I lived in a bathroom like yours for 20 years, the dark beadboard on the bottom and linen white above. Also had the oak cabinets. After Katrina when we started to update as we'll be selling the house, I first painted the upper walls RH Silver Sage (BM Gray Whisp), then I painted the beadboard white. We are going to replace the lower cabinet with a white vanity when it comes time to remodel the entire house for sale. I can't tell you the major difference in makes in having that beautiful silver sage with white in the bath. It's amazing. I'd send photo's, but it's not finished because I just got as far as painting and we never finished the molding yet so it's not very pretty!! Believe me when I say, a color at the top and white at the bottom will be so much nicer. If you replace your cabinets and mirror to white it will be striking. There was a lady who had just such a bath that was stunning, but her posting was very old and the forum deleted it so I can't refer you to it. However, there are some other folks on this board who have posted photo's with beadboard. If you go to the decorating forum and ask for people to post their photo's, they will. Good luck. Can't wait to see it finished.

There was a member who used to be a regular at Home Dec, she hasn't been around in ages but her kitchen makeover is one of my all time favorites and still a popular one for inpsiration. You can see before/afters here. Full instructions for how she did it can be found in this thread from Home Dec. (See post dated 10/8/09 15:32). Also, johnmari did the same to her bath vanity (pretty sure she used BM Bittersweet Chocolate, same as girlwithaspirin). It was their former house they were putting on the market, turned out just lovely, looked like a completely different room! I can't find photos (the search feature here might be goobered, it's not going back very far). But if you post in Home Decorating here and ask for johnmari by name she's probably got a photo or two kicking around somewhere. It won't disappoint! ;)

Well I do plan a more extensive makeover next year or the year after with vanity and countertop replacement and probably floor, and tile backsplash...but I just can't stand looking at this "1980 rental apartment" bathroom every morning for an indefinite period! Thanks for the tile frame idea that's great! It would not take a lot if tile and could really dress things up! Yes I think the light fixture has got to go- but with what? I have never picked light fixtures before and don't know where to start- it is the only source of light and the shower is on the other side of the room so it needs to throw some light up to the ceiling as well as down. I thought of building some kind of soffit like shade in front of it and then using brighter bulbs... Does that sound crazy? So what about several shades lighter of revere pewter for ceiling or should I just go white? Maybe a darker color in the same taupey grey family for the ugly vanity... And I'll add hardware to dress it up. This post was edited by tinan on Tue, Jul 16, 13 at 12:26

Thank you David! When having this house renovated post purchase, much of the bathroom was gutted and the sink I had installed is one I bought new some years before and was waiting to use (American Standard Standard Collection Console sink with oval glass shelf.) Because the works underneath are totally exposed I bought the best chrome P-trap and fittings a local plumbing supply house had. In a month or so I'll have my plumber back to install a pump for my utility sink, and he will need to add another vent stack I believe, so I'll have him see if the sink is connected to the bath vent, and if the vent has any blockage. I'll ask him about the air admittance valve - thank you so much for that information!