Who’s ready for the big bathroom reveal?
As we mentioned in Monday’s post, there are almost always three main steps to room makeovers (some of which take forever and a day, and some that are done fast and furiously, like this bathroom blitz):
- prep/planning (brainstorming, picking a color palette, going shopping, priming, sanding, spackling)
- bigger upgrades (painting walls, refinishing or painting cabinets, laying new flooring, etc)
- finishing touches (curtains, new hardware, art, accessories – all the things that add “you” to the space)
So Day Three (see Day One and Day two here and here) was all about those finishing touches. Here’s how it all went down (and yes, I was writing on the back of a paper plate with a calligraphy marker – gotta use whatcha got, haha).
Ta-daaa! It took about an hour to make some custom curtains for Granny’s window thanks to some designer fabric (made by Braemore, if that helps) that we scored at a deep discount (at U-Fab in Richmond on our way out of town) and some no-sew hem tape.
I just measured the window to see how long I wanted them (a few inches below the bottom of the window trim felt best) so I cut two rectangles of fabric that were 29″ long (the length that I just measured plus two inches to allow for hemming) and 31″ wide (to give them enough fabric to feel drapey and full when they were hanging up there). Here’s a better shot of the fabric to jog your memory (it’s hard to photograph it in front of the window).
Once they were hemmed on all sides (using this method), they were 27″ x 29″ (my target size after accounting for those extra 2″ in each direction that would be used by the hem). Then it was as simple as hanging a curtain rod from Target and using some ring-clips (also from Target) to hold up my little fabric rectangles.
Here’s a close up of the pretty fabric. Something about it just screamed “Granny” to us. It’s so happy and sweet.
Oh and just when we thought we were done with the caulk on Day 1, we decided that one seam (where the front of the vent met the new flooring) could look a lot more polished with a smidge of caulk) so I made a video for you guys that might help you get a nice clean caulk line:
Then came the fun part: accessorizing tiiiime, baby. In came a lot of items that Granny already had (in colors that we pulled from the curtains like emerald, navy, and violet).
We even grabbed some fresh flowers from the nearby grocery store and plopped them into a vase that Granny already had. And see that wooden tulip on the toilet? Papa actually made that for Granny years ago, so we loved working it into our little room reveal. It’s the simple things, right? Speaking of those, how is it that a once-white-now-navy toilet paper holder can be so cute? It’s just one of those little upgrades that makes something feel a lot more fun than just going with a basic store-bought version. Note: For some reason the floor looks Snooki-tan orange in some of these shots, so the one below is the most accurate.
Here’s a straight shot of the cabinets with their navy hardware on them (we wish we had enough time to make a false-drawer on the top right – maybe next time we’re in town…).
We mentioned that we wanted to bring in some meaningful art, so this is actually a picture of Granny and Papa when they were younger that we shared back in this post. We loved it so much that we got it printed as a 5 x 7 for our new purple frame from HomeGoods. Next to it, I also framed a scrap of extra fabric. Printed or patterned fabric behind glass = free art (and Granny can always switch it out for a picture if the mood strikes).
This pretty silver tray was already Granny’s, just like the sweet green vase. She has so many awesome things around the house that it was fun getting to showcase some of them in the room reveal – especially since she really seemed to love seeing them in there among some new things like a basket of extra hand towels, the flowers, and the frames.
In such a tiny room, we really wanted it to feel cheerful, so while some folks might think it’s crazy to stack bold green and blue hardcover books on the back of the toilet, we really wanted to add color and use things Granny already had around.
The funny thing is that the colorful books were probably her favorite part along with that meaningful little wooden flower that was made for her by her husband so many years ago. Aww.
She even noticed the little things, like the small blue knob that we added to her medicine cabinet.
And we can’t forget how rough things were looking when we arrived, so here’s a flash back to the sink area before… and after we worked a little magic.
It was a really simple update. We just cut out that old caulk, re-caulked, and painted the wall behind it. Is caulk not the MVP of DIY, or what?
And here’s that shot of a few of the other more challenging issues in the room next to a final shot of the space. It’s amazing what a few days of work can do, huh?
It was pretty darn satisfying to see our to-do list all crossed off:
Brainstorm colors & go shopping for accessories (Day 1)Spackle/sand/caulk everything to prep the room for paint (Day 1)Rebuild the cabinets a bit so they look more balanced (Day 1)Prime and paint the cabinets for a more updated and open look (Day 1 & 2)Paint the entire room, including the ceiling (Day 2)Fix a few issues, like a rusted duct and an old dingy corner below the sink (Day 2)Redo the floors, which were that old sheet laminate stuff (Day 2)Revive some hardware/accessories with a fresh finish (Day 2)Make & hang curtains to add some charm (Day 3)Bring in some meaningful art (Day 3)Add some functional/meaningful accessories to finish things off (Day 3)- Reveal the whole shebang for Granny (Day 3)
So that’s the story of jumping at the chance to redo Granny’s bathroom in three days and on a nice modest budget. Is it weird that we’re in love with this tiny room now? As in, we joked about bringing an air mattress in the next time we came to visit and sleeping in there. Yup, weird.
