One Room Challenge Week 2 - Preparing for a Bold Wall Mural

Welcome to week two of the One Room Challenge!

If you're just tuning in, I'm Ashley and I'm in the beginning of transforming the home office of our 1915 craftsman bungalow in San Diego. Take a look at the plans which include a new layout, storage, lighting, furniture, and most importantly, a pretty cool mural! For a refresher, here's where we're headed.

Week two is often pretty slow going - these last few days were all about preparing for the statement wall treatment. It's true when they say, "prep is the most important part of painting." It took a couple of days to sand, patch, prime, caulk, patch again, prime again, and finally, clean up. It already feels like a transformation, and we're only on the priming stage!

All this effort was put into the trim to give it new life. For anyone concerned about painting the woodwork, take a look at my logic here.

To see what I've been up to this past week, scroll through below. Note, it isn't dissimilar from watching paint dry.

First, I used a coarse grit sandpaper on my orbital sander to knock down the existing finish and remove the splinters.

The sander worked wonders for evening out the texture (I meant it when I said there were splinters on the interior woodwork). Shaving off the finish also gives the primer solid wood to grab hold of.

I only sanded the door casings because the doors are in great shape, even though the trim was rather unfortunate. The baseboards were already painted. To get an idea of the state of the wood and how I decided to paint it, check out this post.

After sanding, I followed up with my go-to primer, my go-to paintbrush, and my go-to paint tool.

There were oodles of gouges in the wood and nail holes to fill. Some like to fill these gaps before priming, but I like how a thin coat of white paint helps to show each of the imperfections needing patches. 

I like to use this putty. It's really easy to control and doesn't need sanding, but does require a long dry time (24-48 hours). My favorite caulk works wonders and can be painted in 30 minutes. My tip for caulking is to use a small container with water and a few paper towels for cleaning up messy fingers, and for dipping into for a smooth swipe along the bead of caulking.

After patching the holes, I did another layer of primer to be extra prepared. And I mean, once you're in your painting clothes, why bother stopping?

For more painting tips and tools, I always have a kneeling pad, a sturdy step ladder, two drop cloths (one for sliding around as I move throughout the room and one for keeping all of the supplies), an interchangeable screwdriver for removing hardware, clean paintbrushes for dusting, a can of LaCroix (can you spot it in the above photo?), stir sticks, and most importantly, a device for playing podcasts and tunes.

The reason the trim blends into the walls is that I used leftover primer from when I painted these walls. I had it tinted to the wall color (hot tip!) so the window casing isn't exactly popping off the wall right now. Not yet, at least!

Yep, that's a GoPro. Prepare yourself for a timelapse of the mural application!

Just look at how happy those doors are surrounded by a crisp blanket of white paint rather than neglected woodwork.

For a satisfying step-by-step, click through these images below. 

All of this was laborious and not a wildly dramatic transformation, but it's a necessary step to get to a blank state before applying those 8 shades of grey to the walls. Come back next week for some mural progress!

If you're tuning in via the One Room Challenge and want to stay up to date on the progress of this project and see what I have coming in the future, subscribe to get blog posts in your email! Also, follow along on Instagram where I'll share stories of the transformation along the way.

Be sure to check out the featured design participants here and fellow guest participants here, too!

Fall One Room Challenge progress:
Week 1 - the before, the inspiration, and the plan
Week 2 - preparing for a bold wall mural
Week 3 - tricks for creating a perfect wall mural
Week 4 - painting the mural
Week 5 - walls, windows, and shades
Week 6 - IKEA storage hack
Week 7 - the reveal!

Look back at the Spring One Room Challenge:

Week 1 - the before, the inspiration, and the plan
Week 2 - paint, paint, paint
Week 3 - how to install picture rail molding
Week 4 - sourcing the artwork
Week 5 - refreshing a chair
Week 6 - the reveal!

Why I Vowed To Never Paint My Woodwork, and Why I Painted It

If you’re an old house lover like me, you probably adore unpainted woodwork. Right? It’s so rich in character and shows the beautiful age of the home. A big selling point for our current home was the unpainted wood. Friends would ask me when I would paint it, and I'd scoff at them and exclaim, “never!” I vowed to love that fir and never let anyone hurt it.

