I had that exact pink and brown tile in my last house. I must have tried 10 different decorating schemes in there; the pink is hard to coordinate with. I ended up replacing the vanity and used plain white 4x4 tile on it. That looked okay, and might look okay over your shower surround. A little awkward, but okay. I could also envision just using some sheet formica up there, well caulked; if you want to do something cool, get "boomerang" or some other 50s-inspired pattern and play up the kitsch factor. I discovered that it was going to be a big challenge to replace the bath/shower fixtures (mine were brass, very corroded - ick!). It sounded like I would have to rip out tile to get to the valve and plumbing inner workings, as you can't just pop on new handles and tub spouts very easily. But you can replace the shower head relatively easily. As far as figuring out whether it's structurally sound, I guess I'd go into the crawl space and try to inspect the floor under the tub and toilet. Poke at the wood with a screw driver and see what happens. If you replace your toilet, you'll have a chance to see if any horrors lie underneath - in mine, the subfloor was not in great shape (thanks to a previous owner who liked carpet in her bathrooms :) If you don't see rot, I would guess your bathroom will last a long time. I've read in the New York Times that tile from the 50s was made really strong. (I'm attaching a fun link you've probably already visited, but just in case...) Here is a link that might be useful: Pink Bathrooms

Click on Zone 7 and 8 here. https://energycode.pnl.gov/EnergyCodeReqs/ You will see wall recommended R value is 21. Batt R value is about 3.5 per inch. In a 2x4 construction you only have a 3.5 inch cavity. In 2x6 construction you have a 5.5 inch cavity. R21 insulation is 5.5 inch thick. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Owens-Corning-R-21-Unfaced-Insulation-Batts-15-in-x-93-in-BU60/202585879 R13 insulation is 3.5 inch thick. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Owens-Corning-R-13-Kraft-Faced-Insulation-Batt-15-in-x-93-in-BF10/202676829 You could use fiberglass if you got 2x2s and fastened them to the inside of the 2x4 effectively making them 2x6s. The other way to achieve the correct R value is to put sheet foam underneath the siding on the exterior, which is usually done when new siding is placed. Or using closed cell spray foam which achieves R-6 per inch you can achieve the R21 in 2x4 construction.

The front of my house is so bland and boring, and I also am not a fan of the concrete block foundation color. I’m looking to give my house an upgrade, but can’t currently decide what to do. I’ve considered adding stone to the foundation and painting the siding a gray color (the current siding is wood). I’ve also thought of just repainting the foundation a different color, OR painting the siding and the foundation one unifying color. So many decisions, and I want to do something I love right away so I won’t have to change it again in the future. Anyone out there have suggestions? :) Also let me add that we just recently moved in and this is our first house. Any other suggestions on sprucing up the outside? I’ve considered adding shutters and window boxes. Any suggestions welcome for this homeowner newbie.

Agree with the canopy idea. I’ll be the dissenting opinion here - I say paint the brick. I’m not usually one to advocate for painting brick, but I think on smaller houses and those that are more simple it makes a much larger impact. A white brick house will always be in style - so even if the trend fades your white brick traditional home will never look dated. If you want it to look more in vogue with today’s style, I would suggest a white brick (maybe SW Alabaster) and a light griege shutter (maybe SW Ancient Marble). I know some might say that scheme is overdone (at least where I’m from), but I can’t lie - there’s something so classic and understated about it. I think it will really transform your home. That said - painted or unpainted, the house is very pretty. If you opt not to paint, you can’t go wrong with some updated landscaping and new fixtures.