This is a little story about my house & guest bathroom. You see, I have moved, a lot. Due to all this moving, I am worn out from home improvement projects. Just as soon as I'd get the drapes hung, we'd move. So with my current house, I did not hang drapes and now we have stayed put for 3 years (go figure).
So, I am ready to start improving my spaces but I have another problem, my house. My house is nice and I am afraid to touch it. This is the first house I have ever lived in that I am totally uninspired (i.e. overwhelmed). I am in a funk. The ceilings are high, the baseboards are tall and the crown molding is stacked. Did I mention the solid 10 ft. doors? They are a beast (but pretty & sound resistant). I feel overwhelmed. It is one of these homes that the simplest of projects turns into a domino effect of other fixes. I am totally funktified and out of my element.
This is where I turn to you...my loyal, talented, awe-inspiring readers. Some of you have remodeled your bathrooms in a snap, others can whip up a design board on Polyvore while you floss your teeth. Help de-funk me.
What would you do?
Flooring...gotta go. This is were I get overwhelmed. I can lay tile but did you see those baseboards? I don't want to have to pop them off. I guess the quarter round will have to come up, then I can lay new quarter round (after I paint it!!)...this is were I take a deep breath and hold it.
This is a Z shaped bathroom. Behind the door is another door & closet. Should I pull up the pre-fab tub? I want to keep a tub/shower combo in this space. Tile surround would be nice but I am starting to add costs $$. How about a cabinet above the toilet?
Additional Photo of Vanity area...
Additional photos of tub & vanity...
This is shot inside the bathroom with the door closed. The door to the right is the small linen closet.
Another view...with a large blank wall across from the toilet.
Ceiling light...lovely, I know. My fear is that if I replace this light then I will have to repair the ceiling and we all know what ceilings look like repaired!!
Please (I am begging) leave me a comment on your ideas. If you have any links I should look at please leave them in a comment. Also, if you are a "professional" and have a design service, leave me a comment about this too. Here are some pictures of "what I like"...
By the way, to save money, I can do all the remodel work myself (well, except my drywall technique is something to be desired and I am terrified of a nail gun)! On the topic of money..I'm not sure of my budget. I guess if I like the design/ideas enough, I will pay for it or find a cost effective "look-a-like".
Check this out (after you get done helping me)!
XOXO-
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17 comments:
I don't have time to post about the remodel right now but I'll try to get by again. I have been so busy it's hard to make promises because 25 other things get added to the list but I will try.
I am starting a NEW Mr. Linky party. It will begin on Aug 10th so everyone will have a week and a half to think about their first post. I have a poll up for votes on which button should be the new button. The "party" is called The Knock Off Knock Out-where THRIFTY meets creative sensation. Help me out by voting and its the last week for the July GIVE-A-Way.
Cheri
Its So Very Cheri
Wellllll........I think you are on the right track. I do think the light is going to have to go- maybe you can find an updated light that will cover any possible damage to the ceiling. The crown in that bathroom is gorgeous! But the mirror will have to go, I agree.
I would do a nice dark gray tile- I personally prefer 18 inch, but it is probably too small for that. I like the tub and think that it should stay, but I would do a bow rod for looks and extra space.
Do overnight guests use this bathroom or just party/daytime guests? If it is rarely used by overnighters, I would keep the pedestal sink because I like pedestal sinks. If you have guests who will be using it for longer visits, then I think your vanity idea is a good one.
As for colors, I am a big fan of the spa-like bathroom. Our bathrooms are always in muted shades. I like the idea of light walls, the gray tile floor, and some bold accents- maybe a mirror with a strong, dark frame. I rarely do bright colors anywhere other than the kids bath.
Check out Z Gallerie- that is the style that I am invisioning for you. Kind of a sexy bathroom. :D HTH!
(oh yeah, this is Katie, not Marc!)
OMG!!! I thought this was Marc!! I was totally freaked!! The scariest part was that I could envision him saying this and "snapping" his fingers with an elbow sway...HAHAHAHAH!!
I LOOOVE Z Gallerie! I don't have one near...I am off to see if they have a web site...maybe I can get inspired!!
Love your ideas!!
