Attic Bathrooms The Victorian House

Our Bathroom with the Hand-Painted Floor

Paint went a very long way in the bathroom on the third floor. The biggest change was the tumbling blocks pattern that I painted onto the wood floor, but I also changed out hardware and fixtures while the major pieces remained the same.

Hand-Painted Tumbling Blocks Bathroom Floor | Making it Lovely

Small Bathroom, Black, White, Brass, and Wood | Making it Lovely

The ceiling, walls, and floor were all white before, and the door, dresser, window frame, and toilet seat were oak. The ceiling and walls got a fresh coat of white paint, and I painted the floor pattern in shades of pink and red. I painted the door black, left the dresser as-is, painted the window white, and swapped the toilet seat for a black one with a piano finish.

Painting a DIY Geometric Tumbling Blocks Floor Pattern in a Bathroom | Making it Lovely

Bathroom Before and After | Making it Lovely

I also switched up the art just outside the bathroom. From the hallway, it all works together.

Third Floor Hallway

Between the floor and the paintings in the hall, I thought any art in the bathroom itself ought to be subtle. I printed out and traced an old illustration of tassels, but wanted to stack two frames on top of one another. I kept thinking to myself “I don’t know what to put here.” So I fancied up the text and wrote it in French, bien sûr.

Bathroom with Antique Oval Mirror, Dresser Turned Sink | Making it Lovely

Everyone wants to know about the vases. They are the cutest! They are also way sold out! Sorry. They were from West Elm, but the artist responsible for the collaboration creates and sells other styles on Atelier Stella. And more recently I picked up these ceramic boxes with a bauhaus influence that are on sale and will surely be gone soon as well. Hurry if you like them.

Bathroom with Hand-Painted Tumbling Blocks Floor | Making it Lovely

The door knobs on the entire third floor were switched out to uniform egg & dart knobs that better fit with the original details elsewhere in the Victorian during a round of the One Room Challenge. I also added brass Eastlake hooks to the back of the door for all of the nonexistent towels to hang after all of the nonexistent showers and baths we take in this bathroom. (It function as a powder room for us.) That key is the working key for the lock!

Bathroom with Brass Hardware on a Black Door

The antique dresser is only 17.5″ deep (most bathroom vanities are 21-24″). It is showing its age and has definitely been secured in place, so removing the top and replacing the counter and sink weren’t options I was interested in. That meant I would be using a centerset faucet with the existing sink and I went with this vintage-style brass faucet.

Brass Centerset Bathroom Faucet

After all that brass? Black! I replaced the dresser handles with simple Emtek black porcelain cabinet knobs. This meant there were holes to fill and you’ll find them if you’re really looking, but otherwise it’s not noticeable.

Emtek Black Porcelain Cabinet Knobs

I used 12″ Drawer Pull as towel bar along the side of the dresser. I had the hardest time figuring out where to put the dang towel in this room! Above the toilet? Eh, not all that great. On the wall to the left of the mirror? Tried it with a towel ring. It was OK, but it bugged me and limited my flower-arranging-space (so important, you know). The adjacent wall would have been good, but the light switch is there. The side of the dresser seemed like the best place, even if it’s not ideal.

Rejuvenation Tolson 12" Handle as Small Towel Bar | Making it Lovely

An aside: Magazines are notorious for editing/cropping out the towel! You don’t always realize it until you start looking specifically for ideas on placement and realize that very often, there’s no way to dry your hands. Use your shirt, I guess!

Happy to call this tiny bathroom done. It’s in a dormer popped out of the roofline in our finished attic and I can touch the ceiling with ease, but my it’s cute.

Bathroom with Wood Dresser and Hand-Painted Tumbling Blocks Floor | Making it Lovely

Get the Look

Tumbling Blocks Bathroom Design | Making it Lovely

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  • Jane Miller
    September 13, 2017 at 9:19 pm

    Stunning floor, really finishes it off.

  • Marcie Millholland
    September 13, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    This is awe inspiring. I think sometimes little spaces end up being the best. You were so intentional with every detail – I just love it. I love painted floors and this one is top notch!!

  • Peggi
    September 14, 2017 at 5:27 am

    That floor is the best! Also, I think the towel on the side of the dresser seems quite logical and handy. Lovely!!

  • elizabeth
    September 14, 2017 at 6:13 am

    so pretty! all of it.

  • Deborah Raney
    September 14, 2017 at 6:59 am

    I can’t get enough photos of this great little room! The floor makes an even bigger difference than I thought, seeing the before and after. Fabulous work!

  • Veronica
    September 14, 2017 at 9:26 am

    Is this the bathroom with water damage?

    • Making it Lovely
      September 14, 2017 at 9:39 am

      This is the bathroom that CAUSED the water damage. The pipe draining the tub/shower (which like I said, we don’t use) had a leak, which rained down on the bathroom below. Actually, to be clear, it didn’t cause water damage because we caught it happening and cleaned up immediately. There is however a hole in the beadboard ceiling that we have not repaired because we still may have some issues to attend to. But all the bathrooms are in working order, so yay?

  • Lisa
    September 14, 2017 at 11:46 am

    the floor looks fantastic. What a great idea.

  • Sherry
    September 14, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    Lovely! Just painting out the window and removing the cabinet above the toilet must have made a huge difference.

  • SFDC
    September 14, 2017 at 3:18 pm

    The drawer pull for the towel bar is genius! I have an ikea floating sink/vanity in a cramped hall bathroom, and every wall is tiled so there’s no good place to put a towel bar or ring. I think a drawer pull would totally work!

  • cussot
    September 15, 2017 at 3:37 pm

    I have the same sized dormer bathroom and came up with exactly the same solution for my towels – long drawer pull on the sink cabinet and two vintage hooks on the back of the door. I really like the warmth of the vintage chest of drawers and the new black knobs look great.

  • Lisa
    September 17, 2017 at 10:52 am

    It looks great! The one thing I would have done differently is to paint the trim around the window black, as the toilet seat cover doesn’t have much other black with which to commune.

  • Nancy Canter
    September 18, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    I’ve been following along for years and I must say, I love seeing how your style has developed and matured and I love the idea of your little ones growing up in such beauty!

  • Laura C
    September 22, 2017 at 8:25 am

    Love this design. But I have a practical question. How does one sit on the toilet without banging your knees on the radiator? Maybe it’s the angle of the photos. But it has me wondering. That’s all.

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  • Luke Aaron
    July 20, 2019 at 11:29 am

    Great floor. Love the color combination.

  • SATX Concrete
    September 26, 2020 at 2:08 am

    your bathroom is looking really beautiful. Floors are looking really good. Thanks for sharing!

  • concrete contractor
    October 5, 2020 at 3:40 am

    Wow. Nice floors. I really liked your work. Looking really beautiful.

  • Livermore Concrete Solutions
    February 16, 2021 at 9:04 am

    I love how you designed the bathroom floor. And the ambiance from your bathroom is very relaxing!

  • Concrete Work
    April 27, 2021 at 7:55 pm

    Wow!! I love the hand painted floor! Such an amazing job.