D-I-Why? 70's Mini to Major Bathroom Makeover

I am reposting this since it was originally posted when I was pretty much "talking to myself", learning the blogland ropes.  Still learning, but I hope you all enjoy this 70's bathroom redo as much as I did (when it was completed!).

I'm a sucker for a great Before and After room remodel, which is probably why I'm addicted to so many HGTV shows that give me my Before/After fix in a mere 30 minutes.  I can enjoy the whole process from the comfort of my own home, without any of the stress.  But, the ultimate reward that we reap from this time and effort, is what keeps us coming back, begging for more. It's kind of like childbirth. After the project is over, the memories of the blood, sweat and tears fade, and you're left with this beautiful baby that YOU created. Bliss.

The project I'm featuring here was actually a "surprise bathroom makeover" for one of my best friends.  I managed to conspire with her husband to get access to their house while they were away on vacation. I must say up front, that this transformation effort began with a modest plan - finish the wallpaper stripping that my friend had started, paint, new towels, perhaps replace the countertop, etc… However, this project soon turned from "D-I-Y" to "D-I-Why?”. It was one of those projects where one thing led to another, and the project just took on a life of its own. "If I redo the countertop, I'm going to have to redo the floor. If I redo the floor, I can't leave the lighting the way it is..." You get the picture. That's where I started asking myself, "WHAT have I gotten myself into?" Past experience tells me that this feeling usually rears its ugly head when the project looks the absolute worst.  During this project, I reached that phase right about here...

My friend's surprise bathroom makeover (my hubby helping me) -

In the before/during/"what the heck was I thinking?" phase

But, quitting is not (usually) an option, since these D-I-Why revelations usually hit us when our projects are at their worst. We press on, literally, through blood, sweat and tears until we achieve our vision. 

But that's where you just keep on, keeping on, right? Fortunately, my husband pitched in with some of the demo, electrical and plumbing work and was a real trooper in helping me achieve my vision. So, what began as a modest goal of stripping wallpaper, painting and MAYBE redoing the countertop and painting the vanity turned into much, much, more. When it was all said and done, we accomplished the following:

-Stripped the wallpaper

-Repainted the walls

-Installed a new vanity, vanity top and faucet

-Installed new flooring

-Installed new pendant lighting

-Added a new tile backsplash

-Hung a new mirror

-Painted the trim and door

-Added decorative accessories - towels, towel rack, throw rugs, new shower curtain, wall art, etc...

Yes, we bit off more than we intended to chew, but the surprise was well worth it!! Getting a tearful phone call from my girlfriend made every last bit of stress and work completely worthwhile.

A complete before/during/after photo montage can be seen below.

Before: (I had started working and realized I should probably take some photos)

During:  Again, kudos to my hubby for helping me with this undertaking!

 
 

AFTER: Cue the Hallelujah Chorus

 
 

Another Before & After View:

Thanks for looking!

Linking up to:

Painted Wood

For a long time, it seemed as though painting wood was a travesty of the highest magnitude, borderline criminal.  You would hear things like, "It's wood, why would you paint it?"  But, as style has evolved, so has painted wood, whether in the form of trim or furniture.  In some homes, you even see a mix of painted and stained wood trim, which, if done well, can work.  It gives you the best of both worlds, really.  The richness of the wood with the bright and sharp contrast of the white.

Just look how well it works here.



http://www.gardenweb.com/



And then there is the instant update that painted trim brings to a home.  Check what a difference painting the trim makes in this example from diychatroom.com.




Before - 90's-esque wood trim

 


After - Modern, Light and Bright



My husband bought in to the old school philosophy that painted wood = blasphemy for a long time.  I did finally convince him that painted wood doesn't have to be the end of the world.  We have nice built-in bookcases that surround our fireplace that were stained wood.  While I loved the functionality of the bookcases, they were just too dark for the room.  The dark paint certainly didn't work to its advantage either.  This was during my "red" phase.  Excuse the terrible picture here - I think this was just a scan of the photo vs. a digital, and given the sparse bookcase furnishings, I think I must have just painted the back portion of the shelves and rushed to take a picture before the kids messed up the room again.



Old, old photo of my family room



Here is a better picture of my family room now.  As you can see, we painted the bookcases, added crown moulding and painted the back of the shelves and surrounding walls a lighter and brighter color.  I love how it changed the whole look and feel of the space.  We also removed the little half/pony wall that you can see in the "Before" picture.  Even though it was just a half wall, and it wasn't very long, I was amazed at how much it opened up the room, making the kitchen, breakfast room and family room flow together beautifully.




After - painted built-ins and pony wall removed

 


Another angle of the family room



As you can see, we mixed painted trim and stained trim in this space.  I love the painted trim, but had to stop with the bookcases vs. moving on to the baseboard trim, because it was one of those projects that once you started, you would have a hard time knowing where to stop!  But, it seems to work, and I'm happy with the end result.

So, what are your thoughts on painted vs. stained wood?  Have you tackled a similar project yourself?

