Before and After: Bathroom Pics

A slight departure here. Folks, I have no intention of turning this blog into a DIY home improvement forum. I simply don't have the skills (using a screwdriver and spray paint is as far as I go) plus my sister covers all that. But everyone loves a good before and after and I thought I might pepper in some of those as they become available.

First up, our full bathroom. We have just one upstairs and it is...not the biggest. It was the central drawback to buying this house but we felt it had so many other good things that we were willing to overlook it. And regardless of size, it IS brand new with a nice marble shower. Here's the view from Ashton's bedroom across the hall and then a closeup:

My main concern was the microscopic sink wedged in between the toilet and the tub. 

You couldn't even fit a hand soap on there or a toothbrush or NOTHIN'. Plus, I knew as soon as we hung a shower curtain, the place would get even smaller. 

So what did we do? Are you on the edge of your seats?? BEFORE: 

AFTER: 

I know one of the lights in the vanity fixture doesn't work. It flickers on but ONLY when I am in the shower. It's on the list of "House Quirks" to get taken care of.

Here are the contributing factors to the AH-mazing transformation. We: 

a) painted over the existing color (Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere) and put up BM Mediterranean Blue instead

b) added a chair rail and beadboard

c) got rid of the microscopic pedestal sink and miraculously squeezed a vanity in (and little marble backsplash)

d) swapped out the medicine cabinet for a flat mirror

e) installed a corner cabinet (immediately to the left when you walk in over the toilet)

f) adorned the corner cabinet with a ceramic fish I found at TJ Maxx on clearance (to which you might say, there's a REASON it was on clearance, but I wouldn't hear you). 

g) put up a shower curtain (duh)

h) and then things you can't see: frosted the shower window (because HELLO neighbors), got a really fancy Simple Human shower organizer, put up our favorite Block Island print, and had one of those fans with a heater put in the ceiling.  Ahhhhh. 

Wow I've never listed it all out like that. Impressive! The fish is really central, don't you think? What a showpiece ;)

Jason still wants to add ceiling moldings but he is hard at work on some built-ins and then the fireplace remodel downstairs so this will be it for awhile. I'm not convinced that is the right mirror either (would white be better?) but it doesn't keep me up at night. Voila!