This bathroom had four layers of old flooring, including a top layer of carpet (carpet – in a bathroom!) that had to be removed before we could lay the tile. The layout was changed to make room for a vintage Kohler avocado green bathroom set.

The “post-faux” vanity was found in a neighbor’s garage – a dusty old antique piece that had been refinished in a faux-antique style years ago, then naturally distressed for a second time after years of neglect sitting in a garage. We kept it in that state and simply coated the top – thereby sealing in the layers of chipped paint from all its past lives. Then it was altered to accommodate the twin sinks and plumbing, while still retaining two drawers of usable storage space.

The upper surround of the shower was tiled with salvaged and secondhand remnants of dozens of different tile jobs, incorporating tiles of many different sizes, thicknesses, shades of white, textures, and finishes to make a geometric, Mondrian-style custom mosaic.

The shower and window sills are custom-cut remnants (leftovers from a big kitchen job) from a local granite contractor. The window trim is composed of pieces of Italian marble tile salvaged from a local building before demolition.

The south wall features a large, antique, “reverse-blueprint”-style railroad map of the city of Detroit, mounted on moisture-resistant foamboard.

Floor: retro hex tile, new / Tub, toilet, and sinks: secondhand / Windows: new / Vanity and shelf: salvaged / Mirrors: salvaged and secondhand / Railroad map: salvaged / Baseboards: salvaged onsite/ Other fixtures: salvaged / Building materials: 60% salvaged

The stipulation that there be a full-sized bed on the West wall of this small room made it difficult to find other pieces that could fit. But with a flexible eclecticism and a limited color scheme, we managed to turn it into a striking yet functional guest bedroom, complete with dresser, desk, mirrors, bedstand, cubbies, ottoman, that could be easily converted into a children’s room in the future.

Bed: supplied by client / Overhead light and fan: existing / Wall paint color: existing / Dresser: salvaged / Chair and ottoman: salvaged / Floor and table lamps: salvaged / Wall hangings: series of drawings by local artist, salvaged / Cubbies: salvaged / Desk and bedstand: heirloom