Small bathroom, small budget, big irritation, big plea for help

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

I feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle trying to figure out how to redo our bathroom and would like some help from people who haven't been banging their heads against the wall. Also--my finger hit something and totally erased everything I had typed right when I was going to submit. So I guess that's a hint to shorten what I wrote, in my rewrite, tho it means I have to take all my humor out...dangit.

Bathroom was redone about 7 years ago and didn't turn out the way I planned in my head and I've been giving it the narrow eye ever since. The woodwork was supposed to be white wash, and the varnish my dad insisted wouldn't discolor the stain, did, so it's all a strange yellow-pink color that tasks me and makes me shake my fist in anger. I want a calm space.

Tub/surround are biscuit in color-they have to stay. The toilet is also biscuit and will be replaced. Sink stays, floor has to stay...tho maybe down the road I could try painting the floor? Shower curtain I just got off Zulily last week b/c I needed to feel better about myself and it was $7, so that's no biggee, it can go.

Here's the parts where I feel I'm chewing on tinfoil. Eat your Wheaties and join me..

1. The weird cabinet door to the hall closet on the right of the sink, we can dry wall over that.

2. Would take the cabinet over the toilet out and put up three wicker baskets instead.

3. Found waterproof pvc bead board, would get standard white and install 3/4 up the wall. (pvc trim as well)

4. Paint the remaining portion of the walls a light gray. (ceiling too?)

5. Would the bead board need to go around the top of the tub surround to help w/moisture issues?

6. Would paint the vanity-but what color? Light gray of the upper walls, white like the bead board or the biscuit-y color from the tub/toilet?

7. Faucet, tp holder, hand towel rack, light fixture and outlet/switch plates are chrome-keep or replace? To what? Dark bronze? Brushed gold?

8. Shower curtain rod, door knob and frog door pulls are dark bronze-keep or replace? To what? (I did see some pretty jewel looking sea foam door pulls..add sea foam shower curtain?)

9. Toilet-replace w/same biscuit or do white?

10. Tub-see if husband can add the white bead board on the front of the tub to hide the biscuit, or get a long shower curtain to hide it, or leave it?

I have paint color pictures on Pinterest (and the sea foam knobs and basket idea etc) but didn't know if it was frowned upon to link to it or not so I shall refrain. If anyone has any ideas or thoughts I would greatly appreciate it. I'd like to have some concrete plans before I go to my husband and say surprise!

Featured Answer

Mrs. S

6 years ago

Well, I feel qualified to comment. We have all kinds of toilets and many kids. Totos, American Standard, Kohler, and another that has come and gone (I forget the name).... The best of all of them for sheer flushing power is.... Kohler Pressure Assist!. Everyone loves that toilet for its flushing power. A close second without the pressure assist feature is the Toto. The American Standard couldn't keep up, though perhaps different models are better (though I never buy the lowest end model).

I would stop calling the biscuit fixtures "biscuit" and think of them as "cream" colored. I wouldn't put beadboard in the bathroom, but if you love it, you can paint it the same color as the fixtures. I think you should use gray in another room, and let this bathroom be creamy. As others have said, try pale pale green or blue for colors. No to the sliding shower door--keep the curtains, which are so easy to wash or throw away when it's the time, and they don't take up as much visual space. I vote for recessed medicine cabinet if you can do it.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (55)

Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
The pvc beadboard is this https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294493263117453898/
User
6 years ago
Well...no.

