Bouquets In The Bathroom

When I was little, my all time favorite family trips were the ones we took to my grandparents' house in Massachusetts.

The place was magical.

A big old Victorian styled home, built around the turn of the century, filled with charm. And very, very cool rooms.

I wish I had pictures.

There was the dreamy kitchen that was more like a sitting room and the model for my own kitchen.

The butler's pantry with a sink and built-ins full of dishes. It opened up to the dining room, a space filled with more built-ins, and a swinging door that made serving easier.

There was a huge front staircase, with wide steps and a banner made for sliding and a back stairway from the kitchen up to the second floor.

However, with all these amazing rooms, and I mean amazing...fireplaces in the bedrooms, red velvet drapes and columns in the living room and an attic that boasted another fireplace...my favorite place was the bathroom.

Yup.

Crazy, I know. Why would a kid love an old Victorian bathroom?


Well, to be fair, I really didn't. Not back then anyway.

My favorite room when I was small, was the den. The player piano that presently sits in my living room, was there and we would sit and peddle away for hours.

No. I didn't start to love that bathroom, until I started looking for a home of my own.

The cottages in our desired neighborhood were very old. The had original accents, detailed moulding, quirky spaces. And very small bathrooms. Very small.

It was all a little shocking.

The bathrooms I envisioned were like my grandmother's. Clawfoot tub, wooden floor, original pull chain toilets, a vanity...and room for chairs and cupboards and other fun decor. 

Sure that circular shower curtain stuck to all sides of you when you tried to shower in the freestanding tub, but that was a small price to pay for all that space. 

The bathrooms grown up me was looking at were boring. No character whatsoever. And no room to add any either. Toilet, tub, vanity and maybe a little room for a tissue box. The end.

For a girl whose first love is design, none of that was appealing.

But the pull to live near the beach was stronger than my desire for a big bathroom, so I made due.

I added decor where I could fit it, pretty accents, mostly in the hallway bathroom, since it was it was largely unused. Of course, when the kids came along that all changed. Anything decorative on the counter had to go.

As they've gotten older, it's only gotten worse. The room needs to function and toothbrushes and soap have replaced flower pots and candles.


So when we renovated that bathroom two summers ago, I had to get creative. I mean aren't the decor accessories the best part?

That's what truly defines the style of a space. The magic is in the details.

And I wanted accents. I wanted I wanted candles and, most of all, I wanted flowers.

So I added them. On the wall.


It was easy to do. I just found a picture I liked online and printed it out. I found my roses at The Navage Patch for free.

You can use cardstock if you like, but I used computer paper.

The frame was from Michael's. I picked it up with a coupon so it was 40% off. I always use the coupons.

The challenge was to find a style I liked, one that fit the vibe of the bathroom. Especially since I envisioned the frame as the vase.


I needed one that would hold my flowers in a way that complemented the vintage style floor tiles, antique hardware and wooden countertop.

A distressed and knotted number proved to be a perfect fit.


When I made a new curtain for my master bathroom, it was a good excuse to replace the old wreath in there with some wall flowers, too.

Another print, another frame. You get the idea.


They didn't interfere with the functionality of the room, they didn't take up precious counter space and I could "refill those vases" whenever the whim struck.

Like during the holidays.

For some, I made my own printable.

For other holidays, I went online and looked for free ones to download. There are so many out there. 

There are also very reasonable ones for sale. I like those when I want something larger than the standard printer paper size.

Does it increase the square footage of my bathroom? No. Of course, not. I could still fit about 4 of my bathrooms into that one at granny's.


But it does add a lot of charm. A bright spot of sunshine in a windowless room and a vintage air.

Like that beautiful room I remember.

Just without the sticky shower curtain.

And between you and me, I'm ok with that. 😉