apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think a picture light would have been another nice alternative too. But maybe that would have been too much of a downlight.

And the light does indeed fade into the background! Very good.

(For $12, yeah, I can see how you went for that light.)

Not bad. Clear bulbs might look really good in it and make it fade back even more!

I guess it's okay for what it is... but it definitely screams "cheap DIY project." As with most things in life, you get what you pay for...

Yup...and still ugly.

agreed. I don't like it anymore than I thought I would.

I think that some kick-ass bulbs would make the redo look more mod and intentional. The standard vanity lights are still screaming "out of date" to me.

Something like this:

http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=60G25SB&Category_Code=SilverBowl&Product_Count=9

Ow. Bowls of milk for hejiranyc, hdtex and dougdavis there in the corner please. Looking forward to seeing what the three of you are all doing for the Jumpstart.

Well, of course it's not the greatest design innovation ever... but for those of us who have experienced that moment where you're not ready for a full bathroom redo, but that one detail is MAKING YOU CRAZY, it's a very practical and sensible make-do. Sometimes Not Making You Crazy is a necessary step on the longer journey to perfection.

Oh! Well, I have to say, I would never have thought of it. I had been very unhappy about the juxtaposition of the tacky light fixture and the cool mirror, but you've disappeared the fixture. I . . . I . . . actually like it. I agree with JG that clear bulbs would be better, and with Joy R that you might have fun finding other interesting bulbs. Praise for your resilience in the face of the horrified comments, too.

I like it too. Congrats on making a big improvement for very little money.

I'm not trying to be vicious; I just think the potential was there to do something more... imaginative and creative. I think the goal of any sort of DIY project, big or small, is about asking yourself "What would I do if I had lots of money?" and to try to come up with a comparably cheap alternative. I suspect the question posed for this project was just "How can I make this less ugly," which is almost self-defeating.

For one thing, I think those big round bulbs conflict terribly with the very angular lines of the vintage art deco-style mirror. I would have built a frame around the mirror, finished with some era-appropriate stenciling in gold and brown paint, and placed light cylinders/tubes on either side. And to be honest, I absolutely detest that shade of blue on the walls. On anything. I think chartreuse would look stunning with that mirror.

Well, I guess I can at least take solace in the fact that so many of you care so deeply about the state of our tiny bathroom. Thank you to my defenders! Constructive criticism is always more appropriate than flat out rudeness. Most of us learned that in preschool. That said...
Yes, hejirannyc, I do agree with you that the goal of a DIY project should be to defeat the "no money=bad design" dilemma, but in the face of remodeling an entire home, some things end up as quick-fixes to scratch an itch. I took the latter approach and thought that many folks might have similar issus. As for the blue, that was a non-negotiable deal that was made prior to ever moving in to the home! The walls were sort of chartreuse and they were beyond horrid. Funny how personal taste works...

haha- "impassioned comments" is right, you might even say insensitive to some.

I love that blue.

That was a clever and awesome trick to make the light fixture go away.

Wow!

I do think that some of the other comments were a touch nasty but the truth is that many elements of your bathroom are definitely not my personal style.

I think that the bathroom really lacks a unifying element and that all of the individual items that are up for comment (light fixture, mirror, blue walls) do not go together at all.

I would take that beautiful mirror out of the bathroom completely and put it somewhere where it can be a focal point! It is completely lost on that striking blue wall and the much debated light fixture, whether you love it or hate it, is all that I can look at. It is also true that the art deco style of the mirror is in conflict with the other main elements of the bathroom.

Put something with more modern lines like a sleek mirror cabinet or a round frameless mirror.

The light fixture is not good. I know money is a factor but what about Ikea? or Ebay? If you like the round lights I would mount two of these as sconces on either side of a sleek mirror cabinet?
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50082512

The striking blue walls are not my taste but they are in fact in your house so more power to you!

The light fixture blends in so well that at first I wasn't sure what the revamp was, changing a mirror? =) Overall I think it's an excellent idea carried out very well.

Wow, ditto to the bowl of milk. Good grief, children, let us be more supportive.

You did fine with what you have. I like the mirror. Second on putting in different bulbs. Thats all.

I have redone a bathroom and the durn electricians put the vanity like in odd spots. This almost NEVER allows you to put the pretty lights where you need to without rewiring or moving the electrical box.

You did fine with what you had to. I commend you for even putting something online. I lack the courage.

BWT - snippy critics hejiranyc, hdtex and dougdavis - UM, WHERE IS YOUR PROJECT??? hmmmm?????

I think it is great. Not all of us can afford or know how to change out fixtures, or in my case, am very scared of potential electrocution. I have been waiting for months for my dad to come up for a visit to install my new bathroom light fixture which I can not afford to have installed because I spent all my money on buying our first house, painting most of the rooms, and putting in wood floors. While waiting, I have had to work hard to avoid looking at a brass version of the above fixture that was above our mirror when we moved in, and now have to avoid looking at the revealed innards of such fixture because a few months ago the thought of living with it one more day drove me to tear off all traces of the brass. I truly never thought of painting it the same color as the bathroom, and dearly wish I had seen this several months ago. As I suffer with an unintented "industrial" raw socket fixture, please accept my compliments on a creative temporary DIY solution. And ignore the unhelpful criticism.

PS-It's not an irrational fear I have, as the very old house we bought is all cross-wired and amateur-rigged, another issue I am saving money to address. I once turned off the power to the whole kitchen and my dad almost got shocked cutting the power line to the unworking old dishwasher that was left here. It was wired into the power outlet for the spare bedroom on the other side of the wall. Ack.