Thursday, June 30, 2011

Mr. Right-Now Bathroom

First, you need the backstory.

A year ago, my husband and I bought a house circa 1976, and it looked it - minus the red shag carpet. I kid you not, folks. I knew the people who lived here when I was growing up and the flooring of choice was red shag. Last April, it looked pretty much the same - dark stained molding and doors, retro wallpaper, and vintage light fixtures. And the hall bathroom, well that came complete with turquoise tub and toilet and to complement them, the countertop is cream and turquoise swirl with seashell-shaped sinks! I use the verb "is" because it is still just that way.

We have slowly been working in one room at a time. Some of the improvements are permanent, and others are more temporary cosmetic fixes until we have the time and money to make the long-term changes. Ideally, I would derive great pleasure from gutting the entire hall bath; however, my checking account says, "Go for cosmetic. Go for now." So, lately I've been pondering what changes paint, modern hardware and updated lighting can make. While the turquoise fixtures would not be my choice, I think they only look horrendous in the current combination - and my son loves the sinks! I know, I'm working on his interior decorating skills, girls.

When Gussy Sews posted her new Inspiration Workshop on the perfect bathroom, my mind started spinning, but it was just spinning in place because every time I walked into that bathroom this is what I saw.


Is this inspirational?


But then I logged on Facebook and felt a tinge of jealousy well up as I read everyone's updates posted from - THE BEACH. Here is where my mind got traction and started going somewhere.

photo credit: paraflyer on Flickr

I have all the workings of a calming bathroom, reminiscent of the beach. Nothing kitchy (except the seashell sinks which must stay for now). So, we'll keep the turquoise fixtures (picture the shimmering ocean or intense, cloudless sky) complemented with khaki walls (imagine warm sand between the toes) and cream cabinets to blend and draw less attention to the attention-getting countertops. I may even have to inject some smokey blue-gray.


I see it working - for now - and sometimes that's all you need. It isn't Mr. Right Bathroom, but it will be Mr. Right-Now Bathroom.

(As an aside, you may be wondering why we would buy such a place. Because I've always aspired to be a martyr? No. Really it was the LARGE and numerous windows. I knew it would always be a house filled with light.)

Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop!

5 comments:

  1. I make do with a Mr. Right Now bathroom too, haha. My parents had red shag carpet in their house all the way up until JUST A FEW YEARS AGO. I know, it was horrible! But now that it's gone my friends say that they miss the crazy red shag. I think that they're crazy people.

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  2. Found you on Gussy's Inspiration Blog! The beach inspires me too. Our bath is currently a 50's Shabby chic with gray walls...it's bad, but it's a rental so hopefully we will upgrade in our next home!

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  3. Agreed, all around, but it's about more than the bathroom. My son might remember the 1970's bathroom but he'll also remember movie nights, baking cupcakes, cuddling up and reading, and lots of hugs and kisses. The bathroom can wait a bit longer if it must.

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  4. Hi Alice!

    Just letting you know I wrote a mini-review of a number of blogs I like on my blog and it includes yours. I hope it generates you a little more traffic and interest.
    You can find the post here:
    http://this-good-life.blogspot.com/2011/07/through-blogging-door.html

    Blessings,
    This Good Life

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  5. Hello Alice,

    Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment for my Giveaway announcing the opening of my new online shop, La petite boutique de perles. I appreciate all of my visitors and the comments that they leave.

    I just love your post! It reminds me of a bathroom that we had in our first home only instead of a turquoise shell sink, we had an old time sink with chrome legs horrendous wallpaper, and an ancient light fixture that was scary! We did the same thing you are doing...Making cosmetic changes until we could afford to do what we really wanted to do. What a difference paint and lighting can do for a bad space. Good luck on your project.

    I am adding you to my blog roll and will add myself to your list of followers.

    Kris

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