Lovely Lady Revealed

A few weeks ago, I decided to finally start working on this craigslist dresser I bought awhile back.  I had liked the dark stain when I got it, but it had taken a bit of abuse since my initial purchase.  The veneer on one side had been torn off (thank you Mr. Carpet Cleaner Guy for dragging your equipment through the house and damaging my craigslist find!).  Plus, the bottom drawer did not work very well at all, veneer was chipping off, etc..., which you can see by looking at the before picture:

My Lovely Lady, in need of a lift

Of course, once I finally decide to tackle a project with enthusiasm, something usually comes up to derail me.  In this case, it was an offer on our house. :-)  So, while it's all good, this project ended up taking much longer than I had originally anticipated.  Honestly, part of the reason it's finally done is because I need to clear out the garage to make way for boxes, garage sale items and miscellaneous crap that I refuse to pack up and move!

So, here is the much-delayed reveal of this pretty piece...

Lighter and Brighter

I decided to do away with the bottom drawer altogether since it was in such bad shape and the drawer track was broken, and instead opted to create a little shelf along the bottom with a pretty basket.  I also changed out the drawer pulls for these pretty vintage ones from Hobby Lobby.

Love the vintage pulls

So, there you have it!  Dresser is complete and back in my foyer, just in time for us to move it!  It's all good though - I'm sure I'll be able to find a place for her no matter where we end up.

Happy Camper Tablescape

Calling all campers!

I always liked going camping as a kid, didn't you? As a teenager on into my adulthood I could be found camping from any where from Williamsburg, Virginia to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Hatteras Island. Those were the days, and even though those days have past, I still love the idea of a bonfire and lawn chairs even if it's only in the backyard.

I was inspired to create a "campesque" table scape when I found a vintage camp blanket earlier this summer. I snatched it up, knowing that it would be perfect for this time of year. The yellows reds and oranges are a perfect a September pallet. I really love the festive colors and fun pattern.
My place setting consist of wicker chargers, yellow plates, and red and orange salad plates.
For every ones names, I used river rocks that I painted with Chalkboard paint, just like Pottery Barns version, much less expensive though. They really are fun, and Logan really loves them.



For the centerpiece , I did a couple of different things. Just to show you how to change things up with the same pieces. Here is a great looking hurricane with pottery base. Or is it?

The hurricane is actually a glass cloche that I flipped over. I flipped the pedestal bowl over too, it was a lucky fit . This is a Pottery Barn bowl I recently found thrifting, it was a lucky find. :)

I used gourds, pumpkins, pine cones, and berries to fill the cloche. You will see a third version further down.


So are you wondering about my napkins? I made them, yep, you heard me right, I sewed. My grandmother (she was a seamstress) must have been helping me from above because I actually didn't mess them up and my machine didn't freak out. I can't believe I made them , and they are reversible. Holy cow!
I used the floral fabric on all four and the polka dots and plaid on the backs.
I really love the floral print and it coordinates really well with the camp blanket, so I used it for the front of all the napkins.and it also led the way to introduce red poppies and sunflowers, two of my faves!

I put the sunflowers in red spray painted tin cans (from the 4Th of July) How campy is that? :)


and I used tin cans spray painted orange for the flatware (they will eventually be jack-o-lanterns :)


Here is the third version of the flipped cloche, filled with a little bit of sand for weight and a candle and berries. I really love it like this. Also, I almost forgot, I took the ugly rubber guard off of the cloche and it left a gummy residue that I couldn't get off, so I glued some grograin ribbon around the glass to hide it. I like how the black looks with the striped ribbon too.

I also made the napkin rings with mini grapevine wreaths and a flower, they really tie in with the wicker chargers
Thank you so much for stopping by, I hope you have enjoyed dinner at the campground! :)

I hope you're inspired!
Joining:
Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life
Donna @ Funky Junk Interiors
Jen @ Tatertots and Jello

Roeshell @ DIY Showoff (Fall Festival)

Stephanie Lynn @ Under the Table and Dreaming

Under Contract

It has been a long time since two words have been able to send such thrill and panic through me. Thrilling, because we finally got an offer on our house and were able to come to an agreement on a reasonable price and agreeable terms. Panic, because of all that needs to be done to pack up and move. “Where are you moving?” is a question that we are being asked on a regular basis now that we’re under contract.

That is a good question, and it makes this process even more stressful, given the answer. We have offered on a house that is a short sale. Yes, a short sale. If you have horror stories about short sales, I’m covering my ears and singing to myself, because I don’t think I can deal with an additional layer of stress right now. Will the process take more time? Yes. Do we have a place to live in the interim? Yes. We’re moving in with my parents. The whole family. All five of us. We’re willing to endure some short-term inconvenience for what will hopefully be an exceptionally good deal.

So, rather than dwell on the negative of living with my parents, having our whole house essentially in storage, our lives in a state of limbo – let’s focus on the positive. The new house. I’m trying not to get too excited, because these situations can be precarious. But, I will say the house is a Craftsman style, which I love. Wonderfully chunky moulding and woodwork, architectural columns, warm and inviting front door. Some inspirational photos…

http://www.wrdanielsdesign.com/

http://www.acetool.com/

http://www.jeld-wen.com/

http://www.craftsmandoorcompany.com/

http://www.americanbungalow.com/

Have a great day!