This guy:
You saw the wall we were dealing with before we removed the not-very-functional shelf and towel bar here:
And you saw it again after we spackled and sanded those holes from the fixtures and painted:
Well now, thanks to two nails (it’s a pretty light canvas), we hung up the DIY art that I made a while back (I originally whipped it up for the bedroom, but it’s nice to tie this color in here and it was aqua overload in the bedroom). Thankfully I used latex wall paint to make the painting (the same thing you’d use on the walls of a bathroom) so it should hold up well in here. It was a complete lucky break that it fits on this wall. And thanks to the ceiling-height shower curtain on the other side of the room, something over-sized on this side of the space actually adds balance, and feels less heavy or invasive than the shelf/towel bar that stuck out from the wall.
Admittedly, the pattern of the art isn’t perfect with the tree border tile that runs around the room since that’s pretty busy (see that up close here) but because we have a plan to redo that with soft frosted white or gray glass subway tile someday it should look nice and clean after Phase 2. It’s not that the tree tiles are terrible, they’re just not “us” if that makes sense. So we figure the room will feel more like our bathroom and not someone else’s when we put up accent tile that floats our boat.
And now for an art detail shot. Ooh. Ahh.
One of the coolest things about my homemade painting is how purty it looks with our blue light. The room just went from feeling beige and builder-basic to feeling like ours. Ya know?
And now for a light detail shot. Ooh. Ahh.
One issue in here that we haven’t explained is that the door is too tight to the floor, so it actually doesn’t open all the way since it gets stuck on this floor grate. So we have added “remove the door from its hinges and shave a sliver off the bottom so it opens correctly” to our to-do list. And then we can have a bath mat outside the tub since it won’t get scraped by the door. Hurrah!
Speaking of the door, the trim around the window, the trim around the door, and the door itself were originally a beige-y off-white color. So things like the bright white towels, shower curtain, and light switch made that feel a little… dirty. We’re crisp white trim folks anyway, so I got my paint on.
I used leftover semi-gloss paint that we’ve used for other rooms (it’s off-the-shelf white by Olympic Premium). And two coats later…
… it was white! Like the towels and the shower curtain and the light switch. Oh happy day.
Here’s the window all glossy and refreshed.
Pretty much still looks like this from the doorway since you can’t see the art behind the door. But once you go inside, bah-dow, art in yo face.
So that’s the latest with our cheap little bathroom update. We love that this step was f-r-e-e thanks to art we already had (sitting around in the playroom waiting to be hung – who’s surprised?) and leftover trim paint. And here’s what the ol’ to-do list looks like now:
paint the walls so they have some contrastreplace the boob lightpaint the cream trim whitehang some bathroom-friendly art- craigslist the toilet and replace it with a classic white one
- do something to add privacy to the window
- remove the door so we can shave the bottom to allow for a rug/bathmat (and add a door stopper so it doesn’t squash the art)
- replace the border tile around the room (maybe in phase 2?)
- move the blue pendant light to hang centered in front of the window
- replace the floor tile down the road (just to break things up since there’s so much of it)
So there you have it. Any trim painting or art hanging going on in your neck of the woods? Have you painted any giant canvases to add color to a small room? Or made some quick bathroom upgrades on the cheap?
Psst- To follow this bathroom sprucing project from the start, check out this planning post, this painting post, and this light-swapping post.
Triss says
Great colors on the art… and I love the light fixture!! Beautiful!
mp says
Sherry, I know you have natural talent, but can you clue us into how you painted the canvas? Is it DIY-able for the not-artistically-talented? I really, really like it.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, there’s a link to that project in this post! It was so easy. Anyone can do it!
xo,
s
Jenne says
Any type of privacy film would be nice on the window – blocked view but still lots of light + no bulky, heavy curtains or blinds . . . something like this?
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=window+film&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=YJt&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1440&bih=736&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7327611778894247700&sa=X&ei=o-99T9ntIoeu8QStzoX-DQ&ved=0CIgBEPMCMAI
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes in our planning post with the mood board we mentioned frosting film! It’s a front runner for sure!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I love that light! And the color seems like a bold choice in such a small space yet calming at the same time. I’m tempted to do our main level half-bath walls in a punchy fuchsia. Just because. The two blues together are a bit match for me but then the photo may not be doing the colors justice. I want to throw in something orange and/or peach for contrast. But it’s your bathroom so nuts to my opinion since you love it.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we might add some other colors if we ever hang a fabric shade or add a bath mat or other accessories- so who knows, orange or fuchsia could end up hanging out in there someday!
xo,
s
janie says
I never realised this, but in bathrooms without windows (lucky sods to have a window) the door has to be cut higher so the fan can suck enough air through it. In a bathroom with a wondow, you just leave it open a crack for the fan to suck the air through.