XOXO-
Hi there! Visiting from Kimba's party. :) I don't have any advice to give b/c your house is WAY nicer than mine. ;) The crown molding is gorgeous. Maybe a pop of color somewhere? :) Check my blog on Friday morning, and I just might have a solution for you then. ;)
i think your bathroom is lovely. the only thing i can think of is to add artwork & rugs. it really looks great, already.
randee
Hello! You know, it all depends on what your budget is. I think this bathroom has "good bones."
If you're so inclined, you could find an old cabinet and restore it. There's nothing cooler to me than looking at an old piece of furniture under a sink. I'd also put up some beadboard halfway up that plain wall and use it to display pictures or starfish, or whatever you're inclined to decorate with.
Oh, it has so much potential - I'm gonna come back after a while and check it out!
Well, you sure do have good bones to work with, the sink is good and that crown molding is AWESOME. Also love the black and white, the shower curtain is nice. Definitely put a pretty oval mirror over the sink.
Looks like you need storage room...Is it possible to cut into the wall over the sink to put in a mirrored medicine cabinet? Paint goes a long way. Maybe a crystal, kinda od ornate light fixture to replace the one you don't like, like a pretty statement piece.
Where the tiny bench is in front of the toilet, you could do a pretty towel hanger or even a skinny bookcase.
Looking forward to seeing where you go with this project!
Just had to say that those pics of "what you like" are amazing, and if you go in any of those directions, it will be fantastic. I have never seen anything like that starfish mirror in the picture. Stunning.
Hey Christie...I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL!!! When we moved to Ttown I felt the same way and we have been here 8 years now!! We bought a Townhouse in Franklin and I am trying to get inspired on it...I think I have been idle too long. ;-( I love the antiqued white cabinet with the oblong black sink. I love your blogspot...you are so creative and I am sure you will get inspired...and pull me along with you!!
Hi there!
I think you're on the right track to look for a piece of furniture for a vanity. If you could find something of the right width, it would add so much warmth to your space. If you can't find a piece of furniture, a small vanity would be nice, especially if you painted it and added nice hardware. And I think you'd like a framed mirror. You might be able simply to add a frame to yours. If not, take it down and get a framed mirror.
If you can lay tile, I'd suggest that you go for it. Pop off that quarter-round and lay some tile that you like in a nice warm color. But before you lay the new tile, paint the wall. Perhaps you could use a bit more color so that your beautiful molding would pop. I personally don't think that it would be worth your while to replace the tub and tub surround unless it really bothers you--I'd just make or buy a shower curtain in some beautiful fabric. And that light fixture is not so bad, I don't think, because it looks like a light and fan combo. Not beautiful to look at, but very functional.
In fact, it seems to me that your bathroom has good "bones," but it sounds as if you'd really benefit from adding some warmth to your space. If you can do the work yourself, go for it! And be sure to post the "after" pictures so that we can all "oooh" and "ahhh" over your work.
Good luck!
The only thing that jumps out at me as being a bit outdated is the floor. (All of your molding is gorgeous!) And I just read that you can paint tile and or grout. You might look at that option (google) and see if it saves you the money you might want to invest elsewhere. Can't wait to see what you come up with!
What a great room..., and the moldings WOW. I don't think it needs that much. I like the sink, but you want storage, maybe you have wall space somewhere else..., I of course love the idea of a shell mirror (being into everything coastal). The floor..., depends on the rest of the house..., modern, sleek tile or warm, rustic. No specific ideas. Sorry.
color really does a lot for a bathroom. For small furniture Ikea always has great small furniture for cheap, and I think a small white one you painted blue and then add apothecaries with sand and seashells... it would look great.
Check out my brand new blog! http://oopsicraftmypants.blogspot.com/
Great bones that bathroom has, you are lucky ! Love the molding...Wow ! I agree, do just the floor, look for something for the sink...you may have to cut it down - but is do-able...cabinet mounted over toilet would help with storage, new curtains, paint and yes , do the floor or have some great rugs added.
Kammy
What a great space!! Your molding is to die for! :o)
I'd do small hexagon tiles in white with a black border. I like this vanity:
http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1504006&navCount=1
With this medicine cabinet and two sconces like the one in the picture:
http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1032005&navCount=3
You could just put quarter round over the tile but I think it would be cleaner looking to take out the baseboard before you tile and then replace. It's not that hard I swear lol.
Check out Layla over at The Lettered Cottage blog. She offers several design services for a very reasonable price and her ideas and designs are AMAZING! She has several before and afters along with all of her DIY projects she has done on her own home. Trust me you will be hooked!
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