You need to paint those cabinets ASAP! I like the idea of the curtain to hide the brass shower enclosure (we have one of those beauties as well!). I am such a black fan and I think it could work if you distressed it enough. Green would be pretty on the walls.

I love that fabric - it looks perfect with the floors and it's a great way to camouflage the shower doors.
Painting the walls and cabinets and adding some accessories and voila! you're done.
I love makeovers and can't wait to see what you decide to do.

I love the toile as a shower curtain. We had a hideous glass enclosure two houses ago and that's exactly what we did. It made a world of difference.

Painting the cabinets is one way to go. Or, you could stain them even darker to get to a more current look.

Ya' know, looking at the cabinets again....they're not awful at all.
If you're pressed for time, I think painting the walls and changing the hardware will make a world of difference (along with your new shower curtain).
They have nice door profiles, crown moulding and look to be good quality.
Just give them a good cleaning and some furniture polish.
Why make more work for yourself?

Normally, I look at the pictures first and get my own impressions and then read what is written. You suggest exactly what I thought when I looked at it, except, I'd put effort into the wallpaper/wall area over the vanity. The vanity will look fantastic just cleand and new hardware.

I agree with joanie that I'd do the shower curtain (that fabric looks great in there with the floor), paint the walls, and change out the hardware on the vanity. Put up a few pictures/accessories, and it'll be a ton better. I wouldn't paint the cabinet if I had plans to replace it totally in the future. We can't see your faucet, but if you wanted, you could update it to a finish like orb or nickel or whatever you replace the cabinet hardware with.

Reno -
I love the toile but is this your DS's bathroom? Does he like it - it is kinda girly. But if it is just to make it look nicer for company - I think it would be great.
Wonder if you could do the opposite of the distressed green & dry brush green on top of the cabs?

Maybe pop out the recessed panels & add chicken wire above the toliet to give it a lighter feel. Fold pretty towels & baskets of soaps & tolietries in there. On the vanity - maybe the fabric or wallpaper.
I can't really see the mirror but what about framing it?

I would keep the paint neutral - maybe the same as you have in your greatroom.

Your doing good if that is the ugliest room in your house!

Smiles:)

Thanks all, for the encouragement and suggestions.

Rob333, I agree about the area above the mirror. We'll be removing the wall mirror and re-texturing there, as well as adding a new goldish framed mirror. (Once we lost steam on this room, I never had DH remove the mirror for me to texture back there!)

LOL Mimi2006! I guess the whole reason I *want* to paint the cabinetry is because I know I won't be keeping it, so I can have a little fun, and try something unexpected. If I end up liking it, I can always keep it, but if not, it won't break my heart to see it go. (I love painted woodwork, so I don't mind the work.)

Johnatemp, the house is weird. It's technically not a 4 bedroom house, but there is a large room above the garage that is accessed from the den. It's the only room in our house that's upstairs, and probably was inteded as a gameroom. For our purposes, however, it's a bedroom for my son. So technically, the downstairs bathroom is much more of a guest bathroom (it's right off the kitchen and den, and is the pool bathroom in the summer). It just happens to have a shower, and is closest to his room, so it's "his" bathroom by default. As far as decor, I'm much more interested in having the bathroom flow with the rest of the downstairs than I am with decorating or painting it to his tastes! (His tastes include wadded up dirty clothes, wet towels, and socks strewn about....)

Also, I love the idea of chicken wire, but since he does use this bathroom as his own, this is what we'd have peeking out at us through the chicken wire:

Lovely, no? I have to be honest with myself and flexible enough with him to allow him to be a piggish teenage boy and be able to hide his messy stuff somewhere. I won't try to fool myself that he'd keep it tidy if there were wire there! Now if it were my girl's bathroom, I could totally do the chicken wire, and organize all of their toiletries in cute matching wicker baskets or something. :::Sigh:::: That would be so cute.

I used clip on rings and a tension rod in a bathroom to make a decorative shower curtain.

You might consider not just camouflaging the glass door---remove it and use the shower curtain with a liner. Your fabric is beautiful. When in college, we had long shower curtains on showers with bases only that high, and they worked fine--especially since you have tile floors. And think how much easier to keep clean!

