In every house we have lived in, the master bathroom has been decorated with a collection of all the things that didn’t get used in the rest of the house. I have never been intentional to make it a space that invites us to relax and enjoy – that invites thought and reflection and beauty. For one, I haven’t had a bathtub in quite a few houses, which is a bummer because bath time is my favorite time for thinking, pondering and reflecting.
So, when I finally got around to repainting our bathroom here, I decided that I was also going to make it fully ours – a master bath that was both practical and inviting. If I’m being real honest, this only matters to me. Josh noticed for about a day that it was pretty and now it’s back to just being the place where he gets clean. I don’t even care. I’m just so glad it’s done!
I’ve learned to be a propronent of embracing what you’ve got. We just don’t have the budget right now to tear out that vanity, replace the oh so flattering light of that flourescent baby above the sink, and ripping out the pukey green bathtub. The cabinets still need to be repainted and the light/vent in the bath area still needs to be replaced. And, quiet, frankly – we’d really just like a little bit bigger bathroom. Someday, y’all, but there’s no sense in missing out on enjoying today while I’m waiting for someday.
Good enough can be good enough!
Wall Color: Sherwin Williams Sea Salt – this is one of those chameleon colors that looks different in every light. Gray, green, and blue will all appear at different times of the day.
Vanity Area: There were already brushed copper knobs on the cabinets that are fairly new. I didn’t see any sense in replacing them. They are good enough for now – and sometimes that just needs to be okay!
My side of the vanity: Josh and I have taste that is so very opposing, I generally like to create “his” and “hers” spaces, or at least touches, in our bedroom and bathroom. I wanted my side to be practical and pretty. I’ve always struggled to find a convenient and hidden spot for my make-up and daily self-care items. When I saw this mail organizer at Target, I thought I’d give it a try. It’s perfect and cost me about $20! Always look at thing for what they could be, not what someone else decided they should be, and you’ll find that sometimes you score big! Touches of greenery always make a room look intentional and alive, to me. The little fake succulents came from Target for just about $7 a piece. Hooks were on sale at Hobby Lobby for about $8 a piece, and as always, frames were about $9 a piece. I’m still deciding on what picture will make me the happiest. I spend a good amount of time in my bathroom in the mornings getting ready. The pictures I stare it have to be carefully chosen!
Josh’s side of the vanity:I don’t know if you can tell, but Josh’s hook is actually a hand! It makes me so happy – and it even made him chuckle. Adding a little quirk and personality to your home in small details makes it feel more unique and indicative of who your family is. Don’t be scurred to get a little cooky with a few items! Mrs. Meyer’s soaps make everyone’s hands smell spectacular and not soapy all the time, and also, they’re branding is brilliant for display.
Bath area: When I tell you that our bathroom is tiny, I am not exaggerating. TI-NY. I can’t even get pictures of entire walls because I can’t back up far enough! We have loads of room in the rest of the house, though, so we decided to live with the smallness for a good long while. Towel hooks from Target for $18 NOT in the towel hook section. They’re actually coat hooks. Again, keep your eyes pealed for things that could work for what you need – no matter how they’re labeled! Using something untraditional for necessary storage needs can add so much personality to a space. Shower curtain is from Target last season. Wreath from Hobby Lobby for $20 but used my 40% coupon and got it on the cheap. Because the space is so small and pretty dark, I chose light and breezy linens (including the shower curtain) to keep from weighing down the space with patterns and colors. (Here you can get a glimpse of the deeply awful vomit-green bathtub.)
This is the area just to the left of the toilet. I needed somewhere to store the toilet paper that was easily accessible from the actual toilet. Since there is virtually no floor space, a shelf up high was my best option. Fortunately, I found this shelf on sale at Hobby Lobby for $10, and it coordinates with the wall organizer and the towel hooks. I love that toilet paper becomes part of the decor – it pulls that white across the room! Flowers from Target for $18 (my second biggest splurge, funnily enough). Those two prints were ones that I already had – on from my friend Stacey’s book launch for Fresh Out of Amazing – go get a copy today and we can talk about how wonderful it was later – the other I won from the Noonday spring launch. It’s by Lindsey Letters. I had not planned to use them in the bathroom, necessarily, but I need two items that were uniform in nature to group under the shelf. This is where I say again – use what you got, love what you got!
Lastly, we have the throne. Such a wonderful thing to have right by your head while you’re reclining in the bathtub. Because of this issue, I felt like it was really important to aid in ambience and general smell. The tea light holder is from Target for $20, my biggest splurge, and the angel wings candle holder is from Hobby Lobby on clearance for $5. There were a few others that I liked more, but good enough for $5 won out! I opted for simple blinds instead of curtains here because I felt like extra fabric would overdo the space.
There you have it. Not a remodel – but certainly a bit of a revival. This room now makes me so very happy! I hope this encourages you to tackle one room at a time – even if it’s just a tiny one to start out with – to make your house feel like your home that meets your needs and reflects who you are…this, I’m convinced, automatically makes others feel comfortable when they walk into your house! In a great many cases, use what you got, love what you got, will make all the difference. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a space you love! It just takes a little time and creativity.
Love y’all like crazy!