Hola friends!
I'm just back from a holiday in Barcelona so I come by that "Hola" honestly. We spent four nights on our own in the city and then headed to a vineyard outside Perpignan for the beautiful wedding of one of our oldest friends.
As in, we've known him a long time, not that he's of particularly advanced years or anything.
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| Look at this shop! Just LOOK at it!! I would work here for free just to spend some time in there....and I can see a stripey painted floor in my future for sure! |
So we had a lovely, child-free week where we got to wander around a spectacularly beautiful city, with nothing more pressing to decide than where to have our next drink. I didn't miss the kids at all for the first four days....and then I found myself trying to smell other people's children in the street.
Anyway, all that was great for me, not so good for my poor neglected little blog, but I'm ready to get back into it! So, where are we at?.......
Oh yes.
The time has finally come to update our phlegm coloured ensuite bathroom! It was low down on the list of priorities cos it's not a part of the house that anyone but us sees, and it's not like we spend so much time in there that it was necessary to change it right away.
It's amazing how kids trying to climb onto your knee while you use the toilet can ruin any feelings you ever had of the place being a "sanctuary".
So we lived with it as it was while we worked on more important parts of the house, but now, now it's time!! I've banished the lurid step stools and the kiddy toys to the main bathroom and I'm ready to have this space be "mine" now.
No, Gavin doesn't get a space. Unless you count the shed.
And while in an ideal world I would be primping myself in this little gem of an inner sanctum.....
No, Gavin doesn't get a space. Unless you count the shed.
And while in an ideal world I would be primping myself in this little gem of an inner sanctum.....
....unfortunately this is currently way, wayyyyyy out of my league.
Like, this bathroom is Mila Kunis and I am Macaulay Culkin.
So, I am forced, as usual, to work with what I have and make do.
To give you some idea of what we are working with....
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| As usual, I only thought to take a "before" photo after I'd started. That pale spot was a cabinet, and there was another over the sink which I had already pulled down. |
The room is a good size, but an odd shape. There isn't anywhere for free standing storage to go, so it always feels a bit cramped. The previous owners had put two little cabinets up, but they were both ugly and at the wrong height, so they had to go.
It's a bit dark, and I didn't edit the photos at all to let you see what it looks like in there most days.
So, all in all, it needs work!
My basic plan for this room is to brighten it up and give it some character....while spending as little money as possible! I know this is something I always say, but this room in particular is definitely not getting a lot of money spent on it. If it was a full-on luxury bathroom in my forever home maybe, but the ensuite in this house just needs to be functional, clean, and as pretty as I can make it for no money! So, to that end, I might end up going for a style in here that i normally wouldn't choose, namely, a kind of rustic/industrial vibe.
Now, I do love this look, and I admire it on pinterest all the time, it's just not something I ever leaned towards for my own home. However, Gavin very romantically arrived home from work recently with some free pallets that I think we can use to make some stuff for in here, so I'll let that dictate the look and work around that. Also, the tiles in here are fine (boring, not my taste, but not offensive) so I'll be keeping those, and I think they could work into a rustic/glam type theme quite well. Actually, it's been kind of fun to plan a room around something that we have to work with, rather than trying to change absolutely everything to suit my preferred style, it's kind of freeing!
In a very strict, limited options kind of way!
In a very strict, limited options kind of way!
So, on my to-do list for in here is:
1. Flooring
In an ideal world this beauty would be my floor...
It's beautiful right? Ridiculously beautiful! Only problem is it's not actually a floor, it's a sculpture, but trust me, this will feature as a floor if I ever get the chance to actually design a house for real.
So, in reality I'm keeping the tiles we have, but I want to try and clean/brighten up the grout to make it look a lot fresher in here.
2. The shower area
I hate the shower. Talk about budget builders grade circa 2000! However, it's not something it's worth us changing in this house. It works fine, it's not overtly offensive, it's just not the shower I want! So, to try and jazz it up I want to try and stain the grout a darker shade to make it a bit more modern. Then, I have a slightly strange idea to disguise the shower doors themselves, but I'm not sure if it'll work!