Then, after much deliberation, I ultimately painted some of the trim.

Before you hit “unsubscribe” and tell all your friends to grab their pitchforks to run me out of the old house fan club, hear me out! The woodwork in our home is very damaged. I would never ever ever condone painting mint condition gumwood wainscoting. Ever. I would never say, “go ahead and remove that custom wood built-in to make room for a wine fridge.” Ever. If you have beautiful woodwork, don’t paint it. I’d rather see you buy a different house so someone else could enjoy the woodwork if you don’t like it. Seriously.

First things first, once you paint wood, you can never go back. Painting 100-year-old wood for the first time is signing its death sentence. And you see, all of the wood in our house was previously painted. All of that fir you see now was once slathered in layers of paint. There are ghosts of the previous paint all over our trim in the form of nail holes and gouges filled with paint and putty. It’s not pretty and it would only go away if I took dental tools to each panel and scraped out a trillion pieces of paint. Believe me, that is in my future when I do it for the dining and living room woodwork. Oy!

Termite damage is no joke. Those pesky bugs have gnawed on wood in each and every room of the house. Remember when they ate through the subfloor in our master bedroom? Remember when they ruined the fir floor in the kitchen? UGH! Once termites get hold of your windows or your casings, there’s no going back. You can fill their tunnels with wood putty and have a scar from the bugs of yesteryear, or you can replace the whole brittle piece of wood. Neither of which will ever truly blend in.

Human neglect is sad. The panels in our master bedroom door had gouges that I can only guess came to be when someone used the door as a dart board – but with kitchen knives instead of darts. Another bedroom door had evidence of a padlock that required cutting a 1”x2” piece out of the casing. Now, I'm all for seeing the history of previous lives in an old home. But character is a worn finish on a newel post from decades of hands touching it, not knife marks and padlock damage. That's just eerie and unwelcome.

In addition to termites and knife marks, the trim in our office was so damaged that I’d get splinters from touching it. Scorching sun damage and rot hasn't helped matters. It’s painful to look at sad trim and evidence of its neglect.

Ok, so you still don’t agree. You say to fill the knife marks with putty and replace the window sill that’s brittle with termite damage, then stain it to match. I hear you, that would work. But, when you’re patching a good portion of the room with new wood to look like old wood, at what point is that better than filling the holes with putty, then coating a nice layer of paint over top? A well-patched window with a coat of pretty paint still shows the shape of the wood that someone carved by hand 100 years ago. Having it painted has you focusing on the chunky wood, the historic significance of the profile, and the stateliness of its place in your home rather than the evidence of neglect and damage.

One of the biggest reasons to keep the old wood and patch it rather than replace it is for the sake of the environment. I’m keeping the old wood in my house instead of the landfill. No energy is spent trucking it to the landfill and it doesn’t sit in a sad pile of rubble for another century. Also, no energy is spent growing, harvesting, and processing new wood - all are significant energy consumers and waste producers.

I also decided that the bedrooms (of which the woodwork was once painted dusty pink in the master, powder blue in the current den, and canary yellow in the kitchen – cute!) were an appropriate place to have painted trim - more so than living and dining areas. Also, how stinking cute did the house sound with all of those pastel colors? Should I bring those colors back?

I stand by my decision to re-paint the damaged woodwork in an effort to revitalize it. My goal was to maintain the original wood by removing the evidence of neglect, rather than replacing it and trying to give the illusion of perfectly unpainted wood. At the end of the day, I appreciate that the original wood is there, the hand of the craftsperson is still evident, and that the character remains. But, I understand if you disagree, and that’s okay. I’m grateful for those old wood purists that do anything to expose unpainted wood! I urge you to give me advice for the trim in the living and dining room that I refuse to paint. Please, I’ll gladly take your wisdom on how to get through the hours of plucking paint out of nail holes!

All this is to warn you that I painted the trim in the home office for the One Room Challenge. Spoiler: I kept the doors unpainted (because they were in good shape) and they are simply glowing now that they aren't surrounded by mucked up trim.

I give you a collection of photos that show a mere sliver of the state of the wood in the office:

Note that we removed the vinyl window and replaced it with a wood window last year, so those plastic bits are no longer.

I hope this explains how an unpainted wood purist became one of those people that paints trim!