It's a small bathroom and you want to add more things...It's going to look chaotic if you don't edit.
Related Discussions
Master Bath Reveal - Small space, big style
Q
Comments (61)
Otterkill - the glass shower enclosure was custom and done by a local glass shop. I prefer not to share costs publicly online. Not to mention costs can vary a great deal depending on the materials you use, prices and deals on materials, and regional labor costs. For those on a budget you can replicate this look for less if you use a different marble or other materials. There are some great porcelain tiles and quartz countertops that can create a similar look for much less. Calacatta gold generally runs $20+ a square foot for tile and over $200 a square foot for countertop slab. I suggest shopping around to get a sense of what you like and the costs and then drafting a budget. Then from there you can see where you have give and take in your budget to save on some items and splurge on other items. And as always check out Craigslist or Ebay for deals. Who knows, you may find a wonderful deal on closeout tile or remnant slab.
...See More
Small Bedroom - how small is too small?
Q
Comments (42)
When I had the master suite created in my DH's home up north, it was crowded for bedside tables too. So I got two wooden tall plant stands, with 12x12" tops. They fit perfectly fine. Then swing arm wall mounted lamps for each side of the bed. Enough room for a book on the shelf below and a glass of water or whatever. I never just use an end table when there is an option to have a small chest beside the table. That works even in a small room with limited storage space. Every item has to WORK to make the cut when space is scarce. And, in the bedroom in Alabama, I am going to be sorry to leave it for the BACK bedroom, which will become an ensuite master, because it is beginning to look SO comfortable. It is a west-facing bedroom, on the street. It has two PAIRS of windows, and the closet and entry to the bedroom are on a third wall. That leaves one wall which has no windows and no doors or other obstructions. However, I did not want the bed to be sideways in front of the entry door, so had to put the bed first diagonally in the corner between the two pairs of windows. This worked fine for a while, with the wicker chests I use for bedside tables centered between the windows. However, it was hard to make up the bed. So I decided to center the bed in front of the windows on the street wall. I closed the blinds to block the high heat coming through those windows anyway. And then I found some floor/ceiling grommet drapes at Tuesday Mornings! That is when I got DH to install crown molding wide enough to mount the double drapery rods, and I started planning 3 layers of curtains...grommet drapes wall to wall on both window walls, sheers on the second drapery rod, and finally the top-down roman shades using 90% shade cloth and Thermasuede fabric as a liner. I am almost done with the curtain project, but even with the shade cloth pinned in place on the west wall, the difference in heat gain is significant. This room is 12 x 12 give or take an inch. We changed out sliding closet doors for 2 pair of Jeldwen bifold shutter doors which I painted to match the crown molding and base boards and other wood work. The wicker chests are on either side of a full sized bed, with lots of breathing room. There is a rocking chair near the closet. There is a third chest between the closet and the door to the hall, and a wall mount TV is above the chest. So now I've ordered the Hudson queen size storage bed from Room and Board in cherry. It should arrive this month. I can hardly wait. It is a platform bed with no footboard, and no box springs, and it measures 60 x 80. A full bed is 54 x 75, so only a few significant inches of comfort which I look forward to having. But when the contractor finally comes, and bumps out the master bath for a tub and a long walk in closet, we'll be moving this new jewel to the back bedroom. This current bedroom will convert to a nice study/guest room. Only we seldom have over night guests, and may just put desks and bookcases in there until we move the contents of the up-north house. It seems to me that we have plenty of space in the 12 x 12 bedroom. Since we've repainted and made the room so peaceful, I will now take a horizontal break to meditate or read or chat on the phone. It looks good in natural or ambient light all times of day since northern exposures give true light, and the shade cloth gives a sense of separation from the street. Keeping active pursuits out of the bedroom is conducive to rest and separation from the cares of life.
...See More
Need layout help for small/budget kitchen
Q
Comments (22)
