Let’s talk about vanity, shall we? Specifically the sink vanity that we last left off as primed in this post.
This is one of those real-life stories where we painstakingly stared at about fifty swatches before carefully choosing a pretty kelly green tone that we thought would be awesome. A fun pop of color in a white room (sort of like this). So off to the store we went and grabbed a quart of Baby Fern by Benjamin Moore in their semi-gloss Natura paint. And after one coat – even though we gave it two in the hope that the second one would work a miracle – we knew…
Baaaaaaad call.
Seriously, at one point Clara said it was the same color as Kermit The Frog. How did this happen?
So we did what any self respecting DIYer would do and we whined a little and then we laughed for a while and then we went out to the garage and stared at all of the paint cans that we have sitting around and finally found the one we were looking for: Silhouette. It’s an awesome moody brown/gray tone with the slightest plum undertones. Really, photos of it hardly do it justice but we first used it for a bunch of book projects and fell in love, so it’s no surprise it was our “rebound guy.” We didn’t want our hearts broken again, and we thought it would be really sophisticated with the slate too. And happily, it was:
Now instead of the white bathroom with the colorful vanity, it’s shaping up to be the chic little black and white bathroom (ok, it’s not really black, but it’s close enough to give it that vibe). We especially love how it looks with the dark doorknob and hinges.
And although we did have some need-to-repaint bad luck, when it came to the knobs the universe threw us a bone. We went to Anthropologie just to look around (sometimes we fall in love with $14 a knob items, which are a little too steep for us) and these cool faceted knobs were marked down to $2.95!
One of my favorite things about their octagonal shape is that they mimic the angles of the mirror, which also has the same tone in it.
How lucky is that?
And we also grabbed this toilet paper holder from Lowe’s on clearance to replace the old wood one we had there before.
Remember this guy?
Definitely an upgrade.
You’ve come a long way, half bathroom.
So that’s the story of gaining a little vanity va-va-voom, with one of those surprise DIY speedbumps along the way. I think the lesson is that you win some and you lose some, but as long as you keep on trucking – and course correcting as you go – things usually work out OK.
Next up I have to scrub or replace the grout, and switch out this leaky faucet.
And we can’t forget our upside down light (remember I turned it around here to allow for a bigger mirror?). Doesn’t it look like two beady little eyes and the mirror is the mouth? Like the bathroom’s making the same face I’m making in this super flattering picture?
The light is a smidge off-centered from the mirror. The issue is that the faucet and the light don’t line up, so if we centered the mirror on the light it would be really off compared to the faucet, so we sort of split the difference so it’s less noticeable for now.
So yeah, there are a few more things that we’d love to do in here for this Phase 1 update – mainly some grout fixing, light updating, and a new faucet. I’m weirdly excited about light shopping (and completely avoiding the grout project – so we’ll see how long I can go). Even though we have plans for a more major bathroom upgrade down the line (grasscloth wallpaper? tiled accent wall? pedestal sink?), it definitely feels nice to make some cheap tweaks to make it more welcoming in the meantime. Anyone else working on a half bathroom update? How goes it?
Megan @ Rappsody in Rooms says
Ahh how things can change when paint actually goes onto a surface. Things can go so wrong … and then right! I love the color you ended up with. It’s a shade of grey that I haven’t seen too much and love. Trying to find a surface to paint that color in my house now!
Amy says
Thanks for this post! I am going to stain or paint my bathroom vanities soon, and I am really nervous about the process. Did you use the same approach you used when you painted your front door? Any tips or suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
If you scroll back in the comments a bit I detailed the steps (and what to do if your vanity is glossy). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Tandra@LittleHousesBigDogs says
Love the cheap tweaks! Been doing those types of upgrades for the last 6 months. Sorry I’ve been admiring the half bath mirror for the last several weeks. I have a thing for it, there is a connection ;-) Love the updates you two!
christa says
I’m sure you’ve done some research already, but I recently cleaned a kitchen and three hallways worth of dirty grout. The easiest method was Easy Off oven spray applied directly to the grout lines, let to sit for a few minutes and then scrubbed with a wire bristle brush. On really tough spots on used a bleach pen. Now I have clean grout (that I still need to seal…). :) Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Love the tip!
xo
s
Jessica G. says
I love it! The color looks dark brown on my monitor. And the knobs look really nice with the mirror.
