{the blog}

from beast to beauty

Incase you missed it... my sister has been working on her psychedelic bathrooms.  $500 went a long way in this bathroom... see for yourself here.  She mastered turning scary-orange into fabulous-orange.          

surprises

 

Photo from Carolina's Flickr Favorites

When I saw this photo I thought "hey! that's exactly how I feel"... that says "tired" right?

I started this post this morning and couldn't quite get my words together.  Probably because I woke up at 2:30am and never fell back asleep.  That photo pretty much sums it up.  I was out of the office this morning, just came back in and what to my wondering eyes did appear???

   

   

Attached was a note from Bonnie thanking me for helping with her powder bath... the flowers are phenomenal... thank you! 

Also bringing a smile to my face this morning was this email from Joni... with the subject line "check it out= Gambrel - new ELLE - the BASKET!!!!" - of course there was no text in the body of the email... none was needed with a photo like this:

     

Oh yes indeed, that basket hung on the shower wall makes my heart race.  As does the exposed thermostatic shower valve, the vintage rise and fall pendant, the faucet, and the high-gloss black door.  DELISH.  Joni has a little project going on in her own house she needs to share with the world! 

from disco to delightful... on a dime

 

Recall, this is my sister's bathroom.

I CANNOT believe I have posted these images again. 

I hope no one unsubscribes from this blog.

Don't adjust your screen... it really is canary yellow.

Someone suggested that I make suggestions for a re-do on a dime.  I wouldn't do this* for just anyone... but my sister... she's worth the extra hour (make that 2 hours) in the office to compile these suggestions.

This is where she is today (and yes, it is still as seen in those photos above):

This is what I would do, if I lived there:

Let me tell you why... it is not the master, but someday it will be when the girls aren't sharing a room... and I think 2 sinks are nice in a master.  I don't think she will miss the linen closet, as there are 4 closets in the hall leading into this bedroom.  And there might actually be enough room to keep it, I don't have measurements.  I think a shower is practical here (to optimize the space) and is possibly the most cost effective solution. There is another bath tub in the house.  Do not dismay, I am queen of bath tubs in the master (a queen bath taker am I), but there are always exceptions to rules. 

So, here we go... what would it look like...

(all metals would be polished chrome (for the pocketbook's sake) and the whites would be "white", not almond or biscuit)

 

  

A. faucets $300 each in more traditional lines to offset the vanity's contemporary feel, it is not "cheap", but you should not "cheap out" on the faucet. The faucet is more important than the sink, repeat after me, "the faucet is more important than the sink". Okay... moving on.

B. sink $80 each; Ikea. I have this sink... I love it.

C. cabinet $129 each; Ikea. I don't have this but I like it, painted.

D. paint for vanity Farrow & Ball "Pigeon" $32.50; paint for walls match to Restoration Hardware's "Subtle Velvet"- as seen above on walls behind that camel colored sofa 2 gallons of Behr from Home Depot probably $50 (I like Behr's "Flat Enamel" paint)

E. tile - Daltile's Permatones & Permabrites Porcelain... on the floors - Matte White (6501) 2" Hexagon, grouted in gray (ie: Custom Building Products"Delorean Grey") $5.10/sq foot and 3x6 subway tile on the walls... installed in a herringbone (or chevron stripe) pattern, grouted in a more subtle gray/off white.

F. A Bath/Shower Valve (one at each end of the shower), that diverts from the showerhead to the handheld shower (in lieu of the tub filler) are you with me?... handhelds make cleaning sooo much easier.  I'd actually do 2 of these valves, since the new shower is so large, one at each end. I don't know the price on this... but would recommend a Speakman showerhead and handheld. Maybe $350.

G. toilet - Kohler Bancroft in white around $300. (yes, there are cheaper toilets, but you are talking to a girl who appreciates a good toilet)

H. lights either side of mirrors  Martha Stewart "Tumbler" $119 each. 4 total.

I. Bath accessories (prices unknown, all from Norwell, or equivalent from elsewhere)

J. bath mirror and shelf $68 - yes $68 for mirror and shelf, I have bought these recently for a project and LOVE THEM.

TAAHHHDAH.  Now, when she saves up the $ for this renovation, we'll post after pictures. 

Give her a few years, remember there are 3 more of these beauties.

I almost forgot the art and linens... they would be mostly white, with caramel and gold tones, and of course an unexpected punch of color in the art would be nice. I really like how that Restoration Hardware sofa reads against that wall color, hence my attraction to camel/gold.  I am too tired to search for them... use your imaginations!  I am deliriously tired... too tired to even add these numbers and give you a total... feel free if you wanna calculate, and don't worry about "labor costs" that's why she has me and my husband... we will help- my husband and I are quite a team... plumbing, tile, we've dabbled in it all! 

*- I do not design for free.  I actually have bills that require payment.  So, while every once in awhile I offer suggestions... I don't make a habit of it.  I am thinking about offering freebies once every couple of months (would you like that?)... for those in need of solid design advice who cannot afford a professional.  Glad you understand.

the good. the bad. and the really ugly.

 

 

all above from albion bath company  {thanks to Liza in SF}

As I was oohing and ahhing over these an email popped in from my sister...

