Bathroom Update, part II

Here she is! The afters. So here is what we did.

We painted. Out with the goldenrod an in with soft gray. The color is Ash from Restoration Hardware in semi-gloss. The color is a lot more neutral and more fitting with the current fixed elements as I discussed here. Because the color is so light I decided to paint both the walls and ceiling. Our ceiling was previously painted with cheap paint not meant for high-moisture areas = peeling, chipping paint...not pretty. I also painted inside the molding on the back of the white door for a little tone-on-tone action. No one will probably notice but me, but iLove. In summary, I love the color and vie learned bright, bold color doesn't necessarily mean BIGGER impact. I don't think a room should scream at you when you enter...and definitely not a bathroom.

We added storage. We removed our chrome bathroom rack and added a pair of floating shelves. The rack was beginning to rust due to the high moisture and I couldn't find another bathroom shelf that would suit my needs. The shelves I chose are the same wood tone as the vanity cabinet so they blend seamlessly into the space. I use the shelves to store a few extra towels and wash clothes, our Sony Air unit, and a basket for closed storage - toothbrushes, toothpaste, tweezers, etc. I purchased a coordinating basket for the top of the toilet for extra TP. Even though I "lost" a lot of storage by removing the medicine cabinet and metal rack, I actually feel I gained much more usable storage. All within an arm's reach.

We got a bigger mirror. If you read my previous bathroom post, you are already familiar with my strong distaste for our previous medicine cabinet. We got rid of it! We opted for a larger mirror to fill the space that was wasted. We chose a rectangle mirror with a travertine surround. The color of the stone ties in beautifully with the counter top & floors. We found this beauty at Lowe's on a total whim. I spent weeks searching for the perfect mirror to fit in the somewhat odd shaped void...I was hoping I wouldn't need a custom mirror made, luckily this one worked out - straight from the box!

The whole process took several weeks of planning, purchasing, and researching what I wanted to do. We were able to complete the labor in a weekend, and I created the artwork a few days later. We are very happy with the update and love that our tiny bathroom is now much BIGGER in style.


Casey

Bathroom Update

"Fun Sized" Bathroom

 The past several months, Vince and I have diligently been tackling several projects around the house. Perhaps that is why my blog has been neglected all these months.  :) Our bathroom has been an area that I have wanted to improve for quite some time. Let's talk about the issues.

1. Size.  Yes, size does matter.  Especially in a bathroom...our only bathroom. Vince and I have the same work schedule, so we must plan our mornings so that both of us have ample showering, teeth brushing, & grooming time. It is not uncommon for us to double up in the bathroom in order to make this arrangement work - Vince showers while I brush my teeth; I shower while Vince stares into the mirror at his cute face...etc.

2. Storage. In my opinion, storage is the most important "element" in the bathroom...of course after all of the basics are covered - toilet, shower, sink, lighting, mirror - CHECK!  We've got those!  Storage, not so much. There unfortunately isn't a linen closet in our bathroom...so no place for extra towels, tp, toiletries, etc. There is not enough floor space for a free-standing piece of furniture to house anything we wish to hide. And we are also lacking counter space as well...so not a lot of wiggle room to place toothbrushes, hand soap, & decorative items without overcrowding.

U-G-L-Y medicine cabinet.

 3. Color. I have no one to blame but myself on this one.  It was my decision to paint our tiny, tiny bathroom bold, bright, loud goldenrod. I don't have a problem with the color itself...actually I love the color.  The problem is the space + the color. What I didn't consider when picking this color (almost 4 years ago) were the fixed elements...floor, vanity, counter, toilet, shower. Our dark ceramic floors are made to look like slate...so lots of natural tones. Our solid surface countertops have a similar color story as the floor....speckles of beige & tans are grounded by a dark gray background. And obviously our toilet is bright, porcelain white....which goes right along with our shower/tub which is also white porcelain.  Our vanity is a dark, rich mahogany color....all of these elements just do not mesh well with the yellow. Lesson learned: consider the color & tone of fixed elements, or furniture before choosing a paint color. Start your palette with the colors & tones of the pieces that will not change...ie: flooring, a sofa, custom drapes, etc.

The Positives.

The fixed elements in our bathroom are actually pretty nice...we don't have a seafoam tile shower or a pink sink or a flat mirror with the bulbs across the top...Because if we did, this would be a much larger project.  I'm pretty set on my white towels & shower curtain...no need to purchase new items for a new scheme. The space is small, but it is efficient...everything works...everything is clean...and the fixed elements aren't offensive to look at. 

Stay-tuned for the updated photos...I'm thrilled with the results!  

Casey