I keep seeing on Pinterest that you can use Woolite carpet cleaner to clean dingy grout. Have you tried something like that or do you think yours needs to be completely replaced? I need to try it in my own bathroom.
YoungHouseLove says
Never heard of that! Will have to try it!
xo
s
Kathryn says
I’m thinking this grout situation is shaping up to be another ‘let’s try and compare methods’ a la the wallpaper removal. Lots of great tips coming up in the comments, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious which one really comes out on top (at least in Casa Petersik). Cage match!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Grout cleaning cage match!
xo
s
Sarah says
I would love a grout cleaning post. I have some to tackle in my kitchen!
Liz says
A grout cleaning tutorial/post would be great! I always resort to using Vim with an old toothbrush (not fun).
Claudia says
I’m going bathroom faucet shopping this week! We have a sad builder grade faucet and the matching drain is losing its finish. I’m looking for a new silver toned faucet with a higher arc, so I can easily fill my water glass in the middle of the night without walking down the stairs to the kitchen. Yay for improved function!
Lisa says
When I first saw the vanity I thought it was covered in frog tape!…maybe I’ve been reading too much Bower Power :) I think a green could have worked…I do LOVE green, but that green was definitely not the answer! Course-corrected vanity looks great :)
Tracey says
Man, when I saw the green prior to reading the post I thought, where are they going with this. Glad to see the change of heart. If you still wanted green, couldn’t you have tried darkening up the green paint with some of your existing paints rather than use a new color? It looks great, but I know the feeling of paint disappointment. Been there done that myself.
#feelyourpain lol
YoungHouseLove says
We thought about trying a different type of green or adding dark paint to ours for a deeper, more emerald-y or forest-y result, but we worried that the off-white sink top would keep looking yellowed with any sort of green going on since green has yellow in it, even when it’s darker.
xo
s
Jennifer M says
We discovered a grout cleaning product that works SUPER well – but it is a very strong chemical. I squirt it on the grout lines, wait about 5-10 minutes and while still wet – use a sponge to wipe away. You can scrub if the grout is really bad, but I haven’t had to. It really is able to lift off ground-in dirt. It’s called ZEP GROUT CLEANER and we can only find it at Lowe’s now, but originally got at Home Depot.
http://www.amazon.com/32Oz-Grout-Cleaner-Zu104632-Kitchen/dp/B001B16Z7E
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Jennifer!
xo
s
Jennifer says
Jennifer,
I was just going to post this same thing! Glad I scrolled down to see if anyone else did. It is amazing!
Patty says
I love the color you guys chose!
Also, I thought the green paint was Frog Tape. :)
Amanda says
We took the plunge and bought tile to redo our full hall bath in the coming weeks. We’re taking it from original 70s glam complete with harvest gold toilet and matching tub with seashell sink to a (hopefully) cleaner, airier feel. We went to the Tile Shop this weekend and took their free class and then picked out tiles after you guys had such a good experience with them. We went penny tile and actually considered the moss penny tile you guys used, but….sad news….they’re discontinuing it and its backordered! White penny tile it is. :)
YoungHouseLove says
NOOOOOO!
xo
s
Lauren (in PA) says
Love, love, love, love, love that Silhouette.
Who makes this color?! I think it may be the answer to my half bath!
I love the chic look to the playful one. Would the green be fun in Clara’s bath?
Do you have plans for the art/accessories yet?
!!!!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s by Benjamin Moore. As for accessories and art, I’m not sure where we’ll end up!
xo
s
Melissa @ReThreads Charlottesville says
I love that you admit to avoiding the grout project! I’d love to hear more of that in future posts: what you really enjoy doing vs what you sorta dread as far as home improvements. I can definitely relate: anything grout-related gives me a headache.
Great upgrade to the 1/2 bath, by the way!