Sister,

Get your tongue ready and don't drool on your computer screen! I thought since all your other blogstalkers shared their bathroom pictures with you that I better do the same! Any advice on any of them!?

 

Seriously I can't explain why I haven't shown these to you all sooner.  Well, probably because I like to keep it nice and tasteful around here.

 

If and when you are feeling down and out about your bathrooms and any possible lack of good taste that you might be living with... just know that my sister feels your pain.

 

She and her husband bought a house recently and these are her bathrooms:

Yes, that's carpet.

Hello Hollywood.  This was faaaaaahhhhhnnnnccy for one lucky lady long ago.

 

There are not words clever enough for the atrocity.

She has asked that I take donations on her behalf to help her update her bathrooms, we only need to raise about $75k... shouldn't be too hard. She has only stripped the wallpaper in one bathroom... the renovation process may be a long one for that mother of three.

 

She will get there.  Her kitchen is already revamped and fantastic. 

 

try not to lick your screen

I have a plumbing fixture obsession.

There.

I said it.

All my clients and close friends know this about me.  It is devastating to me to see a great house with bad plumbing fixtures.

I think I've told yall that the cabinet hardware in my office is made of unlacquered (so it will tarnish) brass plumbing parts.

Plumbing, I really love Perrin & Rowe.  Someday when the Lord chooses to bless me with mo' money, I'll have it in my house.

I also really love it when my blog readers come out of the woodwork with sweet little emails like "I really love plumbing fixtures too"... and then when I ask for pictures I get an inbox full of this type of eye candy that nearly had me so stunned I couldn't move...

Holy bridge faucet. And it's in my finish Polished Nickel.

Does everyone realize how important the little details are?  Liza does.  This is her home... she lives near San Francisco.  I wonder if she's got a spare bedroom?  I'm already planning my next random vacation to visit a stranger.

These pictures make me want to do dishes!  And bathe!  And obsessive compulsively wash my hands over and over and over... but wait....

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better... BIN PULLS, JADEITE out the whaazzu, CUPBOARD LATCHES, and is that a Sub Z?  Liza, can you start work on Monday!??  I need you.

Honestly!?  She aproned her (honed and eased edged) countertops in marble and did full on Carrrara splash.  My heart is racing, once again.

 

If this doesn't convince you that less is more, and that a small kitchen is just as perfect (when detailed to a T)... you be crazy.

Love. True love.

This is absurd, in a most positive way.

And last but not least... my dream valve... the thermostatic shower mixer. Liza, thank you for sharing with me... I opened this email and looked at these attachments more times than I care to admit to the world.  This house needs to be published, hello magazine people... call Liza! 

Liza isn't the only blog reader out there who delights me...

In non-plumbing news... Annmarie (remember she's my random mini-blog client in Boston who I will visit later this month to talk "kitchen renovation" and shop at Brimfield til we drop) well, she finally got her stair runners installed a few weeks ago and sent me a photo.

And Alison (in Brazil!) sent me this photo of a bathroom she and her husband renovated (here in the US before they moved the Brazil)... I spy a sponge & soap holder, a Bancroft faucet, and a good ole cast iron tub. 

And last but not least, there is Courtney.  This is Courtney & JJ's bathroom faucet.  I stalked it when I went to Houston.  I took this photo less than an hour after I arrived at their house... nothing like a good first impression (a weirdo in your bathroom taking photos and talking about the lines of your faucet and that typeface on the hot & cold buttons).

I wish someone at Perrin & Rowe would contact me, because I think they need to replicate this faucet.  It is old... original to their classic little Houston bungalow.  

Thank you people for sharing with me... you bring me such delight.

Happy FRIDAY!

excuse me, where is your restroom?

I love checking out people's bathrooms!  I believe that bathrooms are a vital part of interior design - you can fluff and "decorate" all you want, but a bad bathroom is a bad bathroom.  Has anyone been in the bathrooms at Ted's Montana Grill?  I love it - the soap dispensers dispense powder Boraxo hand soap, the shower stalls are created from Carrara Marble framed in brass, it's a delightful experience.  Clean and simple.  Courtney recently gave me an eye-full of beauty in the bathroom pictures she posted of Quality Meats in NYC. See more here.

Some might disagree that a bathroom is important... saying it's a "functional" space - don't spend a lot of money and don't go all-out.  I disagree.  The first thing I tell new clients is: "you are going to spend your money in the kitchen and the bathrooms"... thus far I've been blessed with clients who agree! 

Here are some various bathrooms from my inspiration files.

{elle decor, november 05, photographer: gregory crawford}

{not sure on the source, sorry- loved the shelf brackets}

{elle decor, october 2007, bathroom of Michelle Smith (girl behind the fashion label Milly), photographed by Roger Davies}

{I've posted this pup before, Southern Accents}

{a private outdoor shower, off a master bath, Metropolitan Home}

{the master bath that's attached to that outdoor shower... I love the rustic-industrial-ness of it. And of course, the french casement windows help too! Metropolitan Home}

{I know, I've posted this before, but it deserves mention again- Stephen Gambrel from Elle Decor June/July 2004}

Powder bathrooms deserve a post of their own... they are an element of surprise and always dripping in great design elements!