In my dreams, this is the shower I would have. In fact, I would quite happily live in it. Look at the size of that thing! And the gold fixtures!
Swoon
In my dreams, this is the shower I would have. In fact, I would quite happily live in it. Look at the size of that thing! And the gold fixtures!
Swoon
3. Storage!!!!!!!
I want it built in, I want it off the floor so crud doesn't gather under it, and I want it to hide all crap I keep in here. To this end, Gavin will be busting up some pallets and attempting to make me this:
It won't be stained as dark, and the hinges and handles will be gold, but you get the idea. I haven't had a full length mirror in ten years, not having to stand on the bed to get a look at my footwear will be a novel experience!
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| Shanty2Chic |
It won't be stained as dark, and the hinges and handles will be gold, but you get the idea. I haven't had a full length mirror in ten years, not having to stand on the bed to get a look at my footwear will be a novel experience!
4. Shelving
There is now a blank space over the toilet that is crying out for some shelves. I love the look of these and will be trying to come up with something similar, probably using more of the pallet wood....cos, ya know, free?
5. New soap/toothbrush holders
Sounds silly, but I want them mounted on the wall so that the sink isn't cluttered and dirty looking all the time. This will make me very happy!!!!! If they could be gold I would be happier still.
6. New awesome mirror
That is the right height so I don't need to stand on one of the kids steps to put on my makeup (shut up) and is big enough and awesome enough to make a statement in here. The less bathroom-mirror-y it is the better!
Something like this would be amazing, but I may have to try and DIY it cos the closest thing I've seen to this was €400 and that's about double the entire budget for this room. So no.
Something like this would be amazing, but I may have to try and DIY it cos the closest thing I've seen to this was €400 and that's about double the entire budget for this room. So no.
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| Amy Bartlam |
7. Art
I want something inspirational to look at while I prepare myself to face the day. This has caught my eye:
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| Society 6 |
It's inspirational, but in an aggressive, vaguely threatening way, which appeals to me.
Probably 'cos that's how I hope I'll be described in my eulogy.
I also want to use this free poster that NASA released 'cos it's so darn pretty and I haven't found anywhere else to use any of them yet. They're all amazing in a kind of Jules-Verne way, and they're free to download here. I love them all, but the pale pink in "Venus" really appeals to me.
Probably 'cos that's how I hope I'll be described in my eulogy.
I also want to use this free poster that NASA released 'cos it's so darn pretty and I haven't found anywhere else to use any of them yet. They're all amazing in a kind of Jules-Verne way, and they're free to download here. I love them all, but the pale pink in "Venus" really appeals to me.
8. Make-up storage
I want to be able to access my make-up and brushes easily, without it all being stuffed into a bag on a windowsill, cluttering up the place, making a mess, and being way too easy for the kids to get at. I want something that keeps it all to hand somewhere near the mirror, but I have yet to come up with a definite solution. The problem is there isn't an obvious place for it, but when I do settle on something it will definitely include something like this:
10. Lighting
The light situation in here is god-awful! There is one silly round light on the ceiling, and nothing else. I need light by the mirror, but changing wiring etc is above our pay grade, so to remedy this I'm planning on swapping the existing fitting to one that has at least three wires, and swagging two of them over to hang on either side of the mirror. I also want the fixture to be pretty dramatic and industrial, which leads me to something like this:
It's been done a lot, I know, but the reason that it has is cos it's so damn pretty! Plus I could swag two of the bulbs over to hang on either side of the mirror to give extra light there.
So that's the plan, what do you think? In an ideal world I would rip the whole thing out and stick all new fixtures and fittings in there, but as usual we'll be playing it safe on this one, so I'll have to get creative!
I've already started on the painting, and it's already looking a lot brighter and fresher in there, so I'll be sure to keep you updated. Wish me luck!
So that's the plan, what do you think? In an ideal world I would rip the whole thing out and stick all new fixtures and fittings in there, but as usual we'll be playing it safe on this one, so I'll have to get creative!
I've already started on the painting, and it's already looking a lot brighter and fresher in there, so I'll be sure to keep you updated. Wish me luck!
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