Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

| By | | 293 Comments

How To Frost A Window

We wish we had a giant bathroom update to share, but we’re at that phase of the project where some of the bigger things have been checked off (building a shelf, painting the walls) and a few little mid-point upgrades are on the agenda since we’ve been flying around a lot lately (10 flights in 11 days!!). But now that we’re back home, the next bathroom installment will be bigger (either framing out the mirror and making a shade from some amazingly bold fabric that I’m obsessed with) so hopefully this tides you guys over. And since I hate to mention “amazingly bold fabric that I’m obsessed with” without showing it to you… behold:

Newfabric1

Remember it from back here? I snatched it up for $16 a yard at Mary Jos (it’s called Ubud by Iman Home/Waverly and it can sell for up to $27 in other places). I think it’s going to be the perfect punch-in-the-face-of-color that the mostly white (and slightly plummy-gray) bathroom needs. But since that has yet to jump off the counter and make itself into a window shade (boo inanimate fabric!) while we hit up seven cities in the past week, I’ll get back to the completed updates at hand. The first one is new knobs… because these country looking painted wood ones just weren’t doing it for us…

Knobs1

These new guys hail from Hobby Lobby and were just $2.49 thanks to a 50% off knob sale. Quick tip:never buy anything there that’s not 50% off there since the sales just seem to alternate by a week- so if the item you want isn’t on sale, wait a week and try again. 

Knobs3

I love that they’re irregular, sort of like green jade or even some sort of dyed bone. And the gem-like shape is faceted and pretty without being too long and pointy (the counter’s edge extends nearly the same distance as the knobs – and they’re about the same depth as the previous white painted wood ones – so there are no worries of knocking knees).

Knobs2

I love how they mimic the little pops of dark tone in the floor tile and carry them up to the vanity. And I totally want to get one more for the false drawer over the sink – they just didn’t have anymore the day I picked them up, so I’ll have to check again the next time we’re there.

Knobs4

We’ve been asked by more than a few folks if we’re thinking about painting the vanity a darker color (charcoal, black, etc) and we’re definitely thinking about it but not 100% sold yet, so we’re waiting for more of the room to come together (we’ll revisit the possibility after we add the shade, frame out the mirror, etc). Our reason for not immediately painting the vanity darker (which we think could look awesome with the dark tile that we’re working with) is because the room is smaller than it looks in photos, so we like how the white wall tile, vanity, and tub all feel balanced and light- and we worry that one dark object on one side of the room might feel side-heavy and cramped). But either way, we’ll just wait it out and see where we end up. You know we’ll keep you posted!

Knobs6

Oh and in keeping it real news, guess who popped up when I was shooting the pic above? #Clarabomb

Knobs5

The other upgrade we squeezed in there between all of our flights and marathon Clara and Burger smooching when we were reunited (yeah, we overdid it but we couldn’t help ourselves) was that we frosted the window. Buh-bye old paper-ish accordion shade (which we always had to keep closed to maintain privacy since this room can be viewed from the deck)…

Knobs62

… and hello modern frosted window that’s crisp and private (even with the lights on in the bathroom on a dark night you can’t see anything from the deck except for vague shadows – nothing graphic at all). Here I am in my pajama pants getting my frost on. #morekeepingitreal

Knobs7

As for how we applied it, we took the process pic above, but this post and this post have the best specific instructions for applying it, so hopefully those help. And since we’ve never posted a video, here’s that for ya below – or you can watch it on YouTube. We thought maybe seeing it “in 3-D” (well not really but you know what I mean) might help:

So that’s where we are. Don’t mind that brassy old knob. Haha. Just added that to the list!

