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kjmama_gw

please can you help me fix up this bathroom (pics)?

kjmama
13 years ago

I'm stuck.... We just moved into a house, so I'm looking for some simple ideas to make this bathroom work. The vanity has to stay for now, as does the tile. We just painted and bought a new shower curtain and rod. The rest of the house has pewter so we went with pewter, now I'm wondering if that was a mistake...

We painted it pink, so it has a fresh backdrop, sort of:) Please excuse the toddler potty:)



This was my inspiration

I found this on craigslist and thought I'd paint it, but when we got it home, my DH did not want to paint it. And it really is very pretty, it has a cherry type tone.

The mirror is a toss up. I found this mirror, which goes with the curvy hutch, but the two cherry tones are making the oak vanity look very shabby. Something about it doesn't seem right, but I'm not sure what exactly.

href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ELqmAmiLdJJoUrczA4YbL7uDXVlnCqXHOhfvML_JwoA?feat=embedwebsite">;

Here is another mirror option. It fills the space well. It is a weathered, painted mirror with a shelf. The pic is not that great, but here is a closeup too.



From bathroom

I'm open to changing the light fixture, but not sure what to do.

I really need some accessorizing direction too. This is a cold bathroom. I want to warm it up somehow? Any ideas sweet friends?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Comments (15)

  • dianalo
    13 years ago

    I'd paint the mirror and vanity either white or off white. Neither wood goes with your cherry piece and I think that should be the star...
    You could also try going for the darker tone in your inspiration photo if the white is not your thing.
    I'd put all light tones inside your furniture piece to help it blend some (towels, pretty bottles, etc..). If you put mirrors on the inside back, that also may lighten it up without painting or anything drastic to it. It would also bounce light back into the room.

  • les917
    13 years ago

    I agree with the last poster. I would paint the vanity in a warm creamy white, and do the same to the white mirror you posted. Change out the hardware on the cabinet to the same pewter. Bring in towels in a really warm olive/moss green, which will be pretty with the lovely pink wall color you have chosen, and work with the creamy white and the pewter.

    Get some art to hang on the walls; for example a pair of smaller art pieces stacked one over the other on the wall to the left of the vanity.

    Get some foamcore board, and paint it the same color as your walls. Cut the pieces to fit and line the back inside wall of the cabinet. That will give you some connection between the piece and the rest of the bath. You could also use fabric in your wall color, perhaps a pretty subtle pattern, to line the back.

    Fill it with some extra towels in the green, a pretty pewter bowl filled with pot pourri, other bath needs in pretty baskets or jars.

    If you can do it without damaging the cabinet, I would be tempted to remove the glass. For one thing, it will allow air circulation in a humid environment. But I think it would also allow the color and texture (and great smells) of the things in the cabinet to have greater presence.

    One other thing. I donÂt know much about furniture, but I would be sure this piece can tolerate the humidity. It clearly was never intended to be in a bath, and if it has veneers it is possible that the humidity may affect them and perhaps cause them to lift. Someone here probably knows the answer to that issue, or perhaps you already have considered that.

  • noodlesportland
    13 years ago

    Agree with both of the posters!

  • larke
    13 years ago

    The mirror is Art Deco, the hutch late Victorian, so don't look at them as being complementary, though both are really nice in their own rights. That picture is not inspirational, and in person without professional lighting could look a lot different. Personally I think it makes everything look embalmed. Don't be in too much of a rush to make the whole thing one 'story' or another... wait and see how things go for a while and they may change to a whole other look in time.

  • msrose
    13 years ago

    Even though the hutch doesn't match your inspiration picture, it's too pretty to paint, so I say leave it as is. I love the weathered mirror and if you could somehow match the technique on the vanity, that would be pretty. The thing that's not working for me is the pink paint. If you're going for the same feel as your inspiration picture, I think you need a more subtle paint color. You could use a fairly big rug like in your inspration picture to cover up the floor since it kind of takes away from that feel. I think the pewter will be fine and adding some beadboard would also help give you the look you're going for.

    Laurie

  • gwbr54
    13 years ago

    I'm guessing that the new cabinet faces toilet? From your photos, it's hard to picture where the tub/shower is. Just trying to get a complete mental image of the space.

  • kjmama
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks everyone for the thoughts.
    I just meant the inspiration as the idea for putting the hutch in the bathroom. The hutch does face the potty. The tub/shower is opposite of the vanity/mirror.
    The paint is our third try, very frustrating. The tile is a very odd shade of pink. We tried gray and lavender and moved on to pink. We really can't repaint again:)
    I hadn't thought about a humidity issue with the hutch... good point. I actually had intended to take out the glass, but after we got it home, I am not really sure how to do that... hmm.

