I love the color and the curtain :) well done.

I've been considering painting my bathroom a light gray, and this has convinced me to do it!

Very nice (and the price is even nicer)!!

With more time and resources, it might have been nice to update the vanity with white paint and new hardware, but even without that it's still quite an improvement.

I agree. I would definitely update the vanity. Otherwise, great job!!!

It's a nice change - but for just a few bucks and a few hours more, she could have removed that awful frameless vanity mirror and installed a nice vintage framed mirror as well as a recessed medicine cabinet with a wooden door.

It certainly is odd that the wooden floor extends halfway into the room and tile covers the other half of the floor.

A lovely example of updating a room with jut paint and few accessories...

I prefer the original color scheme, especially since she elected not to paint the vanity. The new art is a big improvement, though.

Maybe her parents quite like the "awful" mirror. I honestly don't think it's that bad. Nice simple makeover and fives ideas to some of us who can't change everything in our spaces (for whatever reasons).

Very nice. I think the vanity would look great painted a dark blueish gray with new knobs.

I don't see why everyone paints everything these days. You paint something because it isn't of a good enough craftsmenship (MDF) to stain. I rather like wood, especially if it's a richer color. I think the vanity adds a darkness that grounds the space and provides contrast. Also, this being done for her parents, I'm not sure they would appreciate ultra-contemporary and sterile.

I also think that sometimes a mirror like that is functional and brings a lot of extra light in. If you wanted it framed, you can put moulding around it.

Using what you already have is smart and environmentally sound. I think for the price and the time you hit a home run. Your family is lucky to have you. Don't let people talk smack just because they can only visualize what IKEA tells them to do. ;)

Considering the budget this is very well done. It is however too heavy on the accessories.

While there has been a change in paint color and the shower curtain...much could still be done. Or undone.

Thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate it. I didn't really have the option to change the vanity/cabinets/mirrors (like some people might find when renting). I personally would have painted the vanity, but that is not my mother's style. The mirrors were installed when the previous owners built the house. We don't believe the walls were correctly prepped underneath, so I opted not to tackle it in a weekend. I would LOVE to change the mirrors!

What color would you paint the vanity, if you could paint it? Match-the-walls gray? Same white as the counter? Wondering because I like the new, cleaner look and would be able to paint the vanity, too.

In this particular bathroom I would probably paint it white. I would likely test out the white that I used on the ceiling (SW 7008) bc it's a favorite of mine. In a bathroom with good natural light, I might use SW 7065 Argos. I would also add really great hardware like Anthropologie's Prism Knob.

While I think that the update was an improvement, just because it resulted in some coordination between the wall color and the accessories, this was not the best solution.

Why does everyone insist on thinking that painting a room gray will solve everything? That certainly wasn't the case here. You could have painted the room purple and used a shower curtain and accessories with purple and achieved the same result - better, but not optimal.

Yes, that yellow was amongst the worst possible colors for that room. Bravo for changing that out. But without painting the vanity and changing out that cabinet over the toilet there are still massive holes in the decor of that room. Somehow people think that painting a room gray will make it hip and cool and take care of all other problems.

Please get over the gray paint thing.

Kudos on getting rid of the silk roses. Now if only you could convince your mother to get rid of the flowers on the cabinet over the toilet...

Fake flowers are bad, people. Just Say No.

oh the double towel..

I would have to go Stephanie's route. I would love to redo my parents house, but they love the look of wood, as a matter of fact I think they have the same vanity.

I love the new shower curtain...where did you find it?!

Yes, where did you get your shower curtain??

It is the Fieldcrest Luxury White Metallic Printed Fretwork shower curtain from Target. $24.99. http://tinyurl.com/2flruc3

What is the name of the yellow on the walls in the before photo? I love it. It looks so warm.

I say Kudos to you for working with what you had, and for creating a room that is fresher but still respects your mother's taste.
It was a selfless and loving surprise--tossing all her things and rejecting her aesthetic would not have been good, from a designer's perspective or a daughter's.

I have a similar mirror in our master bath that I just framed with molding, but I'm so disappointed with the results that I'm thinking about removing everything. I hate that I spent so much time, energy and money on framing the mirror and now it doesn't look great. I like bepsf's idea of removing and putting in a vintage framed mirror or recessed medicine cabinet.

AT has some pretty harsh critics. I think you made some big improvements with very little money and resources. It's not my style, and I wouldn't do my own bathroom this way, but I have no doubt in my mind that your parents were amazed. Judging from the before picture, your parents aren't super modern hipsters who love sterile spaces...yes it has lots of accessories, but I don't see what's so wrong with that. It seems like your mom and dad like having lots of accessories, and that's who this space is about after all. I think you did a really good job.

@chelojelo I don't know the name of the paint bc it was done by the previous owner. I'll poke around in the garage to see if they left any touch up paint.

I do like the gray. Like the shower curtain. Its much classier. But all the chotchkes cheapen the room. Some serious editing needs to happen here.

Ditto 'Seasons' comment........ and as for 'getting over' grey: I still adore it! This post has made me a little scared to show off my house. lol! I saw the pics and thought, sweet, well done, what a nice thing to do for your parents.I was genuinely surprised by some of the negative comments. I actually like that mirror..... am I the only one?

I bet your mother was so pleased. It's a lovely re-do. More important, your mother will likely tell the story of your doing it in three days while she was on a cruise to everyone who comes to her house. That's the kind of thing that makes moms so happy -- Look what my wonderful daughter did for me! That's worth more, in the long run, than the choice of paint.
What a great woman you must be!

LOVE IT!

Nice work! I love the shower curtain!!

What did your parents think? I'm sure they love it. :)

So they painted and got a new shower curtain...why was this worth posting?

@elecat: I don't understand the hatred of the mirrored bathroom walls. We have two bathrooms in our home with mirrored wall. (Already there when purchased so I'm not defending my own design choice) They are immensely practical since each of them have two people using them at the same time on a daily basis. In my mind, practicality makes much more sense in a bathroom. Honestly, I think toilets are the ugliest thing ever and detract from the overall design of the room but that doesn't mean I would rid my bathroom of one.

@elecat: I put your name on the first post because I was supporting your stance on liking the mirror. In reality my post was addressing the haters... sorry I involved you.

Beautifully done. It is wonderful how you combined your Mom's style with an updated look. I love the artwork and how it pulls together the tile/wood and paint color. (where did you find it?) I love the grey....painted my living room grey 2 years ago and still love it, it is so versatile.
I bet your Mom is thrilled....I would be!

You guys are insanely harsh. She was making over her parents' bathroom -- definitely a brave thing to do. I'm sure she was trying to update the place without making too many changes, and without stepping on her mom's decorating choices too badly. She was also doing this as a surprise -- kudos to her for not going in and throwing out everything. First rule of decorating -- don't make your mother cry, "WHERE is my beloved [insert whatever]??!!"

I'm sure she'd make some additional choices if she had felt free to make those choices. BUT, with what she was able to do given all the restraints she was working under (budget and time included) she did a fantastic job! I do love the color and the shower curtain, and the art is definitely better.