I worked on so many projects with my parents and have been so busy since they left that I haven’t had a chance to photograph all of it to share with you! That’s just the season of life that we’re in right now, though. I did take a few pictures of how the half bathroom makeover is shaping up, so I thought I would share them with you.
This is how it looked early in 2019 when we painted the walls, had slate floors installed in the bathroom and foyer, and installed picture frame molding…
toilet | Montauk blue slate floors |
It felt fresh and much more finished, but it wasn’t quite there, yet. It needed something to add a little oomph and make it special.
The wallpaper that my mom and I hung (you can read about that in THIS POST) was the perfect thing for this tiny room. It visually filled up the 9′ walls that seemed even taller in the small room and make all of the fixtures and minimal decor pop.
Yes, I have a plate rack in my bathroom! I use it as a towel bar, but I can’t resist tucking an ironstone platter in there and a line of small pitchers on top. The dark wood looks stunning on the fresh blue and white paper. I think it’s my favorite part of the whole room.
A vintage bike basket filled with toilet rolls and an original piece of my art is hanging above the toilet. (You can purchase prints of that painting and others HERE.)
I also made a sink skirt as the finishing touch to this half bathroom makeover which accomplishes a few things. First of all, it gives me a little bit of hidden storage for basic cleaning supplies. Second, it makes the sink look a little bit more special. Plus, I like sink skirts. I know they might be a little too flouncy for some, but I think they are a pretty way to soften a small room with few opportunities to use fabrics.
I made it out of an antique German duvet cover that was a bargain because there was a huge hole burnt through it! I was able to piece it together to make a skirt just big enough. I am going to make a few tweaks to the design and reinstall it. I was rushing the end of the process and didn’t really think it through! It is removable and washable, which is nice because I know my boys will use it as a handtowel! It’s just going to happen…
I hope you enjoyed a little preview of the half bathroom makeover. I’ll share more soon!
As a nostalgic look back, here is how the bathroom looked before we worked on it…
Now I’m off to paint some more beams, bathroom doors, and hopefully, get around to waxing a pine chest I started refinishing last week…
It’s all so pretty together! I will say, the only thing I’ve ever seen you design that I REALLY dislike… that basket full of toilet paper as a decoration. I just hate it. Sorry ??
Ha! Well, I wouldn’t consider it decoration in the sense that I wouldn’t hang it in the living room or anything. It’s just a way to hold toilet paper that off the floor and within reach. I think it’s nice in a guest/half bath to have the extra rolls visible, so no one is left in an awkward situation if the roll runs out!
I think it’s a great (and cute) way to show guests where to find it. It also lets you see when your running low.
Been there, done that?
Keeping toilet paper off the floor is essential when you have FELINES!! When the pandemic lockdown hit our cat mangled 2 rolls of toilet paper. He totally unrolled 2 new rolls ( And was very proud of himself! ) As a notice…No felines were harmed in consequence of the toilet paper carnage. Great way to store the precious commodity! I can’t wait to see the reveal!
I love the whole bathroom, especially the wallpaper
Would you please share the name and manufacturer?
It looks great! You’ve inspired me to add some more oomph to our main floor powder room too. I’ve done a sink skirt in a couple of previous homes, love how they soften a room full of hard surfaces. Removable and washable for the win!
Thanks for all the kind encouragement and inspiration you provide us ?
Everything about this bathroom is dreamy. The towel bar adds more warmth and character than the standard bath fixture and I love the bike basket – practical and pretty. But my favorite? That wallpaper!!! Can’t wait to see the full reveal Marian.
The blue wall paper is very pretty
Wow!!! It’s so lovely and I agree, the dark wood against the blue is so pretty. I’ve always thought of blue as a non-neutral color, but now I’m not so sure. Thinking of the blue sky with all of nature, it all just goes together so beautifully! Looking forward to seeing your follow-up post! And thank you for sharing and inspiring us!
So much to like here: the basket for toilet paper is brilliant, wallpaper is so pretty and the sink skirt is really lovely. I would love if you could show us how you attach it to the sink . Thank you!
