Sunday, August 9, 2009

Mini makeover for the smallest bathroom ever...

I kid you not!


small... small... small.... Ready for the grand tour?


Look to the left... (no need to even turn your head, just move your eyes)...


Now look to the right... Okay, tour's over!

I know some of you probably thought it couldn't get any worse than my windowless kitchen blogpost, but here it is... the windowless bathroom blogpost - and it's the one and only bathroom we have in our house (with the exception of one down in the basement off the room that Court is using as her bedroom).


The inspiration for this mini facelift was this scrumptious Simply Shabby Chic shower curtain that I picked up this past January at Target - on sale! (Recognize it, Claudia? Claudia had one just like it at Mockingbird Hill Cottage west! She's so clever - she repurposed it at MHC east into a table skirt!)


The reason it has taken me since January to redo the bathroom is because I didn't actually hate the old bathroom decor... in fact, I quite liked it! But, as someone pointed out when I posted this original canvas painting in a blogpost once, it wasn't wise to perhaps have it in the bathroom with all the steam from the shower, etc. Good advice! I decided I liked the painting too much to risk it getting ruined... And although I absolutely LOVE my white battenburg lace shower curtain, as you can see, I have all white walls, I painted my sink vanity white, and the over-the-toilet storage unit is white... It was just too much white, white, white... The room definitely needed a little OOMPH!


So yesterday I got busy and finally tackled the mini makeover. First I scoured the bathroom, top to bottom, inside and outside the tub, every crevice in and around the toilet, every nook and cranny I could find (isn't that always fun? Actually, I guess some people do enjoy cleaning bathrooms... I'm just not one of them.) And then I hung the shower curtain. I'll save my white battenburg for someday if I ever have another bathroom.. or if I ever decide to paint the walls with a color other than white!

The canvas painted ocean scene has been replaced by early photos of my girls wearing their "no tears" shampoo visors. (If these get ruined from the steam, I can just reprint them from my computer!)

Look at the dainty little ruffle all along the bottom edge... That's what I love about Rachel Ashwell... It's all about the details, and she makes the most of them!


As a matter of fact, this is an old chenille bath mat I've had for years, and if I remember correctly, it's also from the Simply Shabby Chic line. I think it's the perfect match for the shower curtain!


These are the shower curtains hooks I've had for years and I absolutely love them!


They started out as a dark purplish-pink with dark green foliage, but as soon as I got them home from Wal-Mart I painted the roses white and the leaves & stems light green.


Some embellished towels add a little bit to the cottage feel...


I've had them for about 15 years... They're pale pink with a blue, green, & pink floral border, so even though the patterns don't match the pattern on the shower curtain, I think they look good together... (Did I ever tell you I have a great fear of mixing and matching patterns? I love the look when other people do it, but it scares me to try it myself...)


I have a couple of these (very) inexpensive french buckets from The Christmas Tree Shop and this one happens to be the perfect size for holding 2 rolls of TP... If there's one thing I hate running out of, it's toilet paper!

And last, but not least, hanging up next to the vanity is this little vintage-styled FAIRY SOAP plaque that my sister gave me several years ago... I just love it in our little cottage bathroom. So that concludes the tour of our one and only little bathroom (which, although small, sure beats the outhouses of days gone by) !! Hope you all have a lovely week!..... Donna

24 comments:

Unknown said...

LOVE IT!! Really does look great!!
Wish we had Target in England....I used to love going there when I lived in Australia.

Well done you,a great mini makeover!

Annie x

the undomesticated wife said...

It looks great! Adding some color made a huge difference!

Melinda said...

It seems you and I have one thing in common- we are tied for the worlds smallest bathroom! Mine is not much bigger, if any, than yours!
What a lovely little bathoom! I love that shower curtain, and the whole room, small or not, looks simply beautiful!

My Casa Bella said...

