April 7, 2016

house tour: kids bathroom [mini] remodel

I'm finally sharing some photos of our mini bathroom remodel. Here's my disclaimer(s) though. First of all, I'm calling this a "mini" bathroom remodel because we have plans to gut the entire thing along with the master bathroom and create a larger en suite. Because of that, I didn't want to spend too much on this remodel with things like new flooring, countertops or a tiled shower and just worked with what we had. Secondly, the remodel isn't technically complete because we ordered all new interior doors that won't be here for two (long) months so it doesn't look completely done. I also have a few finishing touches I want to do. I will probably do an update again once I feel like it's done (and maybe when I finally figure out how to take good pictures of a weird angled bathroom with terrible lighting... tips anyone?)

This is our hall bathroom that the kids and guests use. I wanted it to be colorful and fun, especially with a temporary remodel, because I could! Without further ado, here is what the bathroom looked like BEFORE. Black trim, black vanity cabinets, butter yellow laminate countertops, trellis vinyl flooring and cheesy, builder light fixtures.
I started by hiring myself (haha) to make a design board so I could visualize what I wanted. Here's what I came up with and I feel like the vision really came together the way I wanted. 
I sanded and painted every last surface of this room - no lie. The baseboards and trim were painted black so I sanded and painted all those bright white. It was a messy job, but someone's gotta do it!
The walls needed a ton of patching so I ended up just skim coating and sanding the walls (with David) and they look a lot better since they're not as textured. This is what it looked like mid-projectn when I was COVERED in drywall dust.
The sink vanity had the same terrible black painted cabinets that we have in the kitchen... and the same cabinet hardware. They are NOT good quality and I wish we could have ripped them apart but it'll have to wait for a full remodel. This is after I had removed the "unique" 70s hardware.
I decided to try my hand at the painted concrete countertops that I've seen and I think they turned out great for a temporary fix. I wouldn't do them if this bathroom was a permanent remodel though, but that's my personal opinion. I used a combination of this tutorial and this one and they were both really helpful. It really was easy (albeit pretty messy) and I think anyone can do it. I think we had the ideal countertops to start with since they were smooth 70's laminate. 
I also bought a pair of these stools from IKEA and painted them kelly green. Here's the before.
I apologize for the shadowy pictures. I need a wide-angle lens (I think) and this room is difficult to photograph because of the funky angles. I also had just wiped a spot on the countertops that was still wet so just pretend that's not there cause it normally isn't. Anyway, this is pretty much what it looks like, except I'll be changing a couple of things: new bulbs for the vanity fixture, possibly new faucets if I can find a good price on something I love, new closet and room doors, a new heating vent plate, put on the schoolhouse light fixture shade, fill frames with art... but you get the idea, right?
So, the flooring... remember how I said it was vinyl? Well, it wasn't in the budget to replace it with tile or anything so I just painted it with Benjamin Moore's Floor + Patio Porch Paint in Gull Wing Gray. It went on so smooth and was actually really fun to paint! I just deglossed the floors before and painted it on. I am a huge fan!
For the trim, stool and vanity I used Benjamin Moore's Advanced Line... that stuff is awesome! I've tried painting furniture several times and it always dries sticky and streaky. This stuff is magic! It's kind of pricey but totally worth it. I will never use anything else. It goes on like oil and cleans up like latex. The color for the vanity is Cabana Blue.
This shower curtain is kind of the main inspiration for the colors in the bathroom. I wish I could photograph it better but because of the weird alcove that the shower's in, it's hard to photograph. Just trust me - it looks awesome in there!

Well, that's all (for now!) folks!

23 comments:

  1. I LOVE it!!! It looks so fabulous!

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  2. Your bathroom looks wonderful Liz! Good job!!!!!

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  3. This is so great liz! You are very talented! I'm curious about your roman shade. Looking for one above my kitchen window.

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    1. I got it at West Elm! It was on clearance so I'm not sure they still have it but Pottery Barn has some too. :)

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  4. It is such a huge improvement! Can you talk more about the concrete counter and why you wouldn't use it long term? I think it looks really cool and would love to try it in my hall bathroom.

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    1. Well, maybe I am being overly critical but mine didn't turn out perfectly. It's definitely a big improvement from what I had but it was difficult working around the sink and the corners were tricky. I guess my advice is to make sure you're really a perfectionist with the trowel marks and making sure everything is perfectly smooth + even.

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  5. Fantastic work! I am really impressed...and inspired! I am really terrified to try home improvement projects on my own. You took on some pretty impressive projects and they all turned out great!!

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    1. Thanks Connie! You are so nice. You can DIY! It's definitely a commitment and sometimes my projects don't turn out like they do in my head but it's fun!

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  6. LOVE it! All of the colors came together so beautifully, and what a great testament to your eye for design. The vanity has anazing storage with the stack of drawers, and Benjamin Moore is ALWAYS worth the extra money.

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  7. The floor paint is amazing! What a good idea

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  8. I love it! I like to see upgrades on a reasonable budget :) Have you thought about removing the big mirror and using two individual mirrors over the sinks? We did a mini-makeover in one of our bathrooms and I'm debating removing the big wall mirror. What are your thoughts?

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    1. Thanks! I considered replacing the big mirror with two cool mirrors and maybe putting sconces between, but it just wasn't in the cards for this mini makeover. The mirror is in fine shape so I am keeping it until we rip out the whole thing and start from scratch! I think it looks so great though to do that!

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  9. It looks amazing..you're amazing!! Definitely inspiring

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  10. It looks beautiful! I love the colors and textures and patterns... you have a really unique eye and talent for this!! Love it!

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  11. Very cute ~ what a transformation. :)

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  12. Love your colors and the concrete countertop looks great, it looks so beachy, modern and fun. I'm inspired to try to did my 1950s never been updated bath now,

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  13. where did you get the light fixture - great upgrade!

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  14. Amazing.Your kids bathroom is so good and stylish.I really like your bathroom and informative blog.keep it up.

    Bathroom makeover Manassas va

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