Friday, February 17, 2012

Bathroom Renovation

At long last, our bathroom renovation project is complete! I've shared a few sneak peeks, but here it is finally all put together.



Now to appreciate how far we've come, you're going to have to see the before. It will only hurt for a second...




This is the original upstairs hall bath for our children and guests in our 32-year old house. It was one of those projects that started and stalled many times over the years. It ended up being the very last room in our house to be updated.




I know, it looked like a really bad motel bathroom.



You sometimes needed a wrench to turn on the faucet in the shower. Doesn't everyone keep a wrench handy for showering?




And yes, I do believe those are sheep, roosters, horses and bunnies on the wallpaper. You know I can hear you laughing, right?




Okay, enough of that, back to the pretty pictures!




The room was completely gutted, no need to save a thing. It's a very small room and there were no options for changing the footprint. But I knew it could be pretty and functional. My goals were light and bright, clean and fresh; modern with a touch of vintage. The colors and some of the fixtures relate directly to the master bathroom down the hall. I really like continuity and repeating elements throughout a house. I think it helps to create great flow from room to room.






The cabinetry was ordered from Lowes and we found that you can get more customization (and at a lower price) if you order from the kitchen department instead of the bath department. We appreciated the savings and got the exact specifications for our space. The Corian counter top (in Sahara) on the other hand, had to be ordered from the bath department because it wasn't big enough to order from the kitchen department. Silly rules.





The faucets and shower hardware are all from Delta's Victorian line. We've used them throughout the house. Did I mention that I like continuity?




The light sconces, mirror, towel ring and hooks are all from Pottery Barn.



I very much prefer hooks to towel bars. I find that the towels are easier to hang up, they always look neat, they dry faster and they just look cute!




The shells and stones were collected on vacations. You may have heard that this family has a thing for rocks.





I love the creamy ironstone platters against the blue wall. They are a fun and a little unexpected.


I've had this little cabinet for years. It's moved around from room to room. I think it's finally found a home. And I love the addition of the vintage clocks.



The bead board was a must! I have it in every bathroom and my laundry room.




But it's the floor that gets the most comments.



They are wood grain tiles and everyone loves them.
(*Interceramic Timberlands Series in Nature Valley)


Aren't they yummy?


And yes, the floor is heated. Ahhh ... that feels so good!




The shower curtain is a white waffle weave from Target. (Hmmm, don't know where the underline came from and I can't make it go away!)

A light in the shower was also a must in this tiny bathroom with no natural light. No dark and dreary corners allowed.


And I think the shower tile really ties it all together. It is a combination of glass and natural stone. It just sparkles!
(*MA-12-LB 5/8 x 2 Glass and Stone Mosaic)




The shower corner shelves, trim and door threshold all pick up the stone in the tile. 
(*Durango Honed Limestone)


And guess what, you don't even need a wrench to take a shower!



So there you have it. At long last, our bathroom renovation is complete. We are totally thrilled with the transformation. And after 32 years, it was about time for an update, don't you think?



Don't forget that you can vote for Megan's Pinterest Inspired Map Project here. It represents the places where Megan and Liam met, married and honeymooned. And it made the top three in the Map/Compass Contest over at Fireflies and Jellybeans!


Happy Weekend Everyone! See back here on Tuesday for our Be Inspired Link Party!


I'm linking to...


Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Tickled Pink at 504 Main

Redoux



The DIY Dreamer

Catch a Glimpse Button





A Diamond in the Stuff
It's OverflowingUndertheTableandDreaming

Mod Vintage Life

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Funky Junk's Sat Nite SpecialPositively Splendid

Fridays on Remodelaholic


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

You get to vote!


It represents the places where Megan and Liam met, married and honeymooned. How sweet is that!




Well I entered it in a map/compass themed link up contest at Fireflies and Jellybeans sponsored by MyDealCompass.

And guess what ... it made the top three!

Now you get to vote for the winner!


The winner will receive a Target gift card. And if you know anything
about Megan, that girl LOVES Target!

