace begins.

Hi Friends!

How’s your week going? I hope you’re enjoying all the holiday festivities!

This weekend, my girl had her first ever figure skating performance and did such a great job. She loved every minute and I loved every minute, too. The smile that never left her face was priceless. Oh my heart, my heart! 💕

Today I wanted to show you a quick bathroom makeover we did for one of our interior design clients. 

Here’s the bathroom before: 

Our client’s didn’t want to have to remove the vanity but we wanted to give the space a fresh, new look. We painted the vanity Brewster Gray by Benjamin Moore. Then John built a custom mirror for above the vanity and they installed a new light. 

Brewster Gray Bathroom Vanity 

Painted Brewster Gray Vanity

Custom Built Mirror 

There will be more before and afters to share from this beautiful home soon! For now, if you have a home you’d like transformed, please let us know! 

You can use our Contact Us form to reach out to us or check out other projects on our Interior Design page or Furniture For Sale page. 

Also, check out our store for new furniture available this week:

Kitchen Cabinet Painting

Antique Piano Desk

Green Campaign Dresser

Gray Mid Century Dresser

Black Dresser

Gray Hutch

There is a box at the top right of this page to enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Please sign up today!

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

If you like what you see, please like FunCycled’s Facebook page to keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. Last but not least, let us customize a furniture piece for you. We create custom furniture and will deliver for customers in upstate NY and also ship throughout the US. Send us a note with what you would like using our contact page. Or buy something that we’ve already designed from our furniture for sale page.