TEMPorary Bathroom Overhaul :: the After

BEHOLD (and try not to judge too harshly) – pictures of the state of my downstairs bath (where I get ready in the AM ) since October 2012!!

BEFORE Photos:

(Hubz thought we’d do it before the kitchen but in fact, the kitchen dominated – thank goodness –  while the bath sat idle…)

From the before pics, notice:

• The charming boarder
• The 1980s not-fully-attached wood fixtures
• The ripped out shower and exposed insulation
• The shower stall turned hobby storage(?!)
• The oodles of storage space!!!

I’ve been wanting to do some cosmetic fix until we can get the window guy in (the hexagons create problems and are ridiculous) … but have not because the true bathroom overhaul will involve a total gut…(since the drywall will be pulled out, what’s the point, right?).

The point is THIS –> I could not STAND it anymore, and since the hubz was out of town, I did a mini-update over a Sunday and one week night last week …a nice compromise, IMO.

Because this is so not permanent, I was able to play a little – and it was SO MUCH FUN and I am THRILLED with the result!

I came up with the plan on my own return flight from CA…

Temporary Bathroom Overhaul Plan:

• Thoroughly clean walls
• Remove wallpaper border (though not taking the time to get all layers to glue off, since we’ll lose those walls anyway)
• Remove and paint medicine cabinet and storage “shelf”
• Remove (trash) and replace all other “hardware”
• Use leftover kitchen paint to block out various wall features (hardware, magazine racks, medicine cabinet to sink, etc)
• Enhance with stencil (same as used in office overhaul)

I chose to leave yellow paint (test) swatches on the wall; I felt trying to cover them might have left a worse result, so just played off them a little with the stencil.

And here is how it looks now!!!

AFTER Photos:

Have you done a few key things that transformed a space more than you could imagine? Tell me about it here!  Perhaps all you need is some encouragement, a day (or two), and a list.

• Search Pinterest, Houzz, or maybe Apartment Therapy for inspiration
• Make a list of achievable “to dos”
• Create space in your calendar
  • to execute the work
  • to shop for necessary items (it’s ok to buy a few things if you are not sure, and then return what didn’t work out!!)
• Execute on scheduled day(s)
  • do yourself a favor by knowing what lunch will be that day; a full day of DIY can take different energy than a day sitting at the desk

Enjoy your creation!  I think I am actually breathing better as a result of mine!