apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

The vanity is horrendous, but the matchy sink and toilet (and tub?) are pretty cute. I actually quite like the light blue paint. Rather than painting over it, why not consider painting some stripes with complementary colors- like chocolate brown, orange, grey, etc. Also replace the faucet and light fixture and get rid of the granny curtains and southwestern shower curtain. For flooring, maybe alternating squares of brown and light blue linoleum tiles?

Hmm, the blue is really in there, getting it out will be tough. I would introduce more neutrals by using a silvery gray for paint as well as the shower curtain, which will match well enough with the blue. Using a simple top up/bottom down white solar shade will make the window seem more modern; for light fixtures I would check out Restoration Hardware for a deco look in brushed nickel. You can probably find cheaper alternaties at Home Depot, but that will definitely give you some ideas to work from.

Once you tackle those easy things you can assess the rest. The vanity is definitely not too cool and the floor looks very dingy in your photograph. Swapping out the toilet should not be too costly so I would go ahead and get a white one put in; in terms of flooring, get something that will match the vanity you plan to put in rather than compromising for something that can't stay long-term. Real marble tile with gray veining will look nice with gray walls but admittedly will be heinous with that vanity. In the short term, maybe you can spraypaint it white?

I think you should price out some vanities because in my experience you can get a basic white one (which you can add nice handles to maybe from Anthropologie or Restoration Hardware) for $100 or less and as long as you have someone to hold the sink up while you slide it in, it's pretty easy to do yourself. The toilet, sink, and tiles are workable. That color blue can work well with a shiny mod orange or dark brown or eggshell white. I would first take down the curtains, wallpaper border and swap out the light fixture (and vanity if you're up to it), and then try some color swatches or photoshop a picture of your bathroom with different wall and floor color ideas. Putting in new linoleum would not be that expensive but I'd hire someone to install it for you. Linoleum comes in great colors these days. Looks like you've got a fun project!

How do you feel about stripes? You could do stripes in varying tones of mocha and blue, running them either horizontally or vertically.

I"m going to use West Elm for my examples, just because they have the colors I'm talking about. So start off with a plain-ish shower curtain in khaki or chocolate, like this one. Since you've got a plain color, I'd recommend texture. Pintucks rock.

Moving on to towels. You could repeat the chocolate, by getting the "espresso" color, or you could go with their "ozone," the darker blue IF it looks good with your blue. You want to work in another shade of blue that you LIKE--a lot--so it can be your dominant blue in the stripes. Navy might work better than a bright blue. White would even work, but you've already got all that white tile.

On to the window. How about this whitewashed bamboo shade instead of curtains? Simple, and easy to clean.

Now the floor. You could go back to the espresso color with this wooden mat, or you could pick up the blues with this pretty blue floor mat, introducing a slight floral touch, which would be good to get you away from JUST stripes.

Now that you have your textiles, you find paint colors to match them. You have the dark brown, the lighter whitewashed brown, the blue of the towels and rug, and the blue of your permanent fixtures. Add in a white, and I'm thinking a mid-tone khaki, and maybe a navy blue. That's a lot of colors, but my idea is to do wider stripes of the colors you like, and then only one or two tiny pinstripes of the other colors, including your fixtures. You could do actual stripes, or you could paint the whole wall the khaki and have a band of teeny tiny stripes running horizontally all the way around the room at eye level. Whatever you do, I think getting creative with the paint is the best way to distract from the blue fixtures.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. My mom has the exact same fixtures you do, so I've been thinking about this for a loooong time. Too bad her tastes are so radically different from mine, or I think I could really make that bathroom look good... LOL Good luck with yours!

Julie

PS--To save money and avoid wasted paint, buy sample tins of the colors you're only going to use a little of.

Check out the http://makingitlovely.blogspot.com/ ang find her bath reno. She dealt with similar problems.

I think once you change out the things you are planning on, you will be pretty happy, but I agree with the advice about pricing out changing the vanity.

And I would guess changing the flooring might run you as much or more than a vanity swap.

In both, just be ready for surprises (no tile behind the vanity, problems with subfloor, etc.) and be prepared to factor that into time and budget estimates.

Check out what Making it Lovely's Nicole did with her blue bathroom fixtures.

Here's a great light fixture that I sent as a suggestion to someone else trying to keep their period bathroom but wanting more attractive fixtures. That site, Homeclick, is a great resource for fixtures because they have so many options and you can sort by style, material, and price.

I think it would make a relatively huge difference to take down the border, keep the walls the same color as the toilet/sink, put up a white shower curtain, paint the window trim white (or a lighter blue?) and put up a modern white window shade. And maybe modernize the light fixture. And put down a white area rug.

I forgot to say: The best way to start envisioning this room looking different is to immediately remove the curtains and the wall border. Then paint the walls with at least one coat of primer, which you'll have to anyway if you are going lighter in there.

