It has been a fabulous summer filled with lots of sunshine and extremely warm days. Hence, many days have been spent at the cottage…a place where we have many friends and family visit. It is a small, very old cottage…let’s say vintage… but with many “conveniences” that are appreciated by all who stay! They come for the water, the view and endless laughs. Who can resist the northern Ontario fresh air and these sunsets…
My name is Alana and I am an Associate Decorator with Narrative Interiors in Timmins. My cottage is my favorite place to spend time during our short summers. We tend to do many DIY projects out at the lake and my husband often jokes that I have already started planning the next project as we begin work on the current one.
The word SMALL does not even begin to describe the indoor bathroom we have at the cottage. It is literally 3’ x 5’ and has a shower, pedestal sink, and toilet. We call it the world’s smallest bathroom! With all the company that we get out at the lake we needed to have a space where people can shower and “clean up” away from the kitchen and living space of the main cottage. We decided to turn an old and rough storage shed that is attached to the sleep cabin into a SHOWER SHED.
Before the transformation, it was a space to shove and store a mish mash of everything and housed a second fridge at one point!
Our goal was to maintain the rustic and vintage vibe so we painted the existing wood siding on the one wall in white using an exterior satin enamel and added barnboard to the other walls in a grey wash, purchased at a local hardware store. The plywood ceiling was painted with the same white as the siding and the beams were stained in a dark brown (BEHR Semi-Transparent Padre Brown). Sheet vinyl that looks like 24” x 24” concrete tiles was effortlessly laid over the plywood floor which can be easily maintained throughout the season.
A one-piece fiberglass shower was installed which will withstand the cold winters in an unheated building when not in use.
We hid the unsightly hot water tank but kept easy access to it as well as all the plumbing behind a folding door. Folding doors are not usually on my recommended list of products as they are not the most attractive but in a shed with limited space it turned out to be the best option.
Adding a cabinet and mirror not only fills the space but adds function to the shower shed. Fresh towels and personal products are well stocked for all who visit and stay.
Thinking outside of the box and getting creative with space, especially at the cottage, adds function, value, and style. Are you ready to start your next project?
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