You're welcome! Since the slider opens on the left, I think they can increase the seating overhang to as much as 18" and be okay with a 36" aisle for the seating area. That would give them a bit more counter buffer between seating and sink. I tried a few other ideas to see if I could move at least the sink off the peninsula but I wasn't thrilled with the results. Still, it's not my kitchen so I'll throw them out here for you to consider. I reduced the sink cab from 36" to 30" to keep the 30" drawer cab to the left of the sink. The con is that there's a lot of twisting from sink to DW to load the DW but moving the sink farther from the corner meant shrinking the prep space between sink and range quite a bit. Ikea uppers are 15" deep so I only put cabs on each side of the sink not over the sink. They could put open shelves above the sink for dishware and glasses but with dogs, open storage for these items might not be a good plan. They should also carefully consider what they'll store on the shelving to the right of the range. Plan CI moved the sink and DW to the perimeter, shrinking the sink cab to 24" (still a stock size from Ikea). To gain enough clearance between DW and range, I shrunk the peninsula cabs from 24" deep to 15" deep. Ikea offers this depth in 15" and 30" widths. Yes, this means that the DW is in the prep zone but an open DW won't block peninsula cabs. IOW, they won't have to unload the DW, close it before putting items away into the peninsula cabs. If that's not a big deal and they'd rather not have the DW in the prep zone, they can swap DW and sink. That does shrink prep space between sink and range, though. It's all trade-offs and they'll have to figure out which ones they prefer to make. To make up for loss of drawer and upper storage, I added two 15" deep, 15" wide floor to ceiling pantry cabs. The peninsula is shorter to allow for the depth of these cabs. It can still seat 3, just cozier than with a 90" long peninsula. Ikea hack: reduce the depth of a 24" w x 24" deep base cab with shelves to 15" deep and use it in place of Ikea's stock 15" w x 15" d base cab under the peninsula facing the seating to get the most storage possible in this area. One last option requires 2 hacks to make Ikea cabs work.The first hack requires modifying a 38 x 38 corner Susan cab into a corner sink cab. It will mean a smaller sink than you'd get in a 36" sink cab but likely the same size as in a 24" sink cab, especially if they do a drop in sink. The 2nd hack is reducing the depths of two 15" w x 15" d pantry cabs (with shelves, not drawers) to 12". Ikea offers one that has glass doors in the middle section if they want to create a dish hutch. The aisle between peninsula and pantry cabs shrinks to 37" but with there's a decent aisle between fridge and peninsula so doable, IMO. Oops, I forgot to note that the trash goes under the sink. You'll only get one pull-out and you'll need to work around the disposal and drain. Have fun sorting through the possibilities! Oops, I forgot to add peninsula depths. In Plans A, B, and D, it's 40 1/2". In Plan C, it's 31 1/2".
...See More
Very small house...Need help deciding where to put the remodel budget.
Q
Comments (32)
ok exact measurements. the house is not exactly a 20x30 square but its close enoguh. a few of the inner walls are thicker as they used to be exterior walls. the kitchen is 113inches by 141. It does fit a corner banquette with a round table and 3 chairs, and you can seat up to 2 on each leg of the banquette. Most comfortable with fewer than 6 people but up to 7 is possible. 8 if someone sits in the corner . Master is 130x116 (inches). Bedrooms are 80 inches wide and 136 and 116 inches long. Bathroom i was wrong on the measurements. It is 98x 57 (there is a cut out here so its not a perfect rectangle). The hall is 36 inches wide. The biggest benefit of using up that space to me is that people won't be as confined to a tiny hallway where it is awkward to pass anyone else. So I like the idea of taking part of the bathroom and part of the hallway to make another bathroom, and also to take down the walls int eh kitchen. So we would need to get some quotes for this but it seems relatively doable. We could wait on the closets for a while and it doesnt require moving any walls that we didnt already plan to move. Reality is it doesnt improve rental price THAT much to add a bathroom as far as I can tell, but there are only a few other rentals in the area to compare to. So addding the bath is partially for resale partially just because it irks me to have such a wasteful layout. Either way we do make back the cost of the bathroom quickly.
...See More
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
what else should I edit out besides the big cabinet over the toilet?
Emily Jowers
6 years ago
If the tub/surround has to stay, then keep it through everything, the toilet, tub, and sink. Don't use any white in the room with the biscuit. The biscuit with essentially be your white, so you'll need to choose warmer colors, no gray. I think a beige or a pale green would look nice with the biscuit color. Something like travertine would look good on the floor. I would remove and drywall over the door into the hall closet. There too much stuff sticking out of the walls. Remove the cabinet over the toilet. I can't see your pinterest right now, but the basket should intriguing. It would likely be better than that cabinet. I know you don't want to remove the medicine cabinet. Is there any way to shorten it so it doesn't stick as far out of the wall? and maybe get a door made that is just mirror.