With that blank slate it will be much easier to see what you want or can do to the space. Maybe with white on the walls, the floor won't look as good, or perhaps you change your mind about the vanity? This way, you will be able to think about it for awhile until you're sure, instead of making a hasty decision just to stop it from looking like that. Good luck!

"For financial reasons, I'd like to keep the faux marble vanity, toilet, tub and wall tile"

I cannot help a person such as yourself, a person like you cannot be helped. Good day, I say Good Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like the blue walls and the way they pop against the blue ceramics. Take down the Curtains and shower curtain immediately, and anything else you can remove. (pin a sqare of white fabric if you need privacy in the windows for the interim week, hang a $3 clear plastic liner from the hardware store for the shower, this will give you a sense of what the room could look like without the overpowering southwest theme.

I could see this space looking nice with a black/white theme to complement blue (Might lean towards a hollywood regency look). blue paint also still makes sense if you are keeping the shower tiles. Urban outfitters and pottery barn teen both have plain cheap(ish) square bathroom rugs that could complement a modern look - beware though, in our apt the rugs get 4-5 days before they are filthy (with 3 people in and out of the place). So get something washable

Sandra,
The vanity is not that bad. Here's my suggestions. Immediately get rid of those curtains, borders and shower curtain. Since that vanity (and the blue fixtures) carries the visual weight in the room go very simple with everything else, to make the vanity look intentional. If you want to go modern, you need to make the room as simple as possible.

For the walls, a pale silvery grey. I don't think you'll need to primer. I've have very good luck covering dark walls with a light color using Behr paint. If the blue bleeds through, it might look cute anyway.

A very simple, clean lined shower curtain. Maybe like this one from Target:

http://www.target.com/Greenbriar-Shower-Curtain-Blue/dp/B000E8680E/sr=1-7/qid=1194289552/ref=sr_1_7/602-1523796-5627004?ie=UTF8&index=target&field-browse=1038576&rh=k%3Ashower%20curtains&page=3

For the lighting above the mirror, perhaps something chrome. But again very simple. Like this from Home Depot:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100098960&N=10000003 90401&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125

Get a very simple white shade.

That should be a good start. Good luck! Hope we get to see what you decide!

Sorry Sandra -
one more thought. If you are keeping that vanity (which I would try to work with it before ripping it out) - by all means do not paint stripes on your wall! The stripes with the blue with the marble will look horribly overdone, which I believe is not the look you want. You want to go as sleek as possible since that piece is so loud.

i agree, peggy...no stripes!!!

i kinda dig the vanity...glad you're up to the challenge of working with it! here's what i'd do:

- remove the window curtains, shower curtain, and the wallpaper border

- remove the current light fixture above the vanity and invest in something simple and sleek (dont go too "modern" or it will look cheesy paired with the faux marble. if it was real marble, you could get away with uber-modern)

- paint the space a clean pearly grey, to accent the "marble". i think grey paired with the clean white tile will look really fresh, clean, and modern. paint the window frame a clean, cool white

- consider an oversized mirror to detract from the vanity

- as for towels i say go for big fresh, fluffy, white towels. nothing says "im trying to make this bathroom look 'decorated'" than a matchy towel set. plus, white towels are so yummy and actually easier to keep clean than colored or patterned towels (they dont fade or discolor, and you can bleach them if need be-- plus, they're always easy to add to the set if you need to!)

- i'd say go for a luxe white shower curtain that's hung high. i got a quilted one from Target and then had it monogrammed (kinda tounge-in-cheek). it looks so fabulous.

- do what i did and cover your yucky linoleum floor with removable rubber! i am AMAZED at how this changed the look of my bathroom...and it was so easy and cheap!
http://mylittleapartment.blogspot.com/2007/09/use-rubber.html

good luck-- i'd love to see some after photos!

Thanks for the feedback! The vanity is horrendous, I agree, but the thought of removing it and seeing what's behind it makes me nervous. The urgency with which people called for the removal of the southwestern shower curtain and wall border made me laugh!

Julie (parhelia) - the whitewashed bamboo shade is a great suggestion. It's difficult to find decent curtains, so the shade is a good alternative.

Priscilla and Lisa from VA - thanks for linking making it lovely's bathroom, great inspiration.

Goodnightdean - I like your idea of switching out the medicine cabinet for an oversized mirror. Your rubber floor looks fantastic!

Peggy - Had I seen it at the store, I wouldn't have thought twice about that light that you linked from Home Depot, but the more that I think about it, it could work quite nicely.

I'm definitely leaning toward a pale gray for the paint color, and brushed nickel or chrome fixtures with simple clean lines, as many have suggested. I feel like I have a sense of direction now - will submit photos once renovation is complete. Thanks again!