YoungHouseLove says
Painting ceilings = our least favorite thing. And scrubbing floors. I guess we don’t like leaning way back (painting ceilings = total back ache) or getting down on our knees and scrubbing (more back aches, haha!).
xo
s
Christine says
The updates to your half bath are great! As far as the grout issue, may I suggest suing Polyblend Grout Renew. It is a grout paint and sealer. There are many colors to choose from. I’ve purchased some at Home Depot.
Maureen says
I love your toilet paper holder. I somehow just realized that the TP holder, the shower curtain rod and the door knobs are all different colors/metals. *hangs head in shame* I’ll be fixing this in the near future.
LOVE the funny face in the mirror. :)
Candice says
I have no comment about the whomp whomp paint choice. I’ve done it too many times and didn’t stop with the bad color at just a cabinet (whole kitchen!). Just wanted to say that for some reason people in Austin dislike pedestal sinks. Crazy talk. They end up on the list of Craig allll the time. Free, $20-$50. Sometimes pretty fancy ones and with faucets too. I’m keeping my eye out for one that isn’t across town town.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome! Thanks for the tip Candice!
xo
s
Maria says
In my previous home I had kitchen grout that looked like yours, and I purchased some “As Seen on TV” product and was literally AMAZED at how well it worked. No scrubbing involved, just applied it to the grout and waited a few minute while it did its magic. I wish I could remember the name of it, but if I had to guess it probably was an Oxygen-bleach like product. So maybe like your wallpaper project you can try various grout-cleaning methods – I’ve seen a recipe that mixes baking soda, water & ammonia, and some people claim a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is the way to go, but that TV product I bought was really the bomb! Good luck!
Sarah says
I had the same experience with green… I wanted a cheerful, energizing color for our office, so we went with the shade called “green tea.” My husband and I painted the whole office, and I hoped that somehow it would dry darker. It didn’t. For two years, I tried to live with it. We called it our Kermit room. Last year I finally repainted it a pretty gray. So much better!!
Dizee says
Sorry if this is a double post…
Nicely played with your vanity! Love the color.
I am pretty sure you know this, but I was perusing Jessica Alba’s book (The Honest Life) and saw “Young House Love” listed under her “Get Inspired – Home Design Blogs” (Page 214)
I thought that was really cool!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that crazy?! Blew our minds when we heard about it and then I ordered the book and loved it!
xo
s
Heather says
This is great timing! I’ve been working on my master bathroom. I have a vanity that’s in good condition, but I hate the top. Is it possible to just replace the top and faucet? Or do I have to replace the whole shebang?
YoungHouseLove says
I think it might be tougher to find a top/sink that will fit your vanity, but if you do you can switch it out I bet!
xo
s
Jennifer I says
If your vanity is a standard size, it is not hard at all to replace the top. I did that on two of my bathrooms, went to a one piece that was a counter/sink, and ordered both online through Lowes. If the counter is not standard, you could have one cut like you would a kitchen counter. Just be sure to measure correctly, and remember to check what kind of faucet you have so that the correct holes are drilled.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip Jennifer! Never thought about ordering it online through a big box store! We have been trolling secondhand stores like the ReStore but it’s harder to nail down the exact size :)
xo
s
Candice says
Have you thought of wallpapers this bathroom? Looking at the before photos, the wallpaper seemed to make the room look bigger
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we have plans for a second phase makeover in here and keep mentioning grasscloth or some other paper. We think it could be really fun!
xo
s
Jessica says
So where do you put your tissues? I realized I have tissue boxes all over my house and they usually live on top of the toilet in the bathrooms. They aren’t the prettiest. I can’t decide if I should buy fancy covers for the boxes or just hide them somewhere. What do you guys do?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re still in college I think, because we don’t buy tissues. We just use toilet paper (it’s the same thing, right?). Is that bad? Yes, I think it is.
xo
s
Jill Stigs says
You guys are not alone. We only buy tissues if someone has a cold (then it’s the softest kind). Otherwise, we just use toilet paper.
Plein Jane says
The most amazing thing about the new paint is how great it looks with the mirror. I confess I wasn’t a huge fan of the mirror before, but the paint highlights its nicely burnished features.