My DH decided the day we were expecting company to remove the horrible glass enclosure from our guest bath (it was a tub/shower combo). I panicked thinking it would take hours and leave horrible spots, etc. It took him about 1/2 hr to remove it and another 1/2 hr to clean the areas where it had been attached. Then a short amount of time to fill in the 4 small holes in the enclosure and touch up. I remodeled an existing shower curtain and liner while he was doing that. My panic turned to absolute joy! What an improvement! So you might try it. Sorry no before and after shots.

This room isn't really that bad. I think I'd follow the above suggestions. Nice new paint, freshen up the cabinets, camouflage the shower with new fabric and put a vase of fresh flowers on the corner of the vanity when guests are due.
My guest bath is also my boys' bath, so I understand the teenager/boy effect. You might try a couple of bins in that cabinet for all those grooming products.
One last thing, your den looks like a lovely, cozy comfy place to hang out. One teensy suggestion, in the pix,the light switches really stand out from the rich color of the walls. You might consider painting them. Hope I'm not over the line in suggesting that.

I bet your DS loves having a room upstairs all by himself - esp. with his own staircase!!
So, i see what I have to look forward to with my DS8 - I totally understand. That cabinet doesn't look bad!! It would be cute with chicken wire, thou;)

The bosporus would look really good in there & go right along with the rest of your house. Love your chandelier in the family room.

I so need to do my upstairs guest bath & am using that same fabric in the guest room......thinking, thinking.....post pics of your shower curtain, please. I may have to copy - :)

Smiles:)

Would it be too much of the same fabric, if you would use it as insert in the cabinets? Kind of like your inspiration photo?

This month seems to be going fast already, especially with Thankgiving just around the corner. I think you should save painting the cabinets for last, just in case there isn't enough time. Paint the walls, new shower curtain, new cabinet hardware, and then see where you are. Looks like a great project that you will enjoy doing.

It sounds like you already have some good ideas and advice. I love the idea of the shower curtain with the toile fabric--even better if you can remove the enclosure and use a clear liner with the shower curtain. Paint and texture is the most impt. thing though--esp. with guests and more showers daily and moisture accumulation on the walls is not a good thing. Also make sure you have an adequate fan in the bathroom. Panasonic makes the best. ALternatively, clean out the one you have beforehand. Perhaps add a new towel bar or rack for extra towels for your guests since you'll loose the towel bar on the enclosure. It would be an interesting experiment to use Rust-o-leum on your hardware. There was a recent thread on spraying brass light fixtures ORB--do a search on cliff_and_joann. The results were amazing.

I think the vanity is a great project to experiment with--perhaps the woodworking forum can give you some tips if you need them. I can so relate to your messy teenage DS. My DS's bathroom is off the family room and I'm always after him to pick up--though I'll admit the girls are no better. ;)

Reno .. This looks like a fun project!

I think the bosporous toile fabric looks fantastic with your floor. I like the suggestion of removing the shower doors totally and using a plastic liner. Only do that though if your sure your son and guests will be good about pulling the liner all the way over and keeping it tucked into the shower area.

If you decide to paint the vanity, I really like the green rubbed finish to pick up the other colors in your fabric. If you like the idea of chicken wire, but don't want to see the contents of the vanity. You could always use a bit of the toile fabric behind the wire. Hung at the top and bottom with cafe rod curtains, tacked to the inside of the door. That way you could also remove your curtain to be laundered when they need it. Take and cut out the center panel of the vanity, paint, then put on the chicken wire, then the toile. Just a thought, I'm not sure how much work you want to put into this.

Something along these lines, but you could pull the fabric more taunt if you didn't like the 'shirred look'
{{!gwi}}

Okay, I'm loving the pic Zipdee posted. I happen to have a roll of chicken wire, and I'll have enough fabric leftover to do an insert, or maybe I could do a corresponding fabric, since the toile pattern would be obscured if it were shirred like that..... Hmmmm..... creative juices now officially flowing.....