    I like the idea of the stacked pictures on that left wall.

    So, most people are thinking the mirror should be painted white, what about just bringing in the other mirror that is already white?

    We had thought about trying to stain the cabinet a bit darker, or painting it. I really want to replace it actually, but my other bathroom is completely empty - we took out everything, so that needs to come first;)

    What about the light fixture? Would something else work better?

    Thanks again for your thoughts.

  • dianalo
    13 years ago

    I think the hutch is a fabulous color and any paint or stain added would lessen its beauty.
    The light is ok, but not fabulous. It works fine there.
    The faucet is what I'd do before the light...

    If you swap the mirror for the other one, I'd paint it a little neater to go with the hutch better. One is fine wood and the other rustic.

  • vampiressrn
    13 years ago

    I am always way to the left on my ideas...but I love the hutch (just be sure to use your vent to prevent moisture damage). I would try to paint the vanity and the mirror (the one you have hanging on the wall, not the square one) to match the hutch. If you can match the colors you can emulate some grain, then you can glaze them. Once again if you want to save money, I would paint the light fixture to look like the hardware on the hutch.

    Your pink paint is fine, just put some matching towel holders up and get brown, pink and white towels and layer them on the holders. Then get a dramatic plant display to go on the vanity.

  • kjmama
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I think I'm going to move the hutch to another room. Any ideas if we do that? Any blogs with neat little bathrooms, not super expensive designery bathrooms - just regular old folk;)?

  • msrose
    13 years ago

    sorry, kjmama. I didn't realize the hutch was the only part of your inspiration picture you were trying to copy. I think that's a good idea to move the hutch to another room...not because it doesn't work in there, but because it's so pretty it needs to been seen. Have you seen the "bathroom" post on the gallery? Maybe something there will give you some ideas.

    Laurie

    Here is a link that might be useful: bathrooms

  • diymadness
    13 years ago

    kjmama,
    I've just spent the last couple of days putting the finishing touches on my renovated bathroom (regular little bathroom, but it looks much prettier now. I'll post pictures soon).

    Anyway, I wanted to say that I think it's really important to work out a clear "vision" for your bathroom before you start shopping. You need to decide on a style (vintage cottagey? organic spa? glamourous hollywood? whatever you like...) And decide on a color scheme -- I'd suggest two main colors and an accent color.

    I assume since you painted the walls pink, that you made that choice with a certain look in mind. And pink will be one of your main colors. Are you looking for something feminine and pretty? If so, I would suggest painting the vanity a creamy white and adding sparkly knobs. The curvy mirror would work great with that look, as would the armoire. You could do a lot with vintagey accessories (like crystal perfume bottles). And I'd suggest picking a piece of art that really captures the feeling you are going for. What about that Degas painting of a woman drying herself after a bath?

    The key is to decide on your look and then really commit to it.

    Good luck.

  • diymadness
    13 years ago

    After I posted my message, I had a couple more thoughts. First, it really does help to have an inspiration picture. It can really help you focus on a look. I used a bathroom makeover that I found on a blog (younghouselove.com) and it really helped me to stay focussed. There are so many beautiful rooms and so many beautiful decor items to choose from that it can be quite overwhelming. I get really confused when I go to a store and see all the possibilities. So having an inspiration room as a guide helped me stay on track.
    So, for example, I decided that I would use cream and mahogany, with light green as an accent color. And I went for a natural, organic, spa look. My "theme" was botanical -- so I picked a leafy shower curtain, botanical prints for the wall, and a little fern in a creamy pot.

    Can you put your vision into words?

  • msrose
    13 years ago

    I can't remember who these pictures belong to, but I found them in my collection and it reminded me of the 2nd mirror you showed.

    Before
    {{!gwi}}

    After (Save vanity painted. They just changed the top. Picture is reversed, but it is the same cabinet)
    {{!gwi}}

    diymadness mentioned sparkly knobs and that made me think of crystal knobs. I think I'm kind of going in a shabby chic/victorian direction, so we need to figure out what style you like before I get too carried away :)

    Laurie

  • kjmama
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks MRose and DIYmadness.

    Wow, I would not have thought that was the same cabinet! They had a great vision for something different.

    Thank you for reminding me I need a vision. I got back out some tear sheets and tried to get a clear picture. You are so right! What a great reminder. I do get overwhelmed at the stores. So appreciate your thoughts!