Here are some examples (obviously bigger, but the colors are the main point) of more off-white color schemes.

Cream with beadboard

Green

Pale green

Off-white
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Would white subway tile be better than beadboard or no?
User
6 years ago
I would also take out the smaller cabinet to the right of the sink.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Yep- I mentioned that in the top part, that's actually a door that goes to the hall closet, and I said we would just dry wall over it!
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
weird, I didn't see your post until now, Emily, I'm sorry. I like the first picture a lot.

I was hoping the biscuit w/white would make it look like it was a white/off white/color, color scheme but that must not be the case, dangit.

Found part of my note from when we visited the bath store to look at toilets, and the toilet only came in white or colors that were not biscuit. So probably something's gonna have to give, unless options are different than when we looked.

Argh how much easier this would've been had I not been anti-white for so long!

This is one picture of the basket idea. I had a cuter one and can't find it.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago

still can't find the picture, but found one w/lighter baskets on shelves. I have an issue w/toilet paper being out on display like that in the wire basket, but I like the shelves and the lighter baskets.
Emily Jowers
6 years ago
I think any of those basket ideas would look much better than the cabinet. The shelves with baskets might be more useful. That top basket could be difficult to get into if it's attached to the wall.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
That's true. Plus, I'm short, so even to fill that cabinet, it's easier for me to stand on the toilet.

This is my pinterest board for the bathroom, if that matters or helps. https://www.pinterest.com/missijorogge/bathroom/
mike_kaiser_gw
6 years ago
Found part of my note from when we visited the bath store to look at
toilets, and the toilet only came in white or colors that were not
biscuit.

Somebody has a "biscuit" toilet, they're just not always stocked and not available in every model. All of that translates to it will cost you just a little more, probably $80ish at your local home center.

If you're having problems with the kids clogging it, demand a "courtesy flush" or hand them the plunger. They'll learn if you give them motivation... <lol>
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Kohler makes almost every single toilet in Biscuit, and Almond. So does American Standard. You will just have to order them. I’d recommend Kohler Cimmaron or AS Champion. Elongated comfort height. Both rate 10 on the MAP scale.

But, if that existing is a relatively new toilet, the issue won’t be the toilet. It may be a foreign body lodged in the toilet, or an issue with the sewer line itself. With kids, I’d bet there is something lodged in the trap way that allows enough flow, but occasionally obstructs.

You own s plumbing snake, right? Closet auger? Snake it a couple of times first, Not a plunger. If that doesn’t work, then Pull the toilet and take it into the yard. Run a garden hose through it from below, back-flushing. Then run your snake through it. Snake the drain and clean it up. Then put on a new wax ring and reinstall the toilet. I’d bet that fixes it and that you find some toy or personal care product in it.

