Update Your Bathroom with Some Old-world Flair

What’s old is new again. And what’s new is often made to look old.

Everywhere we turn, something rustic is in demand. People love the character and charm that aged, worked-in touches can add to every room of their home, even the bathroom.

Here are a few simple ideas to update your bathroom with some old-world flair.

Storage Throwbacks

Hit up antique shops and garage sales to find old wooden crates used to ship canned goods, bottles, and even fruit before cardboard took over. These crates are ideal for storing — and hiding — odds and ends like blow dryers, flat irons and other hair styling products. They’re also  great for tucking away toilet paper and towels while keeping them easily accessible for when they’re needed. Look for other vintage accessories, including mirrors, soap dishes or mason jars to hold toothbrushes or combs, while you’re at it.

Reclaimed wood touches

Old wood can breathe new life into any space. Find some old barn boards or beams from demolished buildings and use them to build a frame around the bathroom mirror. A worked and worn two-by-four decked out with a few hooks makes a stylish towel rack or a place to hang bathrobes. Old wood can also be used to construct a new vanity, panelling on walls, or display shelves.  

Play up existing architectural features

Brick and stone are both cornerstones of a rustic look. If you live in an older home, consider peeling back the drywall or plaster and revealing what lies beneath. Exposed brick or hand-hewn stone are nods to a home’s history and style to any space.