One Room Challenge Week 1 - A Foliage-Filled Home Office

Do you remember that time earlier this year when I transformed our den? That time when I painted the walls a deep moody green, installed picture rail molding, reupholstered a chair, sourced new art and furnishings, and also blogged all about it? That time when I did all of that in a matter of six weeks? Well, if that wasn't enough speedy home design for one year, I'm doing it again this fall!

That's right, I'm participating in the One Room Challenge for the second time! I've selected another neglected room in our house to completely redesign. Eek!

If you found me through ORC, welcome! I'm Ashley and for the past two years, I've been restoring a craftsman bungalow in San Diego, CA. Learn a touch more about me here, and preview the before-and-after room transformations here.

Our home office is the most neglected room of the house. It didn't even earn a viewing in the recent Design*Sponge feature because it's too darn bland.

Before I get into what the home office looks like now, I'll give you the plan and the inspiration first!

The biggest part of the transformation is the wall treatment. I'll be hand-painting a mural on all four walls of the room with pretty grey tones!

I was inspired by these wallpapers that mimic etchings.

In search of a unique etching, I went to The Met's open source catalog of art and selected this beauty. After a few tests, I decided the etching look wasn't the best option for hand-painting a room in six weeks, so I've modified the image to mimic a paint-by-numbers.

I'm exhausted just thinking about painting eight different greys on each wall in the likeness of that etching, but I can't wait to see the final result! I hope you'll follow along!

Since I know you're itching to see the befores, here you go!

I built the desk about five years ago to fit in our old house. The size works, but the sunshine from the window is a killer. It's so bright and hot that I feel like I'm working on the surface of the sun. So, problem 1: desk orientation.

The desk orientation is unfortunate for ocular-comfort, but it also doesn't do anything for the layout of the room. We have a big open space in the middle with absolutely nothing going on. Problem 2: room layout.

The hutch was a great estate sale find but it doesn't help with our storage needs. It has glass shelving for displaying pretties - which none of our office things are. It lacks drawers for files, so we have a little filing cabinet under the desk. Yet, neither of these combined units fit the bill for an efficient office. Problem 3: storage.

I painted the walls the same color as the living and dining room (Sail Cloth by Behr) then never decorated. There's no art, no pattern, no interest. Problem 4: boring aesthetics.

Luckily, I have a plan for the bland room and I can't wait to get started! This space is in for one heck-of-a-transformation. I hope you'll follow along and encourage me when my arm goes numb from hand painting that mural!

If you're tuning in via the One Room Challenge and want to stay up to date on the progress of this project and see what I have coming in the future, subscribe to get blog posts in your email! Also, follow along on Instagram where I'll share stories of the transformation along the way.

Be sure to check out the featured design participants here and fellow guest participants here, too!

Fall One Room Challenge progress:
Week 1 - the before, the inspiration, and the plan
Week 2 - preparing for a bold wall mural
Week 3 - tricks for creating a perfect wall mural
Week 4 - painting the mural
Week 5 - walls, windows, and shades
Week 6 - IKEA storage hack
Week 7 - the reveal!

Look back at the Spring One Room Challenge:

Week 1 - the before, the inspiration, and the plan
Week 2 - paint, paint, paint
Week 3 - how to install picture rail molding
Week 4 - sourcing the artwork
Week 5 - refreshing a chair
Week 6 - the reveal!

Our Full Home Tour as Featured on Design*Sponge

I've been reading Design*Sponge for a decade, so just imagine my thrill seeing our home on one of my favorite design resources! In case you missed it, the full write-up including before-and-afters, as well as a source list, is below. Enjoy!

Before & After: A San Diego Home Balances Restoration & Modernity

by Rebekah Carey

Ross and Ashley Goldman and their cat, Mabel, have lived in their 1915 San Diego, CA craftsman for two years. Much of that time has been spent making their house into a home, highlighting the beautiful original details of the century-old structure, and creating a modern respite fit for sitting back and reflecting on all of their hard work. All of which led Ashley to create a blog to document their renovations, The Gold Hive — a name created from a combination of their last name and the literal hive that was found in their home when they bought it. When she’s not working on the house, Ashley can be found at a local art museum where she works on programs with school kids, anthropomorphizing her plants and vintage portraits, or making pies.