Oh and we did happen to capture the big reveal on tape, but before we get to that, here’s a little budget breakdown for ya:
- 2 quarts of paint, “Hint of Violet” in Benjmain Moore’s Aura in Satin (a gallon would have been too much/pricier, so we went for two quarts): $40
- Zinsser’s Smart Prime & Benjamin Moore’s Advance Paint in Decorators White for the cabinet: $0 (already owned from this project)
- 30 vinyl stick tiles from Home Depot: $30
- 1 yard of fabric for curtains from U-fab: $15
- Curtain rod and ring hooks from Target: $18
- Wood for cabinet, new outlets, and outlet covers from Home Depot: $10
- Valspar Indigo Stream spray paint from Lowe’s: $4
- Trash can, towel bar, soap pump, frames, basket, and hand towels from HomeGoods: $45
- Blue knob for medicine cabinet: $1.50
- Flowers from Kroger: $6
- Books, wood flower, green vase, toilet paper holder, tray, glass jar for cotton swabs: $0 (these were already Granny’s)
- Spackle, caulk, paint supplies, hem tape: $0 (already owned, and carted with us so we had them on hand)
- TOTAL: $169.50
Not bad for a new floor, upgraded cabinets, freshly painted walls, new curtains, fresh-looking hardware, and getting to say good riddance to rust and peeling caulk, right? But enough money chit-chat, let’s move on to something priceless. Here’s Granny’s awesome reaction:
The funniest part is that we didn’t coerce her to wear that sweater to match the room, she just happened to have it on! We loved that. And we loved that she loved the room even more.
We were so happy to get to do something so fun for one of the sweetest women on the planet.
Then we hopped back in the car, and drove home with smiles on our faces.
What about you guys? Have you ever gotten an opportunity to help someone else with their space? Did they promise not to peek or were they in on the action with you? We actually loved that Granny gave us free reign and avoided that hallway so she wouldn’t see what was going on. And we’re so glad that she liked the result.
Kristen | Popcorn on the Stove says
The bathroom looks really lovely! I loved your Granny’s reaction (even with the sound off since I’m at work) – she’s adorable!
PS- You’ve inspired me to maybe spray paint our toilet paper holder. We inherited the same from the previous tenants and it’s looking a little worse for wear. Maybe a fresh coat of paint is exactly what it needs!
amber peters says
Aww, so sweet, it brought tears to my eyes at the end. The room is beautiful.
Care says
I had tears too! Aww, I wanna give granny a hug :)
Looks awesome guys!
Annette says
Me too! My kids are staring at me, wondering what the heck is wrong, lol!
jeannette says
this.
i like to think how she will feel embraced every time she goes in there.
xxx
Melinda says
It looks great! She is the cutest thing ever! I love her reaction.
Evelyn says
What a sweetie Grandma! No wonder you made-over the bathroom for her. It’s just beautiful!!
Lauren says
She is the cutest! Looks beautiful and so special you could do it for her!
Fran Siefert says
This just makes me happy!!!!!! To do something like this for someone so special to you is just RIGHT!
Karen L. says
Awesome, awesome, y’all!! What a beautiful transformation and a real treat to do something for your special granny! Love it all. :)
Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says
Her reaction is so cute! I love it! :)
Oh, and I love the bathroom too! It looks so cute and airy!
Ginger says
this literally had me in tears!! not only is the upgrade so creative and amazing, but y’all are the absolute SWEETEST!!! the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree :)
robin @ our semi organic life says
Love the finishing touches! Especially the curtains. I think they really make the room. I was thinking the whole time it seemed as if the window had too much molding, or layers or something. I love the solution with the longer curtains! Wish I had a mini window to do that to! Great job!
Erin says
OMG – I want your granny to be my granny too! She is the cutest!
Giselle says
Granny’s reaction made me cry, it’s so sweet that you guys did this for her!
Melissa H says
You guys just made my day! How sweet was Granny’s reaction?! Didn’t it just make you feel so great to do something so wonderful for your grandma? You guys are the greatest!
Jen says
This is probably my favorite project you’ve ever done. It is so meaningful and so impactful, not to mention doable and affordable. I love Granny so much!
Peggy says
She’s a cutie! And y’all did a great job!