Wordt case scenario is this is an older home with a cast iron or terra cotta sewer line into which tree roots are growing. Modern PVC won’t have that issue unless there is s break in the line.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
They're almost 14 and 10. The phenomenon that is my children's inner workings should be studied. We need a toilet w/the widest thing on the bottom as there possibly can be, and that's about the nicest way I can say it. They know how to plunge, and sometimes are successful...just when it takes my dad and husband to do it..it's bad. It's been this way since they were potty trained, and doesn't matter what toilet they use. My son managed to plug up the toilet at every Disney park two years ago. Not the most interesting talent.
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Then either of the two toilets that I recommended will work. But if the problem follows tgem, it’s a too much paper scenario. No 10 year old produces enough biomass to regularly clog up toilets. That’s retrainable. Consider a bidet toilet seat. That will permanently fix the behavior at home. It may not for elsewhere without training though.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Except mine. Paper at home and Gramma's goes in the waste basket. They clog them their own sweet selves. It's not a daily thing. Few times a month between the two of them. When I say they're clogged, they're clogged with poop, not paper.
grapefruit1_ar
6 years ago
We have a bathroom with almond tub, toilet, sink, etc. I chose them 31 years ago and still love them. As was mentioned they require warm color for the walls. Fortunately no gray! We have a bathroom with white fixtures and beadboard. They are perfect together. But I cannot envision mixing those elements in the two bathrooms.
williann
6 years ago
If the tub is biscuit then I think the new toilet should also be biscuit. And I don't think gray walls would look god with the biscuit. Maybe a very pale sea foam green.

I like the picture with the shelves and baskets on top. But I wouldn't paint them white.

I don't like seeing extra toilet paper rolls so I like to keep them in decorative boxes with flip lids. I got my boxes at Home Goods.

I totally understand the need for storage but the mirror medicine cabinet with the other cabinet seem too big for the area. If they stay, I would paint them and the cabinet below.

I also took out the sliding glass doors on the bathtubs so we replaced them with frameless glass doors. But you have to keep the bathtub area and the glass clean. (An area of contention with me and my boys when they are home.)

This may sound weird, but in our small guest bathroom in our other house, I did put up a double rod and put a clear shower curtain on the inside and put up light material curtains and sheers for the outside rod. I kept the curtains open to the side and the sheers in the middle made it seem more open.

Best of luck with everything and post pictures with what you decide to do!
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Yeah, the cabinet over the toilet will be gone and the door to the hall closet to the right of the sink will be drywalled over. It's so crowded looking in there right now which I know is part of the problem. So I'd paint the medicine cabinet and the vanity a color of some sort.

I've got a double rod up now so I have a place to put towels to dry that wasn't out in the room. I never thought to do a clear one on the inside.

The walls are gray now already, just darker than what I was thinking as a possibility this time around.

I'd be ok w/doing seafoam. I'd hoped to get away from doing a color, as opposed to gray, b/c I don't want to get sick of it, and repainting around everything again is a bear.

Just have to have a sit down w/my husband and see how much eye rolling and heavy sighing I'm going to get.

I'd hoped to be able to use the biscuit as an off-white, and have a white/off white/light gray bathroom but that's not going to work I'm guessing?
melinda1977
6 years ago
I am also not a fan of mixing fixture colors. I was going to suggest the possibility of having the tub and surround sprayed white if you wanted to go with a white toilet. However, when I saw your sink, I am inclined to agree that you just need to find a biscuit-colored toilet and use biscuit as the jumping off point for your color story. I noticed that they used white sinks with a cream-colored bath in the first pic that Emily posted. In my opinion, it doesn't work... the sinks stand out too much.
williann
6 years ago
I totally get not wanting to paint a color you may get sick of. But, I think if you get all the things together, I think you would like it. At least for a good while! And if you do get tired of a color, as least the bathroom is small enough to just repaint. Not to mention, an inexpensive change.

I was just thinking of a light color to brighten up the room that would go with the biscuit.
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Is there blue in your floor or is it totally gray? It looked bluish to me so I would maybe do a navy/cream color scheme....but that's something I LOVE. We did my mom's bathroom navy blue and she was scared of it looking dark, but it doesn't at all....

I feel like you would like some sparkle, so I would keep the chrome and try to find other sparkly things...

I'm hoping for progress pics as you go...I can't wait to see those cabinets gone. You'll probably find that it seems a whole lot lighter in there.

