Updating the Bathroom

Several months ago I posted photos of our front bath which is in desperate need of an update. Actually, last September I changed out the old vanity for a Silestone top with a white vessel basin and a brush nickel faucet. We replaced the old flooring with tile in the bathrooms when we pulled up the carpet in the living areas about five years ago. We put down new carpet in the bedrooms about a year after doing the tile - don't like for my feet hit a cold floor when getting out of bed. I've been on a updating mission for five years. Everything is done in steps, i.e., pay cash for the update, save for the next.

When we built the house in 1984, I did a lot of wall paper. To do the update we hired a painter to do the bedrooms, utility room and baths. He was so slick because on the first day he mentioned how good the living area would look in a faux finish. It took 24 hours of my mulling over that thought when I said do it. Down came the wallpaper, up went dry wall texture, primer, and the faux paint treatment. The next step was to change the window treatments - some were done professionally and some I did. I did the headboard for our bedroom by purchasing an iron bed, sanding the rust off, then spraying several coats of an acrylic clear paint. I had a new fireplace mantel made out of some 75 year old, long-leaf pine found stashed, unused, in the rafters of an old barn.

I put Silestone in both bathrooms last year, but did not have a back splash installed in the front bath because I wanted to design and make fused glass tiles. I was not brave enough to take on both bathroom back splashes. But, here it is 11 months later and all I have for a back splash are some slips of paper, 4 x 6, taped to the wall. lol I just couldn't decide what to do in this bath. I posted the photos of the bath because I entered a drawing for a free bath consultation by Layla of The Lettered Cottage. I did not win the drawing so I ordered a bath consultation from Layla anyway. Here is her suggestion:
I bought a white shower curtain. Grrr, it had what looked like a cigarette ash burn right in the middle. I took it back and one is on its way to me. Meantime, I bought a white 84 inch shower curtain liner and hemmed it up a couple of inches so it would not drag in the water at the bottom of the tub. I also bought a new shower rod similar to the one pictured. Tomorrow I go to Home Depot to get samples of the four paint colors Layla suggested for the wall and vanity cabinets. The cabinet below the vanity top and sink is very ordinary so I'm going to get some short table legs to put under the overhang to give the impression that the vanity top is a piece of furniture.

I don't know about you, but I just hope I can live with the door off. I use every inch of the cabinet and closet space in this house. It is so funny because when we finished the house I thought I'd never use all the closet/cabinet space because it was so much more than my house in Houston. Well, removing the door in the bathroom is going to take some very serious organization. The door under the sink will NOT be removed; that is asking too much!

The red over the commode is to tie this window in and I may do red towels or bath mats. I just might have to freshen up the wall paint to a white rather than the exisiting Swiss chocolate white. I envy people that know exactly what they are going to do; mine is more a trial and think about it. I'm still in a quandary on how to design the back splash. That detail will probably be last after everything else is completed. When this bathroom is finished, the update is finished.

I'm also making some soft-tie roman shades for the utility room. I like to have a couple of projects going at the same time so when I get tired of one or stumped over what to do I can go to the other. I bought the material and lining at least a year ago, and luckily, I found some scrap material from other projects to make coordinating ties.

I've had the "dog days of summer" blahs but finally have gotten off my duff to do something constructive. It is about time! :D

Until next time, God bless.