Country style baths we love

Rustic
Kristin McCrea and Elva Reid found themselves in an enviable position when they set out to decorate their bathroom in primitive country style. They already had a country house with a country bathroom in Kendal, Ontario. Their job, they decided, was not to redress the room, but rather to undress it.

"We removed the '70s Austin Powers shag rug and wallpaper and took it back to a farmhouse bathroom," says McCrea. "I wanted it to be as crisp and fresh as an 1850s farm bathroom could be."

With psychedelic wallpaper stripped away, the two homeowners installed an old-fashioned plate rail before painting the walls a warm bisque, reminiscent of Reid's collection of crockery. The plate rail, baseboards and window frames were given a coat of clean white paint. For an innovative twist, they painted the plywood floor to resemble vintage tiles.

With the dressed down backdrop complete, the couple filled the tiny room with much-loved antiques, including a pedestal sink rescued from a reclaimed downtown building and purchased for a mere $15. The five-board bench, which now plays host to the homeowners' eclectic array of river stones, pottery and flowers picked right off the farm, had been circulating around the couple's homes for years before finding a permanent station in the bathroom as a catch-all. The green milking stool was built for Reid by her great-grandfather and cozies up to the claw-foot tub when a mug of cocoa or soggy book needs a resting place.

But for all their attention to decorative detail, what the couple cherish most about the room is what can't be seen. "My favourite thing is having water just come out of the tap, without having to prime the pump," says McCrea.