If you've been following my bathroom journey on Instagram, you know that we've been dealing with a major bathroom renovation. About a year ago our two bathtubs were so stopped up that no matter what we tried we couldn't get the water to drain. So, we had to call our plumber. Both of our bathrooms are back to back and mirror each other... so the sinks, toilets, and tubs share all the plumbing through the wall. It was probably really easy 60 years ago when they built our home. BUT, I'm not sure they thought through the bathtub plumbing very well. 

When our plumber showed up he ran snake after snake through every access point he could for hours.. and could NOT get that water to drain. So, he called in another plumber with bigger tools to take a look at it. That plumber tried everything he could ... but ultimately had to pull out our tub, the surround, and the drywall. 

It turns out, that because the tubs are back to back, the snake could not get up into the actual drain pipe to unclog. It had to be able to go around a bend, but it couldn't because of the pipes coming from the other bathtub. Fun times. So, we've been without our second tub/shower for nearly a year now. It wouldn't be bad... and usually it isn't, but it's tricky to get all 6 of us bathed and showered in one bathroom. 

Well, we are finally getting moving on the bathroom. We had to treat for termites in there, cut out and replace the termite damaged studs, and save up some money to be able to get it all done. I have spent LOTS of time sorting through photos and products trying to decide what I wanted to do. 

My design style is a combination of modern farmhouse and rustic farmhouse... with hints of cottage. If that makes any sense. Today I'm sharing my top 10 Farmhouse Bathroom Must Haves. Hopefully this will help any of you who are working on a bathroom remodel... or dreaming of one! 

Subway tile comes is many colors and different styles. You can get beveled or straight edges. Some tiles are textured, some are flat. But, I like to stick to white. I like the clean and simple look it gives. As far as installation, you have lots of options. Hop over to Simply Sara D.  and she shares these ideas for the kinds of patterns you can use to create your shower walls. My personal favorite it the Horizontal Offset. 

If you are lucky to live in a larger home where you can have both a shower and a tub, I am totally jealous. My master bathroom is 5 feet by 8 feet. It's tiny, so we opt for a bathtub and shower combo. A bathtub is a must though, so if you can get a stand alone tub, do it! 

A beautiful claw foot tub just screams farmhouse. Especially this one from Vintage Tub and Bath. Look at those black iron feet. They are gorgeous! I love the faucet too ... we'll get to that.... 

When you look at an original farmhouse, most of the furniture was handmade. There was no IKEA or Lowe's for the families to shop. Instead, they either handmade their own furniture or enlisted the help of carpenters and wood working in their town. If you gravitate towards a modern farmhouse, a white or light gray vanity would be beautiful! Cherished Bliss did an awesome job with their bathroom remodel and their gray vanity is perfect! 

If you are embracing the DIY, there are tons of vanity building plans out there. Just search DIY Vanity on Pinterest and a billion ideas come up. You can really pick and choose the size, style, and materials that speak to you. I love the clean lines, but rustic feel of this vanity. 

In our case, we will be designing and building our own custom vanity. Our current one is 24" wide, which is standard, but with the limited space we have, there are only a few inches between the vanity and the tub. So, I'm planning to go with 20-22" width instead. I haven't figured out all of the specifics, but I will share our building process and the plans once we get to work. 

This is a topic that could go several ways. Most people will agree that tile in the bathroom is a much better option than hard wood. Over time, when the wood gets wet repeatedly it will rot and wear and you don't want that. You can get the same look of wood, even a rustic paint chipped style, by using a long tile. Big box stores like Lowe's and Home Depot carry lots of options when it comes to wood plank tile. You can also find fantastic options online like these from Wayfair. 

Another style that you will see a lot in renovations is to use an encaustic tile for the floor. If you want an over the top design this is the style you want to choose. It really makes your floor stand out, which is good if the rest of your bathroom is fairly neutral. This design is available at Home Depot. So you can go grab a couple tiles and lay them out in your space to see if you like it. 

True farmhouse style would have you choose all black or aged bronze fixtures. These can be pricey and there aren't a ton op options out there... though there are a lot more now thanks to Joanna Gaines. If you want something specific, you will likely have to shop online. 

These matte black vanity lights can be used indoor or outdoor. You can hang just one over your sink(s) or cluster two or three of them for a longer vanity. 

Again, the matte black is the best farmhouse style choice when it comes to all hardware and fixtures. This is a great option for a wall mounted faucet. 

If you are looking for one to mount on your vanity top, this is another great option.

You cannot renovate a bathroom without considering the vanity mirror. It sits are eye level, so everyone sees it, and it can really add so much to the space. If you are short on natural light sources, a mirror can help to reflect the light and brighten up your bathroom. If you have a small bathroom and want to make it feel bigger, a nice sized mirror can help with that. Plus, if you can use it to hide some storage in the wall. Seriously, a bathroom vanity mirror is magical. 

Sarah from Must Have Mom shows how to take a contractor grade mirror and spruce it up to create the perfect farmhouse mirror! 

Again, this is going to depend on the size of your bathroom, but my favorite way to store bath towels is on a hook. 

We actually sell these matte black farmhouse hooks in our Etsy shop. They come with longer black screws and hold a lot... because trust me, my kids hang everything on their bathroom hooks (towels, bathing suits, more bathing suits... ).

If you have additional space, consider some antique storage furniture for extra towels, wash cloths, etc. Or, have a built in shelf system created like this one to house all those extra linens and soaps. 

You will want to find something that mimics the look of your faucet to help tie everything together. So, if you use a rubbed bronze faucet, you'll want a rubbed bronze shower set. Brushed nickel? Brushed nickel. Matte black? Matte black, etc. 

I found this one that matches the black faucet that I liked. I love how it comes with both a rain shower head and the hand held one for washing your back or children. 

Now, there is nothing that says you can't just paint your walls and be done, but I'm focusing on farmhouse style... so we are going to dress up those walls a bit! 

The easiest, and most traditional way would be to add white shiplap to your walls. You can use actual shiplap or you can use 1/4" strips of plywood to create yours. Whatever works best for you and your budget. 

(Haven)

You could also try out one of the latest crazes that's sweeping Instagram... sponge painting your wall. I'm not talking about the movement in the 90's where everyone was adding the textured wall look with sponge painting.. nope.. this one is way easier and looks amazing! 

(The Clover Home)

Well, there you go. My top 10 farmhouse bathroom must haves. If I missed anything let me know! If you have something to add to my list, please leave a comment below and let me know!