And thanks for including another photo of the old TP holder! It cracks me up when I imagine somebody carefully jigsawing an ornately shaped plaque just for the paper.
Em says
Really glad to see you guys chose black. I think it’s a classier and more mature choice than a trendy bright color. It shows me that your taste is maturing, and I think that’s great!
Megan says
Love the new color. Thanks for not keeping Kermit, but I do think a darker green would have looked nice. However, the new color matches the mirror and looks great with the slate. Are you replacing the countertop/sink combo to lessen the amount of the shell shaped sinks or keeping it for now and dealing with it down the road? I was just talking to my hubby today about our to do list and how some things would be nice to do but they aren’t top priority. If it functions and looks halfway decent, it stays in this house for the time being. At least most of the things…
YoungHouseLove says
I think we’re hoping to find a cheap faucet for now and deal with replacing the sink down the road along with possibly DIYing a tiled accent wall or hanging grasscloth wallpaper, etc.
xo
s
Vanessa says
I just got an email that these vanities are on sale for $99 at Lowe’s. I have no idea if this is something you are interested in, but it seems like a pretty good price to me.
http://www.lowes.com/SV-Vanities-with-Tops/_/N-1z0xptk/pl?cm_mmc=email_promo-_-20130721-_-lm_15663-_-shop_vanities&stop_mobi=yes#!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! Off to check it out!
xo
s
Noel M says
I just got some of the Natura paint to use in our foyer and dining room! The main reason is that we are expecting our first little one, so VOCs had to go. I 90% loved it… (no smell, GREAT coverage) maybe it was just my particular gallon, but there was some of the base that did not mix in and it eventually left some lighter smudges among the beautiful paint job I did. Ever run into this issue?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no that stinks! We have never had that issue! Did you have it freshly mixed and then use it or let it sit a while and then try to stir it up yourself to use it? I think if it was freshly mixed you could tell them it didn’t get fully mixed and maybe get another can on them. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Noel M says
It was freshly mixed, so boo. I didn’t feel like driving back to Ashland to have them remix it, so I am going to check the other can I got with paint for the dining room before I do that paint job. Good news is the smudges are few, and I plan to put a stencil on that wall. Fingers crossed that covers it!
YoungHouseLove says
Hope that works! Good luck Noel!
xo
s
Jennifer says
So, you know that amazing Rejuvinate that you used on the hardwood floors? If you get the floor cleaner, that stuff is amazing on grout. You spray it on, leave it for 2 minutes, and scrub with a scrub brush. I did 2ft sections- it took me 10 minutes to do the bathroom floor, and it looks like a completely different room!
YoungHouseLove says
Love the grout tips guys!
xo
s
Susan says
That green-EEEK! Good call, Clara.
That floor is giving me worse heebie-jeebies, though. I know how hard it is to clean grout that is stained( it doesn’t change color. It absorbs stains). I have a 1948 peach hexagonal tile on our main bath floor. I did vinegar at first, too-not so hot. Then I found this site, and I went with Mr. Clean and the shop vac method. THAT made a big difference. The then grout needs to be sealed. Happy cleaning :)
From here: http://www.tcnatile.com/faqs/37-epoxy-grout.html#faq37
“The absolutely best way to clean grout is to apply the cleaner and then vacuum (“shop vac”) up the dirty water. This lifts the dirt off the joint. Apply rinse water and vacuum that water up. This lifts off any remaining soap film.
Keep in mind though, that grout is based primarily of cement and sand. Sand, like glass, is unaffected chemically by most cleaners. Cement is not – rather it is alkaline based and is dissolved by acids. As baking soda and vinegar react, so do grout and vinegar.
Accordingly, it is better to clean grout with an alkaline cleaner (Spic and Span, Mr. Clean, etc.) than an acid based cleaner. There are also specialty cleaners available at most tile retailers that are designed for tile and grout. There are also cleaners with enzymes that attack stains similar to enzyme pre-soaks for laundry.”
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips Susan!
xo
s
Julie @ Living on the Ledge says
Whew! Nice save on the Kermit vanity! :)
Melanie says
I was scrolling quickly through the post, and thought you had covered the vanity with Frog Tape, for some reason! I actually thought, hmm, are they painting the inside of the vanity and want to protect the outside color? Ha!