I think the basket of paper is utterly charming and practical. Can you kindly tell how you adhere the fabric to the sink? Velcro perhaps? Love your makeovers, they keep me wanting to come back for more.
Everything is beautiful! I love the wallpaper you chose and the contrast of the woods against the beautiful paper is wonderful. I use a small basket I found at Target for toilet paper because I wanted some warmth in the bathroom and it fits perfectly on the toilet tank. Not really pretty but it’s a lovely basket and I love it more than the metal tube things you find for toilet paper. And the sink skirt is darling!
I love the powder room! I know you use picture frame molding frequently and it looks great. One question: how do you measure for each section and the height? I would love to try it so.etime.
For those previous commenters who so strongly disliked the sink fabric with the wallpaper she chose, I think you can see from just a peek that Marian’s fabric choice is spectacular with that wallpaper!
Jodie in Oregon
A lovely room but not for me. I have a problem with dishes in the bathroom & really don’t like skirts on lavatories but those things evidently work for you. I love the wallpaper.
I’m agreeing with Sandra about dishes in the bathroom… that’s the first thing I thought when I saw that photo. And the skirt on the sink… I’m not against them in general, but this one sticks up where it will get wet and dirty after one use. Could it be installed lower? Agreeing with Sandra again… love the wallpaper!
To me, dishes don’t belong in a bathroom, either. Unless it’s a pitcher & basin, meant for washing up? Items meant for food in a bathroom seem like they don’t belong there.
I’m looking forward to seeing the skirt reworked and re-installed so that it’s lower than the lip of the sink where it won’t get wet or dirty. I usually see them mounted under the sink, so it will be nice to see that change!
I love the way you problem solve in your designs . You have made some pretty choices. And you inspire me to make some creative choices!
I love it! Can you pretty please do a tutorial on the sink skirt?? I have a pedestal sink in our powder room and have wanted to make a skirt forever to hide the ugly underneath! I’ve looked online but never really found a tutorial or style that I liked but yours is lovely! Can’t wait to see the full reveal!
How did you make the sink skirt?
Wallpaper looks 1990 very folk art to me, I guess that’s tells my age
Hello,
The wallpaper is very pretty there. We are not into wallpaper in our home which is a city house with more contemporary style, but in yours it feels right. And a sink shirt would always be a big no no for us, much too girly, and the top edge will get wet, soapy and dirty, although I know you can remove and wash it.
I am curious about the chest you work on. I am refinishing a very nicely shaped demie lune table, the type you would snatch in a second. I ordered MMS Laila Green, but got the wrong mix, it was beige! I got another from the same company through Etsy, and no matter how much I mixed there was still lots of gravel like deposits and it also made some blue streaks. I complained and got refunded for one pack. Two, three years ago the quality was better when you still owned the milk paint business. The new owner said that they got lots of complaints, the manufacture is not reliable she said.
This looks fantastic! I’m looking forward to seeing it when it’s complete. I’m curious, though, about how you decide whether to use traditional wallpaper or a starched fabric wall covering? I really want to try that starching technique I read you do, as it seems a breeze to change out down the line…
I like the sink skirt. Did you use Velcro to be able to take it on and off to wash it? Room looks great!
Cracked up about the boys using the sink skirt to wipe their hands on!!! Of course they will! LOL
It looks lovely every bit of it. Great job!
That wallpaper is to die for! I love it!!! I love your use of blues… Your style comes together beautifully..
Love the skin skirt. Could you give us a tutorial on how to make one and how you attach the skirt to the sink? I love your home, blog, and special talent you have.
For those of you struggling with the idea of dishes in the bathroom…..Think of the platter as a place to rest one of the pitchers with a washrag or face/hand towel while washing up. Then it makes total sense!!! That is what came to my mind when I first saw it.
Love the wallpaper with the dark stained wood touches….so pretty!!!
Your little bath is about perfect now. It’s got ump in spades.
I have a sink skirt in front of the kitchen sink at our cottage and know for a fact that it’s been used as a hand towel more than once. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s dried a dish or two. I love your dish rack used as a towel bar and now I’m going to be on the lookout for a vintage bicycle basket. Thanks for the inspiration!
