When I first toured my apartment, the bathroom was my only hold-up. But then I remembered the price, location, and presence of a dishwasher -- and five seconds later -- signed on the dotted line. As I was ripping out the check, I reconfirmed "The bathroom will be fixed, right? Like they'll replace the toilet and swap out the medicine cabinet and patch the wall etc, etc."
Ohyesyesyes.
Note to self: while you're signing a check, the only answer you're going to hear is yes.
So needless to say, when I moved in, the bathroom still pretty much looked like this.
Ohyesyesyes.
Note to self: while you're signing a check, the only answer you're going to hear is yes.
So needless to say, when I moved in, the bathroom still pretty much looked like this.
The toilet-tank-key-on-a-shoestring is a nice touch, no? Only rivaled by the electrical-tape-cabinet-latch. I was bummed, but IHADMYOWNAPARTMENT so didn't fret too much. I've hoarded home magazines for a good ten years now, so if anything, this felt like the play-offs. Extreme Makeover: Apartment Bathroom Edition. So let's do the rundown, shall we? - Broken toilet - Busted 100 year-old medicine cabinet (Well, 98 to be exact.) - 80's globe-light vanity - Janky fixtures (rickety towel bars, etc) - Clawfoot tub (whose chipped-away clawfeet were in serious need of a pedicure) - Dirty, dust-caked, black radiator - Dirty, dust-caked molding and baseboards - No color. Anywhere. So I had my work cut out for me. And all the while, my Dad's voice echoed in my head *This is a rental. Do not invest your hard-earned time or money.* Sound advice. But my Dad and I have differing opinions on decorating. He's also far better with money. So after mannnny trips to Home Depot and the Holy Trinity (HomegoodsTJMaxxMarshalls), here's what went down... - First, I painted the walls yellow. Then grey. Then blue. I love me some yellow and was fairly intent on not having a cliche-blue bathroom. (Note the very large swatches of yellow. Really gunning for Venetian Apricot here.) But the blues flat-out killed it in the sample game. So I guess I should replace "cliche" with "classic." Because now I've learned "classics" are called that for a reason. And blue bathrooms just seem to work. So I painted all the walls Light French Grey (confusing because it's blue), and then vowed to never paint a bathroom again. The small footprint of the room had me thinking it'd be a cinch. But the 200 nooks, crannies, fixtures, awkward angles, tall ceilings, and total lack of ladder space quickly put me in my place. Once the walls were done, I developed immediate painting amnesia and decided to freshen up the door. SPLENDID IDEA. I was hesitant at first because I'm always a bit timid about painting wood. Feels a little sacrilege. But the backside of this door looked nothing like the front, and was all sorts of drab, stained, and beat up. So I took my Mom's advice and whitewashed away. I always *think* I like the distressed paint look. Until I'm on paint coat #15 and realize I've brushed away any sign of it. Ah well. At least now I know my type. Then it was onto updating the lights. |
As you can see, it's one of those lovely 1985 fixtures that uses big globe bulbs. My first instinct was to rip it off the wall and buy something new, but that white metal piece is stuck. Cemented. With the strongest adhesive known to man. So my only option was to paint it where it was. Cue the masking tape and spray paint!
And the homestretch was a flurry of Home Depot runs, more spray paint, elbow grease, power tools, and one seriously impossible towel hook. Instagram probably tells the story best...
And then, one morning, I woke up and had myself a bathroom.