Bathroom After

Speaking of the hall bathroom list, here it is:

  • rehang a shower curtain at ceiling height
  • trim out the unbalanced window (more on that here)
  • switch out the light fixture (more on that here)
  • add some meaningful art (more on that here)
  • build in a shelf over the toilet for some leaning art (more on that here)
  • paint the walls a fresher color to help the original tile pop (more on that here)
  • upgrade the vanity hardware
  • frost the window
  • frame out the mirror over the vanity for a less builder-basic look
  • ORB/upgrade that brassy gold doorknob
  • make a bold fabric shade for the window
  • possibly paint the vanity (we’re still mulling it over – but we promise we’ll keep you posted)
  • add finishing touches/accessories and dish out a budget breakdown for you guys

Can’t wait to cross more off! And in the meantime let’s circle back to my fabric obsession. Doesn’t it look great with the new knobs and the fish canvas? #everybathroomneedsafishcanvas

Fabricwithknobs

What were you guys up to this weekend? Any small mid-point upgrades or bigger fun ones that made all the difference? It’s so funny how sometimes giant things like hanging curtains or painting the walls can make for a giant change and sometimes it really is the details (like hardware) that finally make a room feel special, like it’s all yours.

Psst- We’re finally sharing Clara’s hidden talent with the world over on Young House Life. Does Name That Tune have a toddler edition?

Comments

  2. Kristen | Popcorn on the Stove says

    I really like that the knobs and the fabric don’t match 100% (not the same color) – I think it definitely makes things more interesting! Would you consider painting the vanity with a color that could tie in with the fabric instead of a grey or black??

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      They’re great! I’ll take lots of pics of the finished shade against the wall (the wall is a rich gray color with plum undertones, so it’s not like putting the fabric on a purple wall or anything – it’s a muddy neutral).

      xo
      s

  5. Angie says

    Love those new pulls! Hobby Lobby is great–you guys never seen to purchase anything or mention walmart–is that a conscious choice? Just curious. Keep up the good work! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      There’s not really one very close to us and I think we just end up in other stores a lot more often (Target and Home Depot and Hobby Lobby and smaller local places are just more a part of our routine, ya know?).

      xo
      s

  9. Emma (Broke Ass Home) says

    Love the knobs! Interested to see how it all pulls together since the walls are slightly purple. (Maybe trim the shade with a little purple piping?)

    We are having our first thanksgiving dinner in our house so the weekend was spent conquering the room of doom and putting up our “Collapsible Guest Room” (Yep, it’s a thing)

    I’m glad you guys are home!

    Reply

  10. Alex - Old Town Home says

    Hooray for crossing stuff off of lists! We’re in the midst of a manic list inspired whirlwind of DIY working towards a Christmas home tour (where our house will be open to about 200-300ish people, gah). I think the only thing keeping us sane is the ability to cross items off of our list.

    You’ll have to keep all of us posted on the glass frosting and how it does over time. We’re going to need to do something similar when we actually install a window in our guest bath, so we’re looking for all of our various options, and that one seems best.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, we’ve frosted so many windows (the basement ones in our first house, the bathroom one in our first house, our master bathroom here, and our side glass door here) so they really seem to hold up well over the years! Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

    • Jenny says

      You should also check with the window company about privacy options! We found out only after ours were all replaced that we could have done the bathroom windows in privacy glass…totally would have done that instead of fussing with frosting film later.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      You’re right! I think because instead of reading in the photos like one big rectangle you see the mullions between the panes! But in real life the accordion shade didn’t read all fuzzy and frosted like it does in pics, so that actually looked busier since it was all zig zaggy! Haha. Sorry the pics don’t do that much justice!

      xo
      s

  12. Kate says

    I love the knobs and fabric! I especially love when minor changes make a big impact!

    We’re in the process of adding crown moulding and wainscoting to our entry and hallway. It’s been many, many weeks in the making. I can’t believe I thought we’d be done this weekend. How naive. But after much cutting, nailing, filling, sanding, and caulking we’re ready for paint! I’ve never been so excited to paint before :)

    Enjoy your week off the tour!

    Reply

  15. Sabrina says

    I love the knobs! I am painting my bathroom for the 4th time. Very indecisive on color lol We have a hard bathroom to paint/decorate because it is cut in half with a broken pocket door so when you first walk in there is a counter on one side and a giant linen closet in the other and then you walk through the pocket door and it’s all the bathroom fixtures crammed together. One day we will remodel hopefully!

    Reply

  16. Tammy says

    Love the IKAT fabric for your curtains and all your updates so far.
    Honestly, I don’t know where you all find the energy!

    Reply

  17. Brad [Mr. Write Away] says

    Someone else said they were on team white vanity… and that makes two of us! Although I’m sure whatever you guys decide will look great.