If you find the toilet you want, I suggest you go online to get the same one in biscuit if it's not carried near you. A lot of the time there's free shipping (pay attention to returns though)...
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
williann, actually my original plan had been to do white tub/surround/toilet, bead board, really light gray vanity/medicine cabinet and seafoam the very tops of the walls and the ceiling! I very much like seafoamy beach glassy colors.

pennydesign, it's gray and whitish, mottled. It does look blue w/our horrendous lighting. The *plan* is to redo the flooring thru the whole house, and carry the flooring into the bathroom. If he decides not to do that, the tile in there is still at some point going to come out, and I'd do some sort of a more classic look in vinyl, like the penny tile/hex tile or whatever.

I looked up the toilet, it's Eljer, and I think it's biscuit, but it might be bone..it was discontinued in 2010 (like the year or year after we redid the bathroom) and I can't find any definite pictures of those two colors to know which it is for sure.

When I was cleaning the floor in there today I noticed the tub and toilet don't actually look the same color, off just a tish...but I don't know if that's the light or if they're actually not the same. the tub/surround came from Menards, Lyons or Sterling, I can't remember which.

I do very muchly like sparkly things, you're correct there...I'd like to do knobs similar to these
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
The picture won't post, I'll try later. Oh, maybe a link instead https://www.pinterest.com/pin/74872412531628200/
Pat Reavey
6 years ago
I had to replace a Eljer toilet also, but mine was white, I went with Kohler. Look online to see if you can find a biscuit color toilet, or another place that you can check is at plumbing supply companies in your area.
User
6 years ago
This thread might help you...

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/matching-american-standard-kohler-toto-color-in-bone-almond-and-linen-biscuit-beige.23997/
Missi (4b IA) thanked User
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
I looked, the American Standard Champion is what we looked at years ago after we got this one and found out that it wasn't going to hold up, so that's what we'll end up going w/, whether it's biscuit or white.
Janie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
6 years ago
Hi Missi,

How exciting to upgrade your bathroom, and how lucky you are to have an additional toilet for the hubs!

I may have missed this, I did read the above threads, but what exactly is your budget? And time frame?
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Sooo I got the cabinet over the toilet cleaned out, and the medicine cabinet reorganized, (just a side note, organizing makes me giddy, I love it.) also two shelves in the hall closet. That cabinet is ready to be taken down and the door to the closet is ready to be gone.

The medicine cabinet is recessed clear back to the wall to our daughters room, it's about a foot deep, so I can store a good amount of stuff in there. If I could manage to get part of one more shelf cleared, I'd be able to get my hair dryer, sprays etc, from under the vanity into the hall closet..I do my hair like four times a year so there's no sense keeping it in the bathroom really.

Janie, I don't think our marriage could've survived this long w/out a second bathroom for him. We've had to share a couple times for a few months while working on his or mine and that's bad.

I'll make a note of the toilets mentioned, thanks everyone.

Budget is..minimal? haha. If I can do it as beautifully as possible w/$500 that would be swell. If I can do it as beautifully as possible for $250 weellll that would be even more swell.

We have a door to replace the current one...had it since 2014. So that's my answer to the timeframe question bahahahahahahaha!
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
man I still can't upload photos. Not sure what in the world I'm doing wrong.

this is the look/feeling I wanted to have in the bathroom. With seafoam knobs. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AbICE8C0h0nFQ2vIgodBzqDLAWCeGKxBpFnzLXif2uFUKTFFx5lbAbs/
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
and here's my bathroom board again for good measure https://www.pinterest.com/missijorogge/bathroom
katinparadise
6 years ago
Posting to follow!
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Are you worked on your bathroom too katinparadise?
katinparadise
6 years ago
Actually, I just redid mine. Same color tub that I didn't want to pull out. My floor tile was an off white as well. I did an off white painted vanity with a cream and white quartz top and a white top mounted sink. I also added a new white toilet. I used a mosaic tile over the top of the tub and also on the backsplash of the sink. Chrome faucet, etc. as well. Since the shower curtain covers the tub most of the time, I didn't want to go through the expense of pulling it out and replacing it. I spent about $3k on the whole thing. $1200 of that was just for the vanity. The sink and countertop were another $450 or so and there was labor to remove old tile and add new. Tile itself was about $220. I painted mine in a seaglass color since it was in the tile. Removing all those from your equation, I think you could make some positive changes with the budget you had in mind.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Did you post pictures? I'd love to see it!
katinparadise
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
These are what I had on my phone. Hopefully they're clear enough to see.