Here’s something I just don’t understand. I feel like the comments” to your post are for questions, clarification, instructions, and compliments. I don’t like to be contrary, but I just can’t comprehend why people would write to you to tell you they “hate” something, or don’t like it. A compliment? A suggestion? An anecdote? Of course! A comment telling you that your work is not to their taste? If it accomplished something positive, maybe, but it doesn’t. Not in this case.
I’m not a believer in “if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all”, however. If there is bullying, injustice in the works, etc. we must speak up.
So, I’m speaking up. If you flat out don’t like something our talented, sweet Marian has done, and have no constructive criticism, post about something else of actual consequence. 🙂 If you love your white ironstone in the bathroom, good! If you like your fabric skirt, yay! If that basket on the wall works for you, perfect! No need to justify your decisions unless it is to help us out! 🙂
I agree with that!
Thank you Stacy! I agree with you and find these critique comments rude. We all are not enamored with the same things in design.
I completely agree!!!
Thank you Stacy! I was thinking the same thing but you said it better than I ever could. Very lovey Marian!
I keep my TP in a lidded basket on the floor in one of my bathrooms which works for me. I had to laugh when you said your boys would probably use your sink skirt as a hand towel!
The critical comments are appalling…I love it all! More importantly i love how you embrace your own personal style without worrying about following trends. Your home truly tells your own story
Beautiful! I agree that the wallpaper is the finishing touch on the room. I also LOVE that you have a transom window to the bathroom, so lucky!
Oh my gosh, those pictures are just a tease! I want to see it all…. … and now i Have to have a basket of toilet paper in my bathroom! Plus, your painting is gorgeous!
Cindy
Love, love, love the blue and white wallpaper. I agree with another comment about the bike basket for toiletries… it just doesn’t fit for some reason.
I too would appreciate a tutorial on the sink skirt. It’s very nice.
I think the little bathroom is adorable…just like you are.
Yes to Stacy. I have had those same thoughts. I would never tell a friend I hated the style she chose. Why would I do that to this gifted and generous woman who has invited us into her home and life.
I love the wallpaper! But the thing that always gets me about your house are transom light windows over the doors. How old is your house? Were they there originally, or added in a later remodeling?
Our house is 15 years old and they are original to the house. Transoms are over all of the interior doors on the first floor and it is such a pretty feature!
I meant to add to my above comment, but I hit “send” too soon. I LOVE the transom windows. I see several people have made negative comments and I wanted to clarify that these windows above the doors are so unique and beautiful. I would have them in a minute, but 8 foot ceilings in a 1980 rancher doesn’t allow for it.
Love it! How did you create the pleats on the skirt?
Alas I have extra extra toilet paper stored in a tall basket (hamper?) in another room plus toilet paper under the bathroom sink. I also have another tall hamper with pasta stored in it. I think i have a pasta hoarding problem. lol When you dont have enough storage one has to get creative.
Your blog showed up in my feet and I’m so glad!
it’s so refreshing to see interiors featured other than mid-century modern *yaaaaaawwwwnn* :^{
Seems every newsfeed that comes up per interior design: white walls, modern look and furnishings…we all know the look. Dull. Frankly, design you can do in a day!! Whether it’s upscale or Ikea you can literally put a room together in a day. Not s’much with vintage: that’s the beauty of it.: )
it takes time, it has the look of it, every piece tells a story. *Smile, smiling. Smiling some more*
I will continue to follow your work.
thank you for sharing!
I would like to see a picture of your bathroom, standing back and getting a picture of it as a whole…..in particular that sink and the skirt. 🙂
Marian, How does your designer senses resolve the chrome edge of a glass shower enclosure with the use of brass or warm metals the rest of the room. I don’t always love matchie matchie but this contrast bugs me in my bathroom. Thoughts?
I have chrome fixtures throughout the bathroom, so it works. All of the faucets, the light fixures, and even the drain are chrome. I only have a few gold elements in the accessories, so it works for me.
The bathroom looks really elegant and cozy. Perfect design from color and decoration. I love everything you did on it.
I adore your bathroom wallpaper! Toilet paper idea is brillian!