I'm off to Lowe's. I'm starting on the cabinets, as that'll give me the motivation necessary to do the more tedious work of texturing and painting the walls. (I always work backwards like that. Drives my DH nuts!)

What fun! I love a re-do that can be accomplished in a few days!

Yes, yes - like the above picture!! Just something to lighten the heavy wood look above the toliet. You could also find some pretty scrapbook paper that compliments the toile & put that behind the chicken wire.

Grab you a pretty towel rack to hang over the toliet.

Smiles:)

I love zipdee's pic. It's such a classic French look.

I really wish DH would get on board with older homes instead of new construction as I would love to incorporate some of these design elements.

Your home is very beautiful, reno. I just love your decorating.

Reno - you inspire me. I admire how hard you work and it seems so effortless for you. That would never be a redo that can be accomplished in a few days for me. More like a few months, if not years! However, from hanging around here and watching you and others pull off such amazing things, I have tackled some big projects and actually completed them. You go girl! I love your choices so far and can't wait to see your finished work.

LOL Roguevalley! It's just ADD, redirected! I can't stand for things to drag out, and need instant results and instant gratification. If I can't pull things off in a few days, I usually don't start them.

Parma, I LOVE that photo!!!

Okay, I went to the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store yesterday, and I found this adorable vintage light fixture. They only had one, and I almost didn't get it because I couldn't figure out where I could use just one light. But I think I may have a place for it in the bathroom. I added some green shades that I had in a cabinet to see how it might look dressed up, and I think it'll work, though I'll likely have to get some smaller shades.

It was only $6!

I would have been one to say just change the knobs and make due with the cabinet. But I love the green with the fabric behind it. Love the fabric and tile. Go for it. I have a similiar working style - probably undiagnosed ADD. Once I start something, I'm up all night until it's finished. And I too don't start something unless I can see the finished project in my head, and it can happen it a few days. It's going to be gorgeous. Love your decorating!

sujafr - Can I ask what your hubby cleaned around the shower with and filled the holes with in your bathroom? Sounds like it may work for Reno too. LOVE your decorating style Reno. I ALWAYS check out your posts.

I don't get it....just because he's a teen-age boy you don't give him any organizational tools? Both my daughter and my sons have turntables and sterilite drawer containers to easily access their grooming stuff under the vanity.

Uh, Neesie? Ever heard the saying "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink"?

I think that age 16, I know my son well enough to know what he will/will not maintain as far as daily toiletries go.

Believe me, the tiered shelf system in those cabinets is a LOT tidier than his last bathroom.

So glad your perfect teenagers keep their toiletries perfectly organized, but my "horses" don't always do so.

Reno, never mind ;)
Lets get back to fun part, when are you starting to play and when can we see some progress pics?

Reno, how's the bathroom coming?

Thanks for asking, Parma! It's actually picking up speed. I'll be posting some "sneak peek" photos later today.

I have the cabinets almost finished, and they look *amazing*. I can't even believe they're the same thing I had! I went ahead and removed the center panel of the upper cabs, and cut and painted some chicken wire to insert with fabric behind it.

On the lowers, I'm trying something new, and so far I love it. I cut out a scene of the toile fabric, and will be adhering that to the center panel, framed by nailhead trim.

For the rest of the lowers, I did affix a piece of decorative trim to the stationary false drawer front, and also added some feet to dress it up a little.

I made the shower curtain last night.

On today's menu, we have to finish texturing the walls and paint, and also figure out a way to mount my vintage light fixture. (It of course came with none of the hardware. Fun.)

Poor DH. He's off work today, and I have a HUGE list of things for him to help me with!

Hopefully I'll have pics posted of our progress this afternoon.

Hi Reno,

Reno, your description sounds great! You always pull off the most amazing makeovers! What color are you going to paint the walls? What color is the vanity--I can't wait to see it! I know it'll be lovely! Please post some pictures when you get a chance!

Nancy

Geez, I can believe how excited I am to see your finished work Reno. You would think it's my bathroom or something. I love all the projects you do.

I started ripping down bathroom wallpaper months ago and then fizzled out. Your make-over will inspire me to get back on it. Can't wait to see it.

Update? How did it come out?