Wall color is SW Rainwashed.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Nice! Rainwashed is one of the ones I have on my list. I like that shower curtain too.

Husband says he's going to put the door in and take out that cabinet today. Fingers crossed.

I'm thinking..since I've managed to get everything out of the cabinet and find spots for it..I don't even need to put baskets up above the toilet, do I? I've got some art work I wanted to hang, maybe I can get those things up in the bathroom and nix the baskets?
Milly Rey
6 years ago
That "weird cabinet door" is supposed to go to a dirty clothes hamper.

I would never take it out. Integrated clothes hampers are just one step down from a laundry chute.
DH
6 years ago
I wouldn't do the baskets I think. I like having surfaces in a bathroom that I can wipe down and disinfect. I think the concept of open shelves with a few containers on them could work well. But, if you don't need the storage space, Having a little art instead is a great idea.
nancyfa
6 years ago
Just my 2 cents on the toilet. My husband clogged up our old one all the time. We replaced with the TOTO Drake and no more issues (we have had the first one for over 2 years now). We just refreshed our little guest bath and have a Kohler biscuit sink along with our original 1997 creamy color fiberglass tub/shower. We used a TOTO in sedona beige, which is their version of biscuit. Looks great and is available at the big box stores reasonably priced. (TOTO has a color chart on their site that shows their colors vs Kohler, American Standard, etc).
Janie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
6 years ago
Hi Missi,

What type of lighting do you have in your bathroom and what light bulbs (color) are you using?
katinparadise
6 years ago
Thanks. It was a small project but it made a big difference. I did my master bath as well but it's a completely different look. You certainly could hang art if you managed to find a place for everything that would have gone into the baskets. Shower curtain is from HomeGoods. Rainwashed was the second try-the first was way too bright.
DH
6 years ago
Using warm LED bulbs (around 2700 k) in a bathroom provides really good, flattering light that's super energy efficient. The bulbs should last around 35-40 years, so even though higher cost initially, they are not expensive in the long run.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
I think we're going to have to have an electrician come in and rewire the house or something. The bathroom, the two fan lights in the kitchen, and the lights in the main room in the basement go out all the time. Doesn't matter what kind of bulbs we put in there, they burn out. Yet the light over the sink is on pretty much 24/7 and it's been replaced like once in 16 years. For the last long while, we quit buying the "good" bulbs b/c if we get three months out of them, that's a good length of time for us, but the cost is outlandish to replace that often for bulbs that rarely are used.

The cabinet door goes to shelving in the hall. If we didn't have the shelving, we'd lose quite a bit of storage, so we can't take the shelves out to put a hamper in there.
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
Only took three days of asking and finally getting a screwdriver and getting one screw out myself before the husband got the cabinet out. I think it makes a big difference.
katinparadise
6 years ago
Definitely helps. I had the same thing that I removed over my toilet. When I was eight months pregnant with twins (28 years ago!) and decided I couldn't stand the surround in our bath any longer (it was white with gold flecks!) I tore it out one afternoon while my husband was at work. He came home and said "Well I guess we don't have any choice but to replace it now!" Off we went to the hardware store to buy a new surround. Sometimes you just have to get things going yourself to get them done!
Missi (4b IA)
Original Author
6 years ago
So true! Amazing how that works haha.
User
6 years ago
Looks so much better...

Maybe when the other cabinet comes out, you can get a smaller handtowel rail...

Agreed about starting (or simply doing) things yourself...No reason not to, really.
DH
6 years ago
Definitely an improvement. Less claustrophobic. ;-)