Why is there a pedestal sink in that corner and no sink over the vanity?

I'd add a sink to the vanity and put a linen closet or some kind of storage where the pedestal sink is currently.

thats a great question! I have no idea why they did that!

You have a really nice blank slate to work with — tan tiles can go with just about anything.

What about wallpaper? A nice pattern might help distract from the tile not lining up, as well as bring interest in.

I have quite a few papered bathroom photos saved on my IG that I think fit the styles you like. If you do like any of them, you can check out the related IG pages for more (and clearer) photos of the rooms:

For the window, lots of options …. cafe curtains, bamboo shade, Roman shade, indoor wood shutters, etc. I’d figure out the direction the room will be going in first.

I do love cafe curtains or cafe shutters in bathrooms. Super charming.

This is a sweet fabric:

And Etsy has so many great options for ready made or custom Roman shades/cafe curtains/etc in tons of colors and patterns.

I would not choose wallpaper because of the stairstep tile around the toilet :(

in addition to a new sink, I'd upgrade the wall storage unit, maybe get a cool freestanding towel rack, and some art and a great runner rug. And keep going with the plants!

“I would not choose wallpaper because of the stairstep tile around the toilet :(”

That’s one reason I suggested it. It could be a charming distraction from the tile installation (which doesn’t bother me at all, but does bother the OP).

The first pic I posted shows how paper can look installed at varying heights and widths around a room, pretending the beadboard is tile.

A lovely paint color is certainly another option, if the OP doesn’t want wallpaper in there, or it’s cost prohibitive.

With the right decor elements, I think the tile won’t be as much of a focus for them …. rather a nice, subtle, neutral backdrop. That’s why I posted so many photos — maybe (hopefully) some of them will inspire in some way, with or without the idea of wallpaper.

I always assumed we couldn't use wallpaper in a full bath due to the steam- but looking at the reference pictures it looks great! For the sake of longevity I wonder if I could even stamp or paint a pattern..

Also I don't think I can move the sink without a plumber- we can do basic things ourselves but we have geothermal in-floor heating, so moving plumbing involves cutting through concrete - Sadly I think the sink will be staying as is. Changing out the cabinet for something else would be fine though! Hmm..

The two biggest eyesores for me are the shower glass and the mirror. I'd splurge on getting the shower glass replaced with something far less obtrusive, Or simply put in a curved shower rod with a nice shower curtain. Then find a framed mirror and a nicer overhead light.

But yeah, it's totally weird that they didn't put a sink in the vanity. Don't spend a lot of money on this. Save up for a full remodel down the road.

Are there any leftover wall tiles that could fill the gap over the toilet? IME, previous owners often don't mind if you ask where they may have put spare tiles, if you've looked in the usual places (basement, garage, outdoor storage sheds, etc.).

This may be the most "confused" bathroom that I've seen posted on here! It's definitely is not the worst looking one - it just has some really odd choices (like the pedestal sink shoved in next to the shower when there is a nice vanity - without a sink - over on the other wall).

I really don't understand why they put in those floor tiles if they weren't replacing the other tile in the room.

Anyway -

You could remove the wall tiles - and then either replace/repair the drywall OR use beadboard (or board and batten) over the damaged drywall that will be left. You could bring the beadboard up highest level of tile - and then use a wallpaper similar to the ones Jilly has shown + paint the beadboard a light color from the wallpaper. Reducing the amount of the tan tile seems like it would be a big improvement. If the wallpaper is coordinated with the tan tile, the beadboard could be painted a color that is close to the tile color (so the bathtub surround doesn't stick out - and blends instead).

Whatever you do, I wouldn't spend a lot of money if you think that you will renovate the bathroom in the next few years. I know some people who have painted tile - if the tile was the same color as the walls, the odd way they've used it on the walls wouldn't stick out so much. The shower door is probably the biggest eyesore to me - using a pretty fabric as a shower curtain to cover the door for now would be a good idea.

Given that there's a toilet on the same wall as the vanity, you have at least a cold water supply somewhere on that wall. What is on the other side of this wall and is anything above it?