Oh Monday morning foggy brain…
Julianne says
Too funny, we were just singing this song yesterday! Definitely a nicer choice than the green. Love it! :0)
Lisa says
Great point about you have to consider the other stuff in the room when picking out colors. Your inspiration photo was mostly white and the green went well with those colors. In your bathroom – the countertop and floors needed something else – great color choice.
A question related to paint – how long do you store your extra paint for?
YoungHouseLove says
As long as it keeps. As long as it doesn’t freeze it can last for years!
xo
s
Claudia says
Love the dark coolness of the new color! We need a new TP holder as well, my children are “unable” to change the roll by themselves and I’m picking my battles.
Talia Basman says
I think the Kelly green paint on the vanity brought out the yellow on the sink. So, yeah, I believe it was a bad call. Anyway, good you were able to choose a better color!
BTW, we will also be moving next month. How did you manage to do it with a baby one house ago? We have a ten-month old and I don’t know how we can make the transition from this house to the next easier for her.
My blog is over at http://prettypocketfriendly.com.
YoungHouseLove says
We set up Clara’s room first so she felt right at home and kept all of her necessary items (cloth diapers, her favorite toys and stuffed animals, her blankets, etc) out so we had them and they weren’t hidden in boxes. Oh and we hung her blinds immediately so her new room was the same “darkness” that she was used to. She did really well with the transition!
xo
s
Jordan says
I’m glad you didn’t decide on the green! Man that’s bright lol. Great look though, I like how the stain on the vanity adds a nice contrast with the wall colour.
Erica says
I don’t remember if you have posted a how-to for switching out bathroom faucets like the one above. But if you haven’t yet, I’d really love if you shared how you do this one! We have 2 out of 3 leaky faucets just like this one, and I’ve been wanting to switch them out for a year now, but haven’t been able to bite the bullet. A YHL post just may give me the confidence to get this little DIY project done! :) Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We’re hoping to make one for ya when we get to that faucet for ya!
xo
s
carli says
Many a time, I have retreated from my ‘at the time great ideas’ when they didn’t quite work out :) That’s the beauty of DIY. You can always fix something. Now that you’ve got that gorgeous, neutral colour on your vanity, I have a feeling some beautiful pops of colour will find their way into that bathroom in a not so kermity way soon enough :) Love these posts. Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte @ Ciburbanity says
I snagged Behr’s “Formal Garden” for a ‘pop of green’ moment in our family room and have been digging it… granted a fun bright side chair is VERY different than a vanity, but I’ve loved the color if you’re ever looking for a green moment somewhere else. :)
http://ciburbanity.com/2012/10/16/going-green/
xo
Charlotte
YoungHouseLove says
Really cute!
xo
s
Sheleah Fletcher says
Bummer to have no pop of color. The brown looks nice and safe though. I agree, was not loving the kermit color. The Pantone color of green would have been fab. Love all the great changes you guys are making. So talented and very inspiring.
betty says
crazy how much the color of the countertop changes with the color of the cabinet! i’m a huge fan of the kelly green idea, boo for it not working out! this new color looks great, though!
Jeanna says
Do you think the yellowish “shell” sink had something to do with not loving the green? All of the sudden it became VERY clear that it wasn’t white- and the green almost made it look dirty? I think maybe in a smaller amount and next to pure white that green could probably work somewhere else in the room? Maybe next to the white walls? In some kind of art?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, definitely! The sink got so yellow next to the color but a white top might have looked better. Art and accessories definitely work for bringing in color too, so we can’t wait to see where we end up!
xo
s
Lu says
Looks great! The problem is the slate floors will never look terribly pretty…
Sarah says
I agree. Can’t wait until the slate is gone…I’m afraid we will have to wait 4-5 years though for that.
Christi says
Chocolate brown grout stain saved our lives in a high-traffic area, and could look really nice with your dark vanity. I hated the idea of scrubbing it, then having to scrub again as it gets dirty…
Also, meant to comment on Friday. Black Pepper by BM is such a nice color – I was so happy to see it in your possible lineup for your house. Can’t wait to see this home evolve!