Ashley and Ross both grew up in the suburbs, in 70s tract housing, only a few blocks away from each other. When they were looking to purchase their first home, they knew they wanted one with a little more history than those in which they spent their childhoods. Unfortunately, San Diego isn’t replete with historic districts. The couple looked for two years before they found their craftsman gem in a neighborhood only 15 minutes from downtown that somehow retains a small-town charm despite its proximity to the city center. With all of the charm, the mom-and-pop shops and restaurants, it’s not hard to imagine how difficult finding an available house in that neighborhood would be — Ross didn’t even see their house before Ashley had to put an offer in because he was working out of town (he’s an audio engineer for live events) and there were only two days the home was being shown!

One thing the “before” photos can’t accurately depict is the stench that awaited the industrious couple. Ashley remarked that it was so bad at first that they could barely stand inside — a delightful combination of old cigar smoke and pet urine. “It took us three months of floor refinishing, wall retexturing, cleaning, electrical updates, and a restored bathroom before we could move in. We did a lot upfront to get the house to a place where we could put our things inside, but for the past two years since then, we’ve taken a slow approach to renovations and decorating,” Ashley shares. While there was something of a rush to make their home livable, since then the actual decorating of the space has had an organic flow that took shape as Ashley stumbled upon a perfect piece of art, vintage piece, or as they needed furniture. They’ve also not rushed into remodels, but instead lived in their home, hosted parties, friends, and holiday gatherings learning exactly what their needs are before launching into a project. While they don’t feel like their home is “done,” they actually relish in the process and the discoveries they make in getting there, and now, at least for a little while, they get to kick back and watch their favorite Netflix dramas. Follow along to see the work they’ve done so far, and hear what they still dream of changing up. —Rebekah

Photography by Dani Toscano

Image above: “Here is a view into the den and down the hallway to the bathroom. It isn’t the biggest of masters, but with the adjoining den, it feels like a suite. One day, we hope to add a bathroom to the master. The photo over our bed is from our wedding and it is printed as an engineering print for $7 at Staples. I hung it up two years ago when I felt like I needed something temporary on the walls and it’s stayed this whole time,” Ashley explains.

While Ashley and Ross' kitchen has gone from dark and dated to bright and welcoming, it's not yet in its final iteration. The couple will be doing a remodel at some point in the future to make their kitchen more of a workhorse. "The kitchen earned so many changes without affecting the footprint. New counters, paint, hardware, lighting, appliances, counter space, backsplash, and flooring. The only thing that stayed unaffected by the kitchen updates was the fridge. It merely got a heavy cleaning," Ashley shares.

Ashley's rare find proves new isn't always necessary, "I got this vintage O’Keefe & Merritt stove at an estate sale down the street when I found that the existing one was in disrepair. I’ve scrubbed the whole thing clean, and it works just as well as the day it was made."

"The garden window above the sink is the perfect home for houseplants. They do double duty as greenery decor as well as hiding the neighbor’s trash cans," Ashley admits.

Ashley's problem-solving creates a stylish corner and further functionality: "The corner of the kitchen had no storage or counter space, so I made a floating countertop to extend our work surface and prep area."

"It’s amazing what some paint and new hardware can do. I also coated the tile counters in [a] few layers of concrete," Ashley explains.

"My hobby other than restoring the house is making pies and experimenting with new recipes," Ashley shares.

“We kept all of the original stone and woodwork, but gave the walls a new texture coating after repairing all of the cracks throughout the home. The living room is a formal sitting room. We love the architecture in this space, so we opted not to put a TV here. While it’s a ‘formal’ room in the sense that it isn’t designed to be a place to binge-watch Netflix, I want the space to be comfortable. I chose to pair two non-matching chairs to make the space feel more casual,” Ashley explains.

“Between the living room and office are a set of French doors. I love how the individual panes frame the view of the fireplace.”

Ashley explains what makes their little family such a good fit, “Our cat, Mabel, is big on snuggles and plush pillows. She fits in nicely with us because we like the same.”

Ashley shares the story of where her chandelier came from in a most relatable way: “I got this art deco chandelier after I fell in love with a similar one on Nicole Curtis’ show, Rehab Addict. It’s called a wedding cake chandelier and I love the round, feminine shape it adds to a room that’s full of rectangular shapes.”