It just takes one click!

Vote here!

Thank you!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Be Inspired Features and Link Party #6

Welcome back for features and party day!



So many wonderful projects again this week! Thanks so much to everyone who joined the party! Here are a few inspired ideas that caught my eye...


Jan from Adventures in Southern Junkin' and Antiques set out to capture the glow of lightning bugs in a jar. The result is simply amazing!



Kristy from 4 the love of Wood had to start with some demolition before completing this beautiful seaside cabinet transformation.





I love everything about this Red Envelope knock-off canvas from Ange at Decorating The Dorchester Way.




I'm becoming a big fan of Turnstyle Vogue. First Shari shared this mid-century modern beauty with the coolest chrome industrial touches.



Then she gave us some great tips for removing veneer. You'll want to check it out here. Thanks Shari!




Debra from Bungalow used a mix of greens to create a charming guest room with a fun touch of whimsy. Karla would be right at home here!



I just love when girls come up with creative solution to their problems. Megan from Miss Madison's Charmed Life couldn't find a dust ruffle in just the right color, so she dyed her own. It's gorgeous!


Then Judy from DIY by Design shared the solution to her closet door dilemma. The doors opened into the closet and made it very difficult to use the space properly. Her solution - beautiful curtains!



Ann from On Sutton Place always has the most welcoming front porch. And I especially love the way her charming heart wreath pops against that beautiful blue door. ... Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!




Thanks again to everyone who linked up and linked back! If you've been featured, feel free to grab a cute little button from the sidebar!




Now on to this week's party! The guidelines are simple...

* Link up your furniture makeovers, DIY projects, crafts, home decor, recipes, thrifty finds, etc... We want to see whatever is inspiring you at the moment!

* Grab a party button!

* And be sure to follow along with us!

We'll be back next Tuesday with features and a brand new party!

Now let's share some inspiration!





Monday, February 13, 2012

A Valentine's Day Treat!

Happy (almost) Valentine's Day Everyone! Here's a quick treat I whipped up this afternoon. I had dinner with friends tonight and decided at the very last minute that I wanted to share something sweet. So I looked in my cupboard to see what I had on hand - pretzels and chocolate chips - perfect!



I melted the chocolate chips in the microwave, spooned the chocolate over the pretzels and tapped the pretzels on the side of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate. Not that you can really have too much chocolate, but this just makes them a little neater.



I lined up the chocolate pretzels on wax paper covered cookie sheets.





The chocolate hardens really quickly, no need to refrigerate!




I melted half a bag of white chocolate chips and added a few drops of pink and red food coloring,



then just drizzled it over the pretzels.




These pretzels are so easy to make, I actually made them while talking on the phone.
Just be warned that you'll end up with a crink in your neck!



I popped them in cellophane bags and tied them with a bit of red ribbon. If I'd had a little more time, I would have hand stamped some cute little tags. But I think these worked just fine!




That's it - a perfect combination of salty and sweet that was oh so quick and easy. And a nice way to let my friends know that I love them!



I hope you have a sweet Valentine's Day!

See you first thing in the morning with our Be Inspired Link Party!



Hope you can join us!


I'm linking to...

Tickled Pink at 504 Main

Our Delightful Home


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A Diamond in the Stuff





Sunday, February 12, 2012

Power of Paint

My friend Maryann from Domestically Speaking has a wonderful blog dedicated to the pursuit of making a happy hearth. You will find all sorts of inspiration, decorating ideas, craft projects, home tips and everyone's favorite topic - paint. Maryann has a link party every Tuesday evening called Power of Paint. It's one of my favorite places to share and be inspired.


Domestically Speaking


And if you haven't already heard, Maryann has now created a brand new Power of Paint spin-off blog completely dedicated to all things PAINT. Check it out for more awesome paint projects, tips and techniques. If you are a paint lover, you'll want to follow along. And you can submit your favorite paint projects too. How much fun is that!





Stop by and say hello to Maryann!

I bet you'll be inspired to crack open a can of paint too!