I thought it was going to be so easy! Really I did. I picked out the perfect paint in under five minutes. A record for me as I usually agonize over it for days. Take down the wallpaper border, paint the walls, paint the vanity, add some decor and I would have the perfect powder room makeover. Ha! I have decided that when I say it should be “easy” – it’s NOT!
So I showed you my inspiration in a previous post.
Here’s what the powder room used to look like. Sorry about the poor photos. This room is small! Like 4’X 8 ” small! Any smaller and it would be a “stand at attention” bathroom! Anyway it makes it really hard to get good photos. Everything is taken at an angle or with the light in the way. And the light has to be on….. no windows..sigh.
I loved the eggplant color but I have had a powder room with this color for the last FIFTEEN YEARS! A record for me. But like anything else it was time for something lighter, brighter, newer… If you look really hard you can see the black border in the upper left hand corner. It was here when I moved in nine years ago. It was the bomb then, so I left it. But all good things come to an end and it was time for it to go too.
Not sure what I was thinking with this tiny little shelf floating around…
First things first. Remove the wallpaper. When removing wallpaper I like to use warm water and a drop of bleach in a spray bottle. I simply spray the wallpaper until it is saturated and gently using a putty knife I lift the paper and peel it off. Usually this works beautifully. Not so here. They put this wallpaper up directly onto the sheetrock without a primer! Ugh. It took 3 1/2 hours to remove a very small amount of border but, I got it all off. Finally!
Next up was the paint. It went on beautifully. Two easy coats and in no time I had a really BLUE powder room. Not what I had in mind. I had the paint color matched at Ace hardware – they did a great job but, it was off just enough that I knew I wasn’t going to be happy livin’ with it! So another gallon from Sherwin Williams later, another coat and I was finally ready to put the bathroom back together!
Here is the sorta finished room. View from the hallway… I love, love, love my prints from New Orleans!
The new painted vanity… I painted her with ASCP Pure white and then distressed the entire piece. Added new black handles to match the new mirror and black frames.
Front view of the vanity. I also added a new mirror that had a little french flair to it.
When I said that I was “sorta” finished with this room this is where I am still working. Above the toilet. I hung this piece of art for now. What I really want is something old and chippy. Like a small old gate, or maybe shutters? I am still looking for the perfect piece. When I find it you will be the first to know!
I am still playing with the accessories but I was so excited to be moving forward with this room I just had to share!
until next time….
Tammy