Krystle @ Color Transformed Family says
I like the free makeover! That’s the best thing about color coordinating your house. Art can freely move from one room to the next!
birdie blue says
love the blue light fixture, and the white trim is looking fabulous. one idea… paint the funky accent tiles with tile paint. i’ve done it before, and it works like a charm. (at least it will tide you over till you re-do all of the tile).
xo
molly
YoungHouseLove says
Never tried that! Always worried since they go through the shower that they’ll chip and peel (the border tile runs around the whole room so it’s under the stream of water in the shower). Might have to look into it to see if it works in wet areas like a shower!
xo,
s
Kristine says
Your bathroom looks wonderful – so light and cheery! Great job! I really enjoy your site because you have a great sense of humor and you give newbie DIYers (like me and my husband) the confidence to try some home fixes on our own. (And I, too, name the furniture and inanimate plaster/ceramic critters in our house.)
Sara says
I love how much painting trim can freshen up a space. You’re getting me antsy to do some “freshening”!
I have a question- maybe you already answered this and I missed it. Is is darker inside the shower now that the light hangs down lower, rather than being up against the ceiling like the old boob light?
YoungHouseLove says
Thankfully it’s not! The shower curtain is white so that lets in lots of light and almost makes it feel brighter in the tub since one “wall” is bright white!
xo,
s
Caitlyn says
I know absolutely nothing about doors and hinges and the way they swing and such. But is there a way that you could make the door swing the opposite way? Like instead of swinging into the bathroom, make it swing out? Then you’d have more room in there.
YoungHouseLove says
We have thought about that but aren’t sure if that would crowd the person at the sink washing up. Might be something to think about down the line!
xo,
s
LC says
When you paint the trim, do you not bother taping? I have some godawful off-white trim all over my new apt and my husband doesn’t want to go through the hassle of taping/painting it all. Do you just grab a brush and hope your hand is steady?
YoungHouseLove says
I have a nice steady hand after five years of painting trim, haha. But if you find that you don’t have the control that you want taping is an easy solution. Using a short handled brush helps with control too!
xo,
s
Elena says
“bah-dow, art in yo face.” LOL! This just tickles me to no end.
Jill says
It looks great!
How do you guys avoid getting brush strokes on the trim? Do you use some kind of paint thinner (I’ve heard that helps)? Or are you just magic painters? I repainted my bathroom trim and door and you can see all the paintstrokes, especially where I went around the doorknob. I bet no one else notices, but it drives me crazy. Any secrets?
YoungHouseLove says
I just try to do two thin and even coats and allow drying time between them. A lot of times you get brush strokes if you’re dragging your brush over semi-dry paint, so I apply it in thin even coats and move along quickly (and resist the impulse to go back over things ten minutes late when they’re half dry to get drag marks).
xo,
s
KathyG says
And a good quality brush. I had to learn the hard way that a good brush is worth the money in less brush strokes.
Jen G. says
Not sure if I’ve commented before, but I had to after that. The “ba-Dow, art in yo face” line just made my day :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hah, thanks Jen!
xo,
s
Heidi P. says
Yay!
Kara says
It looks great, I especially love your light. I too have been painting all the trim and doors on the main floor of our house- it’s amazing what a difference a little paint can make!
cindy says
I have been planning on making some art to hang near our fireplace but that was put on hold this week…I also have a large scale map that I plan on hanging eventually…its on my to-do list…love how your bathroom is coming out :)
Lorie Moynihan-Broedel says
Such a great idea!! The color just pops! In our main bathroom we have a 7 foot wall of nothingness. The toilet and sink are on the opposite side and shower/tub is the width of the room. One lone towel bar is on the 7 foot span and looks completely lost. Room is too narrow for shelves, so a large piece of artwork may do the trick!!
