Remember when I mentioned how our family has gotten so much closer after the move? Well, I wish it was because of how magnificently and sensitively I shepherded my children through the transition. It's actually because of the fact that all five of us share one bathroom upstairs. When we first moved in, I thought that was going to be one of the most challenging parts of living here, but it's been totally fine. I swear. Plus, it gives me hyper-control over my children's hygiene. I actually didn't know I still needed that. Do you know how many shortcuts a child takes in this department when you're not around?! I actually had to tell one of my children that yes, you have to use toothpaste when you brush your teeth, even on the weekends. Yikes.
Though the shared space is fine, what wasn't fine was how much the bathroom needed to be resurfaced and updated -- from the cracked and peeling cultured marble, to the vinyl flooring, to the impossible-to-keep-clean shower surround, to the room-length mirror, to the fluorescent shop lights over the vanity. I'm sure it was an example of high design back in the day, but its day was over. I wanted to give it a rustic, vintage feel, with a slightly modern edge. And I wanted the remodel to be as low-cost as possible. Which explains my radical decision to paint every square inch of the perfectly beautiful cherry wood that filled the room. Sorry, all you purists out there. Here are some before/after pics to show you what a few changes can do to a space.
Since this bathroom will primarily be used by the kids, I needed to choose a floor material that was easier to clean than natural stone, and more resistant to water than wood. |
There was so much wood to paint! I decided to use Annie Sloan chalk paint in Old White on all the cabinets so they would look like oil-rubbed, vintage furniture. For the rest of the surfaces, I had the chalk paint color-matched at Sherwin Williams in a latex, satin finish and was able to coat the larger surfaces with a roller. Matched perfectly. |
Counter tops were custom made out of Peruvian walnut. I kept all the original, antique brass hardware. I love those H hinges and they can be found all over our house. |
Material Sources:
Silverfox Salvage, Albany, NY -- reclaimed barn wood
LampsPlus -- sconces
Overstock -- Kohler vessel sinks
BestTile -- Italian "slate" floor tile
Faucet Direct -- Moen shower/tub fixtures
Amazon -- Whisper Quiet exhaust fan by Panasonic
Miller Construction, Guilderland -- so many talented craftsmen!
Design on 20, Guilderland --invaluable sounding board and support during material selection
Lowe's -- industrial light over commode
Perfectly Imperfect -- Annie Sloan chalk paint and "should I paint the wood?" inspiration!
Target -- shower curtain and bath mats
Something Olde Something New, Slingerlands, NY -- antique glass-door cabinet