Paint and hardware make a huge difference- long but with pics

15 years ago

We bough our current house 10 years ago. PO's had painted the main bath a bright salmon pink. With alkyd paint. High gloss. Including the ceiling.

(You can click on the pictures and it will take you to my album where they will appear full size.)

Before:

From fall photos and pink bathroom

Note the delaminating doors on the vanity:

From fall photos and pink bathroom

Took me all this time to work up the nerve to deal with the beast. Because I knew what would be involved...sanding every inch of that pink paint so that the primer would adhere. I kept thinking we'd just gut the thing and start fresh...but things like kids going to college and failing retaining walls kept getting in the way.

Then I got "furlowed" at work and needed a project.

Well, here is how it turned out:

From fall photos and pink bathroom

Notice--I fixed the delaminated spots with wood filler...can't even tell they were there!

From fall photos and pink bathroom

Please ignore the little foam brush on the sink handle...that was a make-shift painting tool. I had a hard time getting between the medicine cabinet and the mirror.

Took 1.5 quarts of Aura for the walls, less than a quart for the trim...ceiling is Ben Moore's Ceiling white (which I had leftover)--let's say $70 for the paint. At most. The hardware was under $10. New shower curtain and rings from Crate and Barrel were $80 including tax. New light switches, plug and plates were about $20. So for under $200 (and a week of my life) I got a beautiful bathroom.

The truly amazing thing is how different the TILE looks without all that pink reflected on it. I promise you...identical lighting conditions in all the pictures.

I don't know why I waited so long.

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Comments (10)

madtown_2006_gw
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow! GREAT job!
caligal
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Looks so much better! I have a question for you. Did you strip off the old cabinet paint? I am wondering because we have an super glossy oil based paint on our cabinets and I want to paint over those with a semi-gloss paint.
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mjsee
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
caligal--

No, I didn't strip the old paint. I sanded to knock the gloss back and then washed 'em with some spic-and-span. (rinse really well!) Once they'd dried I primed with Benjamin Moore's "Fresh Start." Hard to believe...but the cabs are white in the first pic...just not the white I wanted.
pepperidge_farm
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You're right about the tile, before I got to the bottom of your post, I kept scrolling between the before and after pic trying to figure out what happened to it!!

Very gratifying, I am sure!
bbstx
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm with pepperidge. I nearly wore out the buttons scrolling up and down. I cannot believe that is the same tile! Nice job!
lilathabit
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, it actually looks fresh & modern! If only my bathroom would be this easy...
Good work!
kelleg69
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I think it looks awesome--the tile does look like stuff they are doing now!
fixeruppityest
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
...wow...
I scroll up; I scroll down. I say, "wth, is that the same..."
(scrolling, scrolling) "Damn it IS the same..."

This is a *wonderful* example of how to update and modernize; without spending a fortune. Totally awesome job!!!
mjsee
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you. Honestly...if it weren't for the fact that one of the tiles in the counter is cracked and pitted (someone previous to us clearly dropped something heavy) I don't think I'd have to do THING to that bathroom if we had to put the house on the market.

Guess it's just a case of "everything old is new again."

We are going to have to drop a new sink in...the 40 year/old porcelain is starting to de-laminate around the drain...but I'm pretty certain Kohler still makes that round drop in, so we should be fine. Wish I could find new versions of the spigot handles... I've had the stems replaced, but they aren't going to last forever. And I adore their mid-century vibe.

melanie
brutuses
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Great job. You are right, it looks like brand new tile. Amazing.

Paint and hardware make a huge difference- long but with pics

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madtown_2006_gw

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Paint and hardware make a huge difference- long but with pics

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