Briel K. says
It’s such a pretty room now! You guys did a great job. Your granny is so cute!
Danielle says
Awwww, so sweet! What a great, simple transformation!
Meg A. says
Thanks for making me cry! Seriously, cutest Granny ever. You guys rock.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, that’s so sweet.
xo
s
Elisa says
I have a major soft spot for seniors (whether I know them or not!) and I teared up seeing how happy Granny was!! You guys did a great job!
Kathy says
What a darling project! Well done. The look on your granny’s face says it all :)
Andrea says
Oh my goodness, if this was not the sweetest post I have ever seen, I had tears in my eyes watching the video!! She seems like a doll!
Ps. that picture is amazing!
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
How. ADORABLE. is. SHE!!!! That is something she’ll remember forever and means so much more that her favorite people did something so special for her!
Jamie says
I love that you guys did this for your Granny! It looks great!
Julia @ Chris Loves Julia says
It’s 8am and I’m all teary-eyed. I love that you made it beautiful. But you also made it perfect for her. So special.
Karen says
Oh my gosh that short little video left me in tears! You made her so happy, That last photo is just priceless, and made me miss my grandmas.
Michelle @ AM Dolce Vita says
Wow can’t believe they are even the same bathrooms! Super fantastic job you guys did for your Granny. Seriously, you should be getting your own HGTV show.
Angela says
AWwww, Granny’s reaction actually made me tear up! How sweet! :)And I love how awesome the room looks!
Debbie C says
Beautiful job! That second to last pic of you, John, and Granny brought tears to my eyes. She is so blessed to have you as her personal decorator! :)
Shelli says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this! Now I need to reapply my mascara. She is so appreciative and you guys are so sweet!
Liz says
sooooo sweet!! great job you two. your granny is too cute for words! and she’s a snappy dresser to boot :)
love it – you made my day!
p.s. i’ve been stalking your blog forever, but this is the first comment i’ve left (i think)… it was so sweet, i couldn’t resist!
my honest answer says
It looks brilliant! Granny must be very pleased (and proud).
As an aside, I love watching these kind of makeovers. So if any other members of your family would like to volunteer…
Sheela says
What a beautiful and generous thing to do for such a beautiful lady! I know she’ll treasure it always, and the bathroom really looks amazing! Great work John and Sherry!
Ashley says
You guys, this was so sweet. I love Granny’s reaction, and I loved that you took such time and care to honor her with this beautiful little space. It looks great, and her joy and appreciation were beautiful. Thanks for reminding your readers to look beyond their own to see those in their midst who would delight in a little extra color, with a little budget and a lot of thoughtfulness. Such a happy way to start my day. :)
Dusa says
Awwww, that video made me miss my own Grammie (who used to have a bathroom under the stairs at her house. And it was painted lavender). Sooo pretty y’all!
Christine says
You guys are like saints.
Great job! It looks really fresh and seeing you put a smile on your grandma’s face just brightened my day!
Danica Allen says
This is precious! And your makeover is amazing! I love the picture of all 3 of you. What a sweet thing to do for your Granny!
Sara R says
Wow! Granny’s reaction almost made me a little teary eyed. The bathroom looks great and I bet the recipient of this generous act feels so very loved! :)
Latoya says
That is just so sweet. You guys are so awesome!
Jodi says
That was very sweet! Her reaction was priceless! :)
Nancy says
You guys did a great job as always! I was especially surprised by how good the peel and stick floor tiles looked. Grandma’s really deserve special attention, that has become my new motto now that I am expecting twin grand babies in January. Yeah!!!
Jodi T. says
That is AWESOME! I just teared up at her reaction. What a sweet little lady! :)
Alison says
Love that you were able to do this project for her! It looks great too!
karen says
awww.. i love you granny!!!
Cathy says
Wow, what an awesome makeover! The bathroom looks so much brighter, happier, and more modern. Loved granny’s reaction — so nice of you guys to do that for her!
Angie says
I just have to tell you that I love Granny. Seriously, just fell in love with her in 1 minute! So sweet!
Jess B. says
This is so sweet!
You guys did so much with such a small budget;
but the best part was your Granny’s reaction: awwww!
Love the curtain pattern & touch of blue on the cabinet. So great!
Amanda C says
Wow, great job guys! I have really enjoyed reading these posts! Gave me a lot of great ideas for some minor updates throughout my home. And Granny is so cute! SO glad she liked it!
Maria says
How sweet of you guys! Granny is a lucky lady! The curtain fabric is my favorite change…I also think it would make a really great shower curtain.
Lindsay says
So, so sweet! And I love how the purple calligraphy pen matches too. It was meant to be.
carla says
That little tulip was the first thing I noticed – so sweet!