Jenn C. says
Something I’ve been doing in our house lately is spray painting my floor air registers to match the floor color around them. It has really made them blend in and not stand out as much.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea!
xo,
s
Carrie says
Sherry, How did you paint your doors? roller or brush? I painted all the trim in my tiny home a year ago and have put off painting the beige doors. I also have slatted doors to my laundry nook and pantry. Any suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
I used the same brush since it was out and already covered in paint. A small foam roller might be better for a beginner though, since it allows you to apply things thinly and evenly without worrying about brush strokes (I find with a brush if I work fast and keep it really thin I can avoid brush strokes that way- and never go over things you have painted ten minutes ago – that completely stirs up half-dry paint and that’s when you get brush strokes or pull marks). Good luck!
xo,
s
Amber says
I’m not sure if this is your guys’ thing or not…but have you thought about painting the tile (the stuff on the wall)? The tree pattern may not look as crazy if it was in a simple white color, and since you guys are going to replace them down the road, this could be a quick fix until you do a whole remodel. Just a thought! I think I’ve seen it done, but I couldn’t tell you where…
YoungHouseLove says
Since the tile runs all the way around the room (and through the shower) we’re not sure if any sort of paint would stick (exposed to water and steam from the shower it would probably peel and crack). We could get it professionally reglazed for a few hundred bucks, but we think we can just replace it for less than that!
xo,
s
sona says
wondering if you had a list or idea of where I could get lots of ideas for “painting” large canvases. I would like some options of things to try and do not have a creative idea in my head….I have to see something and copy it!! I loved what you have done in BR and throughout your home.
YoungHouseLove says
I would just google around or check out pinterest to look at art that you like and see what inspires you! Maybe you could go to the library and check out some free art books?
xo,
s
Amanda says
Oh em gee. This art belongs in this room! I really admire your vision for things like this. When you first just had the light in there, I admit I wasn’t a fan. But now that the art is there to tie in the colors from the light, everything looks fabulous!! I guess that’s the point of mood boards, right? ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Amanda!
xo,
s
kathy h says
It looks great. It’s amazing how a few little changes make all the difference.
I have a strange question for you… You used the words, “Bah-dow” to show your excitement for your bathroom. My son, when he was about 3, would scream this before he jumped off the bed for fun. Is this a made-up word or am I out of it? (I told you it was a weird question!! :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I feel like it’s something you saw instead of bam or pow… so I guess it’s a made up word that some folks say in place of those other sort of made up sound effect words. Haha.
xo,
s
KarenH says
Nice! I like the pops of aqua in there. BTW, I mentioned Ikea having white wooden blinds in an early post about your bathroom, but I was just there yesterday and bought some. They’ll work for my living room, but the white isn’t bright–it’s more cream.
And on topic, I bought the sink that will be going into the bathroom when I renovate. so progress, but VERY small steps. (I need to put a toilet in the basement before I can renovate that bathroom, because it’s the only one in the house) Too messy to try to renovate without a working toilet in the house :)
YoungHouseLove says
Good to know Karen! We’re 99% sure we’ll go with window frosting film, but thanks for the tip! And good luck with your bathroom! Small steps are the way to go!
xo,
s
Megan Jones says
I love the DIY painting you made. I think I will have to make something similar. I like that it is kind of modern but not sterile looking. I also noticed the paint brush you used to paint the trim. I used that same brush to paint all the trim in a two story, 5 bedroom home. Man, was it a life saver (or a wrist saver!). I would definitely recommend it to anyone needing to paint crisp lines!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny, I love that brush!
xo,
s
Jenni says
Sherry,
I was wondering what color of grey you used in the bathroom?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s Rockport Gray by Benjamin Moore: http://www.benjaminmoore.com/rockportgray
-John
Erin says
Wondering what made you choose off the shelf trim paint vs. like a Decorators White or a Mascarpone? Having trouble deciding which way to go, and am trying to keep in mind that whichever way we go, we should try to things cohesive throughout our home… thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
We realized they were so close to each other (we had some around for painting furniture and had some DW trim and the furniture looked nearly identical to it). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Painting Sunny says
This was so great; I was inspired to make my own version! It isn’t in a bathroom, but used leftover latex wall paint and a pattern. Thanks for the great inspiration! I linked to you on a post about it, over at Painting Sunny right here: http://paintingsunny.com/2013/03/25/before-the-blog-projects-part-ii/
YoungHouseLove says
So sweet!
xo
s
Anna says
Are my eyes playing tricks on me? It looks like the ceiling and wall where the door is aren’t painted gray but more of a white. However, I remember seeing in your painting post that you did paint the ceiling Rockport Gray.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, just eye tricks. It’s all Rockport Gray but the light bounces around in photos weirdly, so in some photos it’s deceiving!
xo
s