“The built-in room dividers between the living room and dining room have ample space for my tchotchkes and a few of our favorite reads. I try to sprinkle art around the home no matter how small,” Ashley explains.

Ashley describes her style, “I’m drawn to basic and minimal designs that still have something special. This chair from Article has an interesting metal shape that complements that brass throughout the house. I’m also a big fan of buffalo check and it makes an appearance in nearly every room.”

“On the mantel live brass candlesticks and a mirror from a local estate sale along with a few of our favorite framed pieces. The Kids on the Shore print by Tali Yalonetzki came from Artfully Walls and I adore the painterly quality and blue tones. It’s a reoccurring theme with the art I gravitate towards. The photo of Ross and me is from our wedding day when we got married in the gardens of the historic Marston House Museum,” Ashley shares.

Ashley found a luxurious solution to Mabel’s destructive habits, “The cat loves scratching on our furniture and we’ve found that velvet is the one material she can’t destroy. Not only does she not ruin this chair, but it’s her absolute favorite and she can be found lounging in it all the time. It’s from Article and what I love about it is that it’s a scaled down version of a wingback chair.”

“When I toured the house it was a nighttime, so I had no idea how much natural light would flood into the house. We have lots of windows, and these west-facing Chicago style windows show off great views of the sunsets, and even 4th of July fireworks,” Ashley explains.

Ashley describes some of the steps they took to making this space more livable, “The hardwoods in the dining room were marred by pet stains. The floors were refinished and much of the damage is repaired, or hidden under the rug. I painted the walls the same color from floor to ceiling to make the space feel bigger. The built-in buffet is what truly sold me on the house. The intact leaded glass and 100-year-old mirror were added bonuses! The door to the left of the buffet swings both directions and leads into the kitchen. The chairs are inspired by the classic molded Eames chair, but these have a plush seat which makes long meals extra comfy.”

“I wanted a chandelier more modern than the one in the living room, and one that had a slim profile that wouldn’t compete with the buffet. This piece was custom ordered to fit our space from an Etsy shop,” Ashley explains.

“I’m a sucker for vintage oil paintings, especially portraits. I refer to this gal as ‘my pretty lady’ and feel like she’s a part of my family,” Ashley admits.

“The previous homeowner left us a bunch of dirt and grime to clean up after him, but he also bestowed this painting of our house from a decade ago when it was featured in the historic home tour.”

“The bathroom was entirely gutted down to the crawl space and up into the attic. The floor was rotting and the plumbing was corroded. This space was the first big remodel when we got the house and it’s still a favorite. We took the classic subway tile all the way to the ceiling in the shower, and at a chair rail height around the rest of the walls. The dark grout gives a heritage feel and ties into the dark paint on the walls. Everything in the space is new except for both of the light fixtures and the original medicine cabinet.”

“We did a dark charcoal on the walls to add contrast to the bright white tiles,” Ashley says. “I played with mixed metals in this space and did black, chrome, and brass. Some may not love the combination, but we do.”

The remodel revealed a little unexpected extra storage, “When we redesigned the space, there was room at the foot of the tub for a tall storage unit and behind it was space for a recessed niche in the corner of the shower. It’s tucked out of sight of guests, but so handy while showering.”

Ashley goes over the before and after details of the second bedroom that was turned into a den: “This room got refinished floors and retextured walls like the rest of the house. We also removed the garden window and replaced it with a wood double-hung window to match the style and materials used throughout the rest of the house. The second bedroom is where we watch TV, and it doubles as a guest bedroom with this pull-out couch from West Elm.”

“This St. Bernard print from painter Mary Sinner is one of my favorites in the house. It pops on the green walls that transition from green to blue to nearly black throughout the day,” Ashley shares.

“This room is right off of the master and close to the kitchen,” Ashley explains. “You could walk the house in one loop and pass through each of the rooms. The flow is perfect for us now, but we may move some walls when this room becomes a kid’s room.”

“I reupholstered that chair, and decorated with layers of blues and greens,” Ashley shares.

The beautiful refinished floors and freshly painted walls continue into the master bedroom makeover.