What an adorable bathroom I was actually going to challenge you on the smallest bathroom ever, at least you can get everything into one picture. My bathroom needs two pictures in different angles. Shower stall is behind the door. I'll have to post it one day, but we do have two bathrooms so it doesn't feel so small then. But you did a beautiful job.....LOL

Shirley said...

Gee, I always thought we had the smallest bathroom in the world. Actually, it's about the same size as yours...and I have a window!

I love your idea with the french buckets. I'm going to steal it if you don't mind.

Claudia said...

Okay, sometimes we are so much alike it scares me! Of course, there is the shower curtain (which you know I love), then there is the fact that I used to have one made our of Battenburg Lace (yes I did) - then we will add the fact that I used to have a laundry bag many years ago that said Fairy Soap on it. Cue spooky theme music!

Your bathroom looks fabulous. I love those flower hooks - they are beautiful! Everything looks great. I grew up in a house with a bathroom exactly that size. We had 4 kids and 2 adults - how did we do it? I love what you did, Donna!

Life on the Edge said...

Wow, it's been so long since I've paid you a visit! I have been having such computer issues lately, and it often freezes up when I am blog visiting. I sure have missed your blog!

I love your bathroom! I think it's the same size as mine, and its our only one too. Love Rachel Ashwell and the shower curtain is simply gorgeous! You have such beautiful accessories too.

Oh my gosh, I have those same shower curtain hooks, but still in the original burgundy-purplish color. I bought them to go with my Battenburg lace shower curtain, the same as yours, years ago as I had a burgundy vinyl shower liner behind the curtain. I will have to try to shabby-chic them up like you did! I love how they turned out.

Kady

akawest said...

No need to fear mixing prints. You do it well. The bathroom is lovely.

Connie said...

That truly is a small bathroom but I can see the love that put it together and the love in that house and for that, it's truly the BIGGEST bathroom ever, sweetpea! Just marvelous what you've done to it plus you are truly a humble person to put up with only one bathroom....except for the daughter's one downstairs.;-)
xoxo,
Connie

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

I "adore" your mini makeover.. the shabby chic shower curtain and hooks are devine. What a wonderful transformation. Even though tiny in size you filled it with alot of love... great job..hugs ~lynne~

Anonymous said...

Hi, Donna, I'm Holly from Girls at Heart! I love your bathroom make over! I've always lived in old house and the bathrooms are always so small! ♥

Edie Marie's Attic said...

Nice makeover Donna! That's alot of impact for not alot of expense. Great job!!

Hugs, Sherry

Anonymous said...

It's beautiful! And just about the same size as my "petite" master bathroom.

You've given me so many good ideas :)

Lisa

Dawn said...

Lovely little bathroom! I especially liked the flowered t.p. holder. That's a great idea.
Dawn

Kate said...

Great job! LOVE the shower curtain!

The Curious Cat said...

Love the makeover! Loved the old one too - you have good taste my girl! :) xxx

Rosie said...

I have the EXACT SAME bathroom in my house! You have inspired me to get moving and redecorate! Thanks!
rosie

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Oh, it is charming! That shower curtain and those rose hooks add the perfect cottage look, and your t.p. container looks like it was made for this room. laurie

Mandi said...

I love the makeover! The blue and florals are soft and inviting...they add a sweetness to the room. Those curtain rings are lovely too. Putting the 'tp' in a flower bucket is a great idea!
Enjoy it!

Lori @ Katies Rose Cottage Designs said...

Oh my goodness ~ It might be small but it is so beautiful !! You did a wonderful job making it gorgeous ~
xoxo,
Lori

Rue said...

Hi Donna :)

It may be small, but it's darling! I love all the new accents and especially the shower curtain :)

xoxo,
rue

Mary Ellen said...

Ahh this is so cute. I have to tell you Donna,
mine is even smaller than this. The big
difference is, your's is lovely. You
have such a nice way with things. The
little accents give it a special touch.
The paper holder is genius.

Love
Mary Ellen

Vanessa Greenway said...

This bathroom is absolutely lovely! Thanks for the inspiration!

Comeca Jones said...

Loving the curtain!