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annalchyu

Redoing white, white, white bathroom

annalchyu
16 years ago

Hi folks,

We have a white Jack and Jill bathroom in between my ds's and dd's bedrooms which is also used by guests. All of the tiles (both shower and floor) are white, the walls are white, and the pedestal sink and toilet are white. Even the wood blinds are white.

I want to introduce color by 1) buying a new window treatment, perhaps a fabric flat roman shade 2) replacing the bath rugs, shower curtains and linens and 3) painting the walls.

Would a fabric roman shade be OK, or would that be a bad idea in the bathroom? By using fabric I figure I could exponentially increase my color options, since I only really like wood blinds in natural wood or white shades. I am thinking of using a blue and yellow toile fabric, and then painting the walls blue.

If the fabric shade doesn't work, then I may have to get wood blinds, since I can't think of what else would go in there.

Could anyone tell me what they did to liven up their all-white bathrooms?

TIA!!!

Comments (11)

  • msrose
    16 years ago

    I don't have window treatments in my bathroom, but my mother does. Of course, she doesn't have teenagers taking long, hot showers like I do. I love the idea of the blue and yellow toile. My bathroom is all white, but we have wallpaper and that's where our color comes from. I'm currently doing some changes in there and I'm going with a black and white decor with toile wallpaper.

    Laurie

  • les917
    16 years ago

    I think you can do a fabric shade just fine - it may depend a bit on where it is in relation to the shower, tho. The particular kind of fabric might also make a difference. A delicate silk near the shower where it could be splashed might not be a good idea. A sturdy cotton duck other cotton could be fine. Also, you might want to think about how much ventilation you get in the space. If moisture is a problem, fabric might be, too.

    As for the choice of blue and yellow toile, I think that sounds very nice - but seems perhaps not the best choice for a kid's bath, which is what this one is most of the time.

    What color are their rooms? Can you find a color scheme that is a blend of their two spaces and work from there? Something perhaps a bit less feminine and adult, maybe a stripe or plaid instead? I would coordinate the window and shower curtain, of course.

    Paint is great, and the best way to change a room, but of course you want to choose your fabric(s) first. Then some art on the walls that perhaps reflects the kids' interests, towels in two colors so that they each have their own, etc.

    Have fun!

  • oceanna
    16 years ago

    I love Roman shades and think that would be a great choice. Of course because it's in a bathroom where there is so much moisture I'd want to make sure whatever I used would launder well and not need ironing.

    Here is what I did with my bathroom window because I didn't want to launder anything and I wanted to be able to see out, but not have anyone see in below my neck. This is Gallery Glass and I designed this one but you can buy kits and patterns. This was my first GG window. You can do whatever design you like, and you can use much more vivid colors than I did if you prefer. You can get everything you need at Michaels.

    {{!gwi}}

    Here is a closeup:

    {{!gwi}}

    I like this because it's fun to look at and because it's low maintenance. You just wash it when and as you would a regular window -- no laundry. It will look like this for many years to come with no required maintenance. I like my view, but if you want to make yours more private you can; you just fill in all the areas.

    For other ideas for coloring it up in there, it sounds like you're on the right track -- wall paint, towels, any knicknacks or wall art. If you're not crazy about your floor (?) it's easy to change a bath floor pretty quickly with stick-down tiles.

    Here are some inspirational pics of baths for you:

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    {{!gwi}}

    Maybe those will get your creative juices going? :-)

  • citymomof3
    16 years ago

    Sounds like it'll be really nice! I found a yellow/blue toile shower curtain on ebay and they also have some matching towels and things. I'd get the accessories first and then match your paint to that.

    Here is a link that might be useful: shower curtain

  • jejvtr
    16 years ago

    sounds nice - I agree w/les re: placement & type of fabric - also as an fyi never use real wood blinds in a BR - faux wood is quite wonderful, and much more forgiving in wet areas

    good luck

  • Ina Plassa_travis
    16 years ago

    Citymom's showercurtain's got a real advantage - that's a waverly print that's still in production, and not all that hard to find -

    which means you can match the shower curtain and the blinds with no problem, cover the waste basket if you want (scotch guard it at the very least - I tend to saturate them in polycryl, matte finish, upon which they become impervious to everything under the sun) or line the shelves with it :)

    there are 'epoxy' paints you can get at Home depot (alkyd? epoxy?) that will adhere to tile - they're basically indestructable, tint with the same pigments everything else uses...and while they are horribly expensive, a little goes a VERY long way if you're, say, stenciling a small motif copied from that toile (a single flower from the corner of the scene, maybe?) here and there on the top course of tiles to make a decorative border?

  • User
    16 years ago

    My bathroom turned out white, white and when I looked in the mirror I felt like I aged 10 years with the white tiles reflected behind me. But I grew to like the neutral unlivened up feel. I got off-white towels which helped. Mainly I began to see that the white tiles were "appropriate and correct" for my setting. I don't even "see" the white, white anymore.

  • theroselvr
    16 years ago

    Since you have a boy & girl, I wouldn't make it too feminine, and would keep the colors on the lighter side. You have the option of going whimsical or not.

    My dad had a white bathroom with a blueish floor. My mother hated blue and about freaked when I used blue & green in there. I chose Spa Leaf, which is off-white, but it went really nice with all of the white stuff in there. I didn't buy the shower curtain, although I probably will (I've since purchased duplicates for my house). The shower curtain I used was from Penney's, a Moire Stripe which I don't see any more. I purchased my set as recently as May. Penney's has a few pieces in the outlet that would work, link is below.

    For his window I used a roller shade, but his bathroom was on the side of the house where there was a privacy fence. At my house I used a cheapie off white blind, it's held up really well; I can throw it in the tub, spray it down, hose it off.

    The bathroom at my house is painted green with a grayish green trim that goes well with the spa leaf. I would have ended up painting my dad's but he passed away not long after moving in his new house.. was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks before his new house closed.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bath outlet

  • theroselvr
    16 years ago

    Guess I need another cup of coffee. Sure enough, I found the shower curtain I used. I used a blue, which isn't available, not even shown. The silver sage would go with the spa leaf. I didn't use the double swag, went with the single panel, for my house I did buy the beaded shower valance

    Here is a link that might be useful: Moire Shower Coordinates

  • msrose
    16 years ago

    oceanna - I had a friend that used the Galaxy Glass and it looked kind of amateurish, so I was afraid to try it. Yours turned out really good though. I can't believe that was your first piece.

    Laurie

  • annalchyu
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Oceanna,

    I have to say, the gallery glass woudn't work for my house/bathroom/window, being the traditional colonial that it is, but your window looks wonderful! Who knew you could do this yourself. It goes great with the casement style of the window. Thx for the inspiration pics and to everyone else. I am thinking now of going with two different shades of blue for the walls/trim, and then finding a roman shade in a washable fabric with a blue and white print on it.

    ALC