“The painting is from a flea market, the jewelry box is from Etsy, the dresser is from Craigslist, and the mirror is from Target. This is a perfect example of how I collect items for our home. The Sonos is never not playing music or a podcast at home. When Ross travels for work, our soundtrack keeps me company,” Ashley shares.

“The quilt is handmade and purchased from Etsy — perfect for our summery days. All of the furniture in the master came from our old apartment and I’m growing tired of it. The beauty of buying off Craigslist is selling the same items on Craigslist,” Ashley explains.

“This early-1900s painting sits on the floor, but that doesn’t mean I love it any less.”

“The chunks of concrete and overgrown landscape were taking over the facade of the house. The craftsman elements were finally able to breathe after we cut back all of the overgrowth. We recently installed a low-water garden in the front yard. It’s still young but already flourishing,” Ashley shares.

Ashley, Ross, and Mabel, all sitting pretty in their lovely home.

A clear layout of Ross and Ashley’s 1,400-square-foot, three-bedroom, one-bath, 1915 San Diego craftsman home.

SOURCE LIST

Living Room

Paint color- “Sail Cloth” by Behr
Green and brushstroke pillow – Cotton & Flax
Art on Mantel- The Kids on the Shore print by Tali Yalonetzki from Artfully Walls
Paint-by-numbers painting of mountain- vintage (similar)
Brass cranes- vintage (similar)
Brass fireplace tools with horse heads- vintage  (identical)
Wedding photo- Photographed by Stacy Keck, framed by Framebridge 
Striped Blanket- Paradise People 
Blue velvet chair- Article 
Ivory chair- Article 
Floor lamp- Target 
Table lamp- World Market 
Hand print- Society 6 
Green landscape painting- Artfully Walls 
Ram head bookends- vintage (identical) 
Side table- discontinued from Target (similar) 
Polka dot vase- Anthropologie
Chandelier- vintage (similar) 
Coffee table- Craigslist (similar) 
Rug- West Elm 
Buffalo check pillow- Amazon

Dining Room

Paint color- Sail Cloth by Behr 
Table- World Market 
Chairs- Amazon 
Rug- West Elm 
Chandelier- custom from Illuminate Vintage on Etsy
Flowers- Native Poppy 
Print- The Denny’s Parking Lot by Esther Pearl Watson from 20×200 
Droplet art- Anthropolgie 
Pretty Lady painting- vintage from Mesa Vintage (similar) 
Hanging planter- Wayfair

Bathroom

Paint color- “Antique Tin” by Behr 
Tub- Kohler 
Shower and sink fixtures- DXV 
Console sink- Signature Hardware 
Wall sconce- vintage (similar) 
Pendant light- vintage (similar) 
Wall tile- The Tile Shop 
Floor tile- The Tile Shop 
Glass shelf- Rejuvenation 
Soap dispenser- CB2 
Candle- Sydney Hale Company  
Medicine cabinet latch- House of Antique Hardware 
Medicine cabinet hinges- House of Antique Hardware 
Turkish hand towel- Amazon 
Nude print- Etsy 

Kitchen

Paint color- “Schooner” by Behr 
Rug- Rejuvenation 
Tile- Amazon 
Stove- vintage (similar) 
Mirror- Vintage from Loveseat  (Similar) 
Planter by cookbooks- Moonbird Pottery
Light over sink- Amazon 
Mixer- Amazon 

Den

Paint color- “Salamander” by Benjamin Moore 
Rug- eCarpet Gallery 
Curtains- Ikea 
Couch- West Elm 
Side table- Article 
Wall art above couch- Lucie Birant from Society 6 
Pillow- Article 
Ottoman- Minda Living 
Tray- CB2 
Floor lamp- Article 
Chair- Craigslist (similar) 
TV cabinet- vintage (similar) 
Chandelier- West Elm 
St. Bernard print- Mary Sinner from Artfully Walls 
Feral House print- James Griffioen from 20×200 
Floral pillow- Society 6 
Picture rail molding- House of Antique Hardware 
Picture rail hooks- House of Antique Hardware 
Candlesticks- World Market 
Table lamp- vintage (similar)