The other side of that wall is our living room, this is all on the upper level of our home. I really am not bothered by the vanity without the sink anymore - it did bother me when we first moved in but now it's a great place to get ready when my husband is using the sink. I can also lay down my baby up there to towel her off after a bath. Honestly the tile and the dated shower are the most annoying here for me and trying to find out fixtures/wall colours etc to suit them and give it some style. I like the beadboard idea but the thought of demoing the tile is a bit overwhelming. Might be the thing to do though! I will try and get the patterning off the shower door and maybe just order plain frosted sheets for the glass. I have a toddler that likes to shower and I dont think a curtain alone would hold up 😅

They make frosted window and glass film that would be cheaper than replacing glass. Don't spend big bucks on small fixes that won't really change up the space.

I second the motion for wallpaper to blur the line between wall and tile and bring the color/pattern to the ceiling.

Black light fixtures would also draw the eye up and be the focal point esp. two black sconces over the tub against the wallpaper-- wow.

Something like this paper posted above has your pink in it and a pattern to extend the tile visually.

Paint the walls the exact color of the floor. Paint the vanity the white of the woodwork in semi gloss finish. Keep the hardware.

Your inspiration photos are so disparate. I don't get the connection with the bathroom you can't remodel.

Your kitchy inspos : ) have nothing to do with the bath, or any bath.

They're about color, boho, shabby chic, cottage.

A bath needs to function. The pedestal sink, crowding a shower , no matter how fun, needs to go. Save money, paint the walls, add a little window treatment and wait.Hang art wherever you like. No matter what you do now? The annoying features will still be there.

I'm with Sabrina, above.

Jan, I just saw you complaining about Instagram screen shots on another thread … curious why? What’s the difference between those and any other inspiration photos to try to help an OP?

I post screenshots often from IG, again just trying to help, is that yet another no-no here I wasn’t aware of? It’s hard to keep up.

The reason I’m asking here is because I want to know if my inspo pics bother the OP. If they do, I’ll delete my post.

You can't blow up a screen shot on the computer. A jpeg enlarges with a CLICK! The phone may allow the tap/ finger spread, but they are really annoying on a laptop or big screen desktop.

That said? I get that so many use the phone for everything....build a darn house with it! I know not one Pro who uses it for serious design, needing more space, and even PAPER! lol. : ) which is different than saying, " hang on, let me shoot you a pic sort of like my idea".......

Jilly I'm not sure of the "rules" of this site but your inspo pics were very helpful! Thank you to all who provided insight without being condescending. Unfortunately as stated in the question we aren't able to do a full remodel at this time, and luckily the bathroom functions just fine for us. I will go ahead and implement some of these easy fixes first and save up.

My best advice is to save up for a total bath redo.

Thanks, G D, I’m glad. I know there are a lot and I understand people not wanting to scroll so much on phones. I only use my iPad, so it’s not so much scrolling, but I want to post in a considerate way for everyone.

I’m sort of in the same boat as you. It will be a while before we can do a major bathroom remodel, so I want to make it as appealing as possible in the meantime. The money and energy I spend on that will be worth it to me.

Jan, thanks, I didn’t realize that about blowing up screenshots. I never use my computer (or phone) for this site.

Such a Nice sized bath!

if it were me, I would upgrade the lighting (Etsy has great options) and frame out or replace the mirrors. That type of tan tile makes me crazy and I would want it to play more nicely with the flooring so I’d paint it (super matte)

and remove that wooden country style towel rod on the wall :)

once that was done, then I’d take some time to add some fun details - are you open to a larger rug?

Are there any wall tiles available? Even though you don't like the tile, it might look better to have them go all the way to the mirror(near vanity w/o a sink).

Frame the mirror and yes - a new vanity light is a must!

You mentioned functionality is fine and as you want to replace shower as a next step, suggest changing sink (and anything else) at that time. Ideas below are easy/not expensive and I think will work with/suit what’s there.

Tiles: I’d remove the top row of tiles to lessen the impact and also remove the shelf. You could add a frame around the mirror to modernize/add interest and paint the same color as vanity. If you aren’t handy and need to hire someone, it would be money well spent.

Paint: will have a big impact: 1) use same shade as wall tiles so they fade away, or 2) white walls and tiles (using appropriate paint). Paint the vanity the same grey as flooring.

Tub area: consider replacing the sconces (too small/not complementary), add a window treatment and rethink ledges/plants as less is more.

The wall and tub tile can be painted…I would just paint it white..and paint walls white…that will give you a clean canvas to work with.