Carolyn says
I read somewhere to use lemon juice on grout. I haven’t had a chance to try it on my bathroom floor, but it might be worth a try.
Jane says
I love your new vanity color..Its awesome. I may have to copy that for ours :) Are you guys gonna change the countertop for the vanity too when you do a faucet change ? Either way I would love for you guys to do a detailed post on how to change out the faucets..In exchange I promise a few ad clicks and a few hundred page clicks..Wait I do that already every.single.day! Any home related question ..my mind goes’what did yhl do..and my fingers are automatically typing You…!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we definitely plan to do a tutorial for switching out the faucet! As for a sink switch, we have kept our eye out for an affordable replacement but so far they’d all be a lot more than we hoped to spend (so we’ll likely wait for Phase 2 in here to tackle that).
xo
s
Sara says
?… Did the original vanity look worse in person?? It looks like nice quality wood with a walnut stain that wold totally work with a new countertop & hardware. Almost has that rustic look to it in the pics? Maybe I’m alone on that, but I think it had a lot of potential on its own. Regardless, it came out looking great! I picture some very cool wallpaper now… Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Sara! In person the vanity was roughed up and damaged in a few spots and also had an odor issue (I tried scrubbing it to no avail, so stainblocking primer did the trick).
xo
s
Jenny says
Can I share my experience with pedestal sinks in small bathrooms? Our house initially had only pedestal sinks (3 of them), and one got changed out post-buyers-inspection as part of fixing a plumbing problem. The two teeny bathrooms with pedestal sinks have no hidden storage at all, and while I found some decent-looking t.p. holders, I’d much rather have a place to put other hidden stuff nearby. The first floor hall bath, which has a vanity, is great in that the t.p., a couple of cleaning supplies and some female-guest-emergency supplies (because I’ve had guests sidle up to me and ask before — and assume they’d rather not have to!) fit inside.
So just a shared experience as you plan the later stages for this space. In my view the nicer look of the pedestal sink is totally outweighed by how impractical it is to have zero hidden storage!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Jenny! Down here we don’t have much that we need to hide (we’ve done a glass cylinder vase for extra TP that’s free standing with a pedestal sink in our first house’s half bath for 4.5 years and loved it) so we think this room’s a good contender for one of them! Who knows where we’ll end up though!
xo
s
Annie says
One thing to think about. Your first house was a ranch. In a two story, you may want to keep more things in that first floor half bath. Like Clara may want to keep some hair stuff and toothbrush (and make up eventually!!!) in there for last minute touch ups before running to school.
That’s the situation we have and a pedestal sink was soooo annoying. Now my kids keep all kinds of stuff in the cabinets so they don’t have to trek back up right before leaving the house.
YoungHouseLove says
Definitely something to think about!
xo
s
Doradee says
Love the way the vanity turned out! The bathroom is really coming along so nicely. On a side note, I saw a comment on instagram regarding your doing a photo shoot for Garden & Gun magazine. Congrats and I’m wondering how I missed the news? Did you guys talk about it and I missed it?
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Doradee! It’s actually a Virginia Tourism shoot. We had so much fun exploring a few fun VA spots (we Instagrammed about it, and one place it’s running is Garden & Gun so they IGed about it too). It won’t be coming out until this fall but we’ll be sure to share it!
xo
s
Manda Wolf says
I vote no on the pedestal sink. They can look nice, they can look bad, but the issue I have with them is no storage, a place to put a few extra rolls of toilet paper or a few extra towels to dry your hands. We had one in our downstairs bathroom and I was so happy when we got around to replacing it.
Manda @ Our Wolf Den
Erin M says
Have you ever/will you throw a housewarming party? I’m not hinting at an invite, it’s just that my husband and I are moving in a couple of weeks, and I’m already looking forward to an excuse to plan a party.
Love those knobs. Love almost everything on clearance from Anthropologie…
YoungHouseLove says
We had a family gathering here about a month after we moved in (it was John’s sister’s birthday so we threw a little breakfast feast for her). It was fun to see the house crammed with 20 people or so!
xo
s