A little bit of Om...
It's well known that I just can't seem to stop reno-ing our little house. We have now changed every room, except the front hallway closet! :D (it's days are numbered!)
Recently our bathroom was feeling a bit cramped and needing a refresh, even though we had renovated it just 6 years before.
Because of it's small square footage, the dark color and big hardware it was cramped and tired looking, to say the least. Time for an revamp!
And as always, with any reno there are usually unexpected surprises, like our spongy floor and soft wall around that sink; leaky pipes...sigh.
After cutting out and replacing the piece of soft gyp-rock and reinforcing the floor we are finally ready to take out that big flush and replace it with a smaller, more water efficient toilet to help reduce water usage. Replacing an older toilet with a WaterSense® labeled toilet can save 35 gallons per person per day. For our family of 6, it made sense to make this decision.
We also decided to add a ventilation fan.
Now onto the paint. We have a light color that needs to go over this very dark one, and it has been years since we painted last, so that means primer. Because this space is a bathroom where lots of moisture gathers we decided on a Zinsser primer. This Water-base primer-sealer, is mold & mildew resistant, and has a fast 1 hour dry time. No brainer! We also used this as our ceiling paint, it's flat based and will prevent those little mildew spots from appearing on your plaster.
The paint color is called Pine Whisper, and is a PPG color, here is the web page. Keep in mind the color looks completely different on a computer. https://www.ppgpaints.com
Color #ppg1134-4
It's hard to see now, but it will be a clearer more vibrant color once the light fixture and the rest of the design is put together.
Next we replaced the flooring. This was a vinyl roll end from Richie's Carpet Warehouse, that I fell in love with. Since my floor space is only 5' X 8' I didn't need to purchase a full 12 foot roll. Which also keeps the price down. The budget for this project was a mere $500.00 with a sink and toilet replacement.
I mean, really!? Would you just look at that! The great thing about vinyl flooring is that it's durable and stands up well to heavy foot traffic. It's incredibly comfortable under foot and reduces noise, which can be important if, like us; you have kids & pets.
I wanted this space to not only be transformed into a completely different design, but to be a relaxing place to spend time. Since an average person spends 1.5 years in the bathroom in their lifetime, it seemed imperative to adopt a zen like style for this space. (didn't think you would learn some useless facts while perusing home reno web pages did ya?! LOL)
That's where the wainscoting idea came in.*Tip* When air nailing your wainscoting - try to get the staples/air nails in the white creases so they are less noticeable. Since they stood out when silver, I used a small craft paintbrush to color the top of the nails white so they would blend in. This wainscoting is Maple, and about $36 a sheet at Home Depot.
Having a small space meant having a traditional chair rail wasn't going to work. So instead we used door stop, wood trim molding, because of it's slim profile. Then used acrylic caulking to fill in the space between the wall and the trim, to finish the look.
Now it's just about the details...
We matched the flooring by using weathered wood from a pallet, as our casing for the corner. (see how the nail heads on the wainscotting are hidden from sight?)
Adding a smaller toilet & sink also allowed the space to feel larger. Adding a large beveled edge mirror to reflect more light also helped the space feel bigger.
Another detail: The towel bar support is also from an old pallet. The support was necessary to allow the stability of using the studs. Wet towels + flimsy attached towel bar = a crying DIYer when it pulls from the wall leaving huge holes behind. Do yourself the favor of going that extra mile.
New shower curtain in grey, white and a subtle blue.
A small table made of weathered pallet wood. And of course some entertaining signage...
On the large uninterrupted wall facing the sink, I added hand build shelves from left over pallet wood. This pallet however, wasn't very weathered, and had newer looking wood. To keep with the theme, I added some paint treatments.
First staining the boards dark with one of my favorite stains, Min Wax - Provincial. The trick to making new appear old with paint, is layering. Darkest to lightest will give you the following look.
Next I added a hint of blue with a dry paint brush.
And then finally, white. I used a dry rag for the white to have more control.
I just love those re-saw marks!
Now they look weathered.
Adding the shelves, make sure you affix them to the cleats for added support, since they don't have a frame. Wood is heavy even when it's not laden with knic knacks.
Finally, finished and completing the look. Again affixed to the wall studs for support.
Another great finish to the space. A little something extra to hold toilet paper. So cute! (top lifts to allow fill up) This one holds about 6 regular size rolls.
I hope you enjoyed this little project, and that it will inspire you to pick up that hammer, screwdriver or air nailer and reno your life! ;) Till next time!