Master Bedroom

Paint color- “Silver City” by Behr 
Quilt- custom from VLiving from Etsy
Curtain rods- Amazon 
Curtains- Ikea 
Sconces- Allmodern 
Bedding- Target 
Bed- Amazon 
Dresser- vintage (similar)
Side table- vintage (similar) 
Print above bed- Photographed by Stacy Keck (smashingweddings.com), printed as engineering print at Staples
Flush mount light- Rejuvenation 
Mirror- Target 
Jewelry box- vintage (similar) 
Sonos- Amazon 
Landscape painting- vintage (similar)
Fruit painting- vintage ( similar )

Bathroom Reveal

Welcome to the renovated bathroom! It was gutted and rebuilt two years ago, but it continues to evolve. Shall we take a look at what she looked like before we demolished everything?

And for that satisfying side-by-side, I give you this.

This is our one and only bathroom in the house and it's been serving us so well after we did a number on it. As a refresher, here are all of the posts I've written about the bathroom so far:

1. The inspiration

2. The design plan and layout

3. Gutting the whole room

4. Installing a custom wood window in the shower

5. Getting creative with storage

6. Sourcing a console sink

7. Tile layout and design

8. Selecting artwork

We gutted the whole room and the only elements that were worth saving were the door, and the medicine cabinet. They got a good cleaning and a fresh coat of white paint that was custom color matched to the white tiles.

The walls were coated in Behr's Antique Tin which is the perfect deep grey that's neither too blue nor too warm.

The console sink sits front and center in the bathroom. We opted for a console-style sink that would keep things open and airy. I waffled between a few styles before picking this leggy chrome beauty.

Since it's clear that the sink can't be used for storage, we built a spiffy cabinet at the end of the tub. Baskets hold all of our toiletries, and then more storage is accessible from inside the shower for our shampoos.

The plumbing fixtures on the sink and in the shower are all from the DXV by American Standard Randall line. They are good reminders that we're in an old house with their vintage-y vibes.

The tile is the star of the show in this bathroom. We went for a simple subway tile and a bullnose edge detail on the walls. The dark grout was a must and I couldn't be happier with how crisp and clean it looks two years later. The marble hex flooring gives just a touch of sophistication without making the space feel too precious.

I'm definitely a fan of mixed metals. We did chrome throughout with black accents. The light fixtures are both vintage brass that have earned a dark patina after years of aging. The window hinges are brass and will continue to patina over time.

The bathroom previously didn't have an air vent, so when we decided to add one, I wanted an old vent with some pizzazz. I found this wall vent at a local architectural salvage shop covered in paint and rust. After a trip to the powder coater it came back with the most glossy black finish. 

Notice on the side of the toilet that you don't see the curvy shape defining the route of all of your flushed items? We went with a skirted (or concealed trapway) toilet which makes such a visual difference.

Can we talk about that window for a second? The previous bathroom had a lil' frosted glass one with an aluminum frame that was corroded and didn't open. This 45"x26" custom wood window brings in so much light and lets out all of the steam and moisture after a hot shower. The oversized window with a transom-style opening is one of my favorite features of the whole bathroom.

We opted for a cast iron tub from Kohler (as opposed to acrylic) and I love how solid it feels. There's no flex underfoot, it keeps tub water warm longer, and it's the right material for our old home. This particular tub is a favorite because of the flat apron which was hard to come by within our budget.

How about that artwork? I feel like it was painted just for this bathroom.

I really could go on and on about this space! For all of the posts about the bathroom, click here. And to shop the room, click on the product images below!

Get The Look

Note that a few of the pieces in our bathroom are vintage, so I linked to similar ones.

Classic Tile in the Bathroom

If you saw my post about the bathroom inspiration, you'll remember that it was chock full of classic vintage vibes complete with subway tile, marble, and contrast grout. Thus, that's exactly what we went with when we gutted and remodeled the bathroom two years ago.

I already knew I wanted subway tile, and even considered crackled, textured, and irregular styles before ultimately deciding on these crisp white ones from the Tile Shop (which are currently on sale). But, it's not as simple as just picking the tile. Below I'm sharing our thought process for tile design.

Pattern

We did a simple running bond pattern throughout. There are actually several ways to lay a subway tile in a subway kinda way. Check out the examples here. Since we were going with a dark grout, I chose a pattern that didn't have as much movement as say the 1/3 offset.

Layout

I can't