    I’m curious though, do y’all have time to relax lately? I feel like you’re super busy trotting around the country entertaining/educating us with your book that you’re missing some serious couch/TV time (if you need to catch up, I’ve got you covered). Nonetheless, thanks for all the inspiration!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, we’re desperately missing couch/TV time, but we’re trying our best to make Clara time and blog time and book time, so that’s the thing that had to go! I’m sure in a few weeks it’ll calm down and we’ll get back to our DVR! We just love you guys at home and never want to neglect our blog baby since it was our first love well before our book baby, ya know?

      xo
      s

    • deb says

      I’m on Team White also!! I think you’re correct that it’ll make the room seem heavy on that side…

  18. Meredith says

    Definitely was expecting new vanity knobs and then some sort of delicious frosted treat, like a cupcake…mmm, frosting. Nothing like a 9 AM sugar craving!

    Reply

  21. Stephanie at Southfeasterdelphia says

    Welcome back home! The bathroom is looking great, it’s so refreshing to see people working with what they have. The fabric is gorgeous. I love mid-century tile. Our neighbors have mid-century purple tile, tub, and toilet. Obviously, my purple-loving daughter loves going potty at their house!

    Reply

  22. Crystal @ 29 Rue House says

    checking things off is so much fun! this weekend i totally failed at stenciling (going to try again though) and we got the insulation/sheetrock up in our refrigerator pocket (we recessed it into the garage so it doesn’t take up as much space in our kitchen)

    Reply

  23. paintergal says

    Great tip on waiting for sales at Hobby Lobby. Also look for the 40% off coupon online.
    I recovered my dining room chairs this weekend. Nice little afternoon job for a new look.

    Reply

  24. Gabriella @ Our Life In Action says

    Those knobs are soooooooooooo pretty. I love them! We have a huge window in our bathroom and I need to frost it. I was also thinking about rather than frosted paper, that paper that makes it look like stain glass -just trying to build up my courage.

    Hope you guys found time to rest a little this weekend. :-)

    Reply

  27. littleoakcreations says

    I worked in the decorative knob and pull business for about a year and a half and honestly, it’s incredible how much a knob can change the entire look of a room. It’s such a small change but what a difference! I do love Hobby Lobby for their selection of knobs, too. The bathroom is starting to look AWESOME!

    Reply

  28. Kitty says

    I really like the new style to the videos! :-D

    How easy is it to remove the privacy film? We have big windows that look right onto the street and sometimes a little more privacy would be nice, but it’s a rental so it’d have to be something that would be reversible.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We haven’t tried removing it but they say just using more spray and peeling it off should work. We have heard from others that it does come off and you might have to scrape the window a bit with a razor to clean it thoroughly, but it’s not permanent if you don’t want it to be.

      xo
      s

  32. Tracie@MiddleClassMod says

    The fabric is gorgeous, and I was lusting after it on Twitter this weekend (though now I can NOT remember who was making curtains with it!).

    Have you considered just painting the trim on the vanity? It would break up that huge chunk o’white and tie into your white with black trim tile.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Didn’t even think about that! If we add the shade and that fabric could coexist with more busy patterns it might be a solution! We’ll have to see how it goes and will definitely keep you posted!

      xo
      s

  33. Anne says

    Oh that fabric will look cool with the wall color. Looking forward to seeing it up. Are you thinking another roman shade? Where did you get your window frosting? I bought this ginormous roll of it at Orange, but I took it back because, surely, it is somewhere in a smaller roll. As for us, we did yard work this weekend. We also are cleaning out/organizing the garage, which is difficult because I don’t know what 80% of the gadgets and supplies even are!!! Ha!! How do I sort them? I need hubby right next to me, I guess. :-)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yup, it was from Home Depot- and has been huge but lasted for like three projects, so it’s handy! As for sorting things, I leave that to John if they’re his! Otherwise he cant find anything and messes up my systems! Haha.

      xo
      s

  34. Brenda says

    I love the colors of the fabric! And the knobs look great. I’m glad you pointed out that painting the vanity darker might upset the balance of the room, because I’m not great at seeing big picture stuff. I just think, ooh, it’d be pretty!

    Reply

  35. Cara says

    Great fabric! I’ve actually had it in my cart for awhile now trying to decide between it and some others for either lampshades or pillows. Can’t wait to see the shade.

    Reply

  36. Starr @ The Kiefer Cottage says

    Frosting is a really great technique. We did it at our house last year in both our bathrooms. I bought the spray paint for it and used that instead of the film. It’s removable with acetone if we get tired of it.

    Nice knobs. We don’t have any cabinetry in our main bathroom, sadly.

    Reply

  38. Steph says

    I love those knobs. They are soooo purty.

    Frosting windows is the best invention ever. I frosted the windows on the door to my back porch and it gives me so much more privacy but still lets in light. Win/win!

    Reply

  39. Deb D. says

    Curious as to why you decided to do the entire window, not just the bottom half? Is it because you can see heads through the top half? Or because the view out the window is of the roof? PS: Love the knobs and fabric!

    Reply

  41. Phuong says

    Love it!!! Love the knobs too – what a fun shape/color/distressing!

    Quick question – when you removed the paper blinds – did it leave holes in the window frame? I have the same blinds that I would like to remove and am wondering what is left behind when I do! Same with some heavy duty wood blinds that I have!

    Reply

  42. Megan @ Rappsody in Rooms says

    I love those little updates that feel like they have a big impact to you. That is how I would feel about the knobs. I did the same thing to my closer doors and I noticed I started opening and closing them more frequently just for the heck of it. Nerd alert. I also crossed some things off my list this weekend, in the name of little updates. I repainted some side tables for a quick makeover and then made a terrarium! Cause why the heck not?!

    Reply

  43. Jennifer says

    Hey there! I hope you enjoy a bit of rest before you come up to my neck of the woods next week! I love the bathroom knobs, but I have a question. Why not put one on the faux drawer cover below the sink? I think that would make it a little more symmetrical and “poppy” (how’s that for a made up word) if the knobs were on all the drawer faces. Just a thought! Happy Turkey Week :)

    Reply

  45. Jordan@the2seasons says

    Cute fabric! I am now can’t wait for the curtain you will be making. I just bought some fabric to make one for our bathroom. I was hoping to get it ready before the Thanksgiving guest start to arrive but I guess that won’t be happening this time around, since they start arriving today.

    Reply

  46. Hayley says

    How does the frosting do in “used everyday by a husband who takes waaaaaaay too hot showers and steams the whole room up” kind of room? Would I need to worry about it bubbling?

    We only have one small window, in the shower stall, up high (where I sit my shampoo), I think maybe 1-2 inches of my head stick up over it. No one can actually see in, unless they are Adam Sandler style peepers and climb up to look in, but my husband is still paranoid after a year. Hoping that would be a good solution. :)

    Reply

  48. Terry C says

    OMG… I love that fabric! So much so, in fact, that I have two beautiful pillows made out of it sitting on my couch right now. :-) It may wind up elsewhere in the living room at some point…

    Reply

  49. Ethne @ Wom-Mom says

    The knobs are fantastic! In other exciting news, I convinced my mom to paint her kitchen cupboards white (after showing her lots of your book and house and bragging about meeting you) and getting a stainless steel fridge (she’s in the market) instead of white to match the other appliances. I told her that with white cupboards, the other pure-white appliances will blend in okay, and then she can stainless-upgrade those as she goes. They won’t touch the fridge and be awkward contrast. She’s super excited and I’m really happy for her as it will make her house look loads brighter and fresher. They are crappy builder oak veneer now. Of course I offered to help…that’s your fault too I suppose. :)

    Reply

  50. Gina Stierwalt says

    Love the new knobs!! It’s funny you should mention how hanging curtains can change a room…we did just that in our master bathroom this weekend and it’s crazy how much they polish up the room! Mind you, we had a frat-boy-style sheet tacked up to the window frame to block out light before that, so really anything was going to be an improvement…
    In other news, your book has completely changed my view on what I’m capable of DIYing in my house. Let’s just say I have an Ikea Lack side table that’s been sitting around serving no purpose for faaaarrrrr too long…

    Reply

Stuff We Love

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *