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Before Margaret Williamson even attempted to transform her guest bathroom, she had her hands full. In addition to running House of Modern Vintage, Williamson and her husband have spent the past two years renovating their circa-1850s New Orleans home—all while raising a three-year-old and wrangling two pugs. Every inch of the property became a project, and this room was the last on their list.
“I originally planned to renovate the entire bathroom,” she says. “But honestly, I didn’t want to invest any more money into a room only a few people would use, and I was losing my mind with the never-ending construction.”
The last time the bathroom had been touched was sometime in the 1980s, and whoever did it had a thing for Dynasty-era luxury. A beige trio—consisting of a sunken tub, pedestal sink, and toilet—was surrounded by terracotta-hued marble that stretched across the floors and about a third of the way up the walls. The shower was enclosed in its own mausoleum, as mixed metals and stained wallpaper were cast in an unflattering light. “It had a very ornate ‘Roman bathhouse’ aesthetic,” Williamson remembers. “It was intense.”
Despite how dated it was, Williamson was done with big overhauls—and didn’t have the $20,000 their contractor quoted for a gut job anyway. “I decided to try and soften what was there,” Williamson says. Here’s how she did it on a budget, sans sledgehammer.
When in Doubt, Add Wallpaper
The prior renovation, some thirty-odd years ago, also made use of wallpaper. It was subdued with a flourished trim, which created too much of a contrast with the marble base. Williamson scrolled Pinterest for ideas, and came across a wallpapered bathroom that she wanted to emulate. “I thought vintage-style wallpaper would enhance the marble but, fingers crossed, not look dated,” she says. “I was trying to find something in the toile family but not too much, because I thought that would throw me back into the dated look I started with.”
Williamson found a peel-and-stick vinyl option of verdant willows under a blue sky, and applied the panels from the ceiling to the top of the marble wainscoting—very carefully, in some areas. “I was a little scared to have to prop the ladder on top of a bathtub overlooking a second-floor window,” she says. “But once I got the old wallpaper down, I could see more potential.” The subtle-yet-striking print actually enhances the marble, which was exactly what Williamson had in mind.
Swap in Sleeker Fixtures
Williamson pulled out the existing toilet and sink for updated versions, and installed a streamlined bath faucet that coordinated with the new vanity’s hardware. Those components make the room feel airier against the wraparound stone, while the improved lighting provides a more flattering glow. Aside from can lights in the ceiling, Williamson added two modern sconces above the sink and a vintage pendant over the tub.
“For the sconces, I tried to find fabric patterns with coral in it to tie back to the marble coloring,” she says. That small detail helps tie the palette together.
Style With What You Already Own
Since this project was all about finding budget-friendly fixes, it figures that Williamson would shop her own vintage collection for the rest of the bathroom. She tucked a basket inherited from her grandparents beneath the sink and rolled out antique rugs just waiting to be placed in the right room. While she worked, she had a large art print and a plant delivered from Target. “I just roamed around my house and Insta-carted,” she says, with a laugh. “I wanted it done.”
When it came to placing a mirror between the sconces, she took another cue from the past owners and hung up what they left behind. “It blends in with the wallpaper, and I liked the idea of having a piece of the house from before we lived here,” she says. Sometimes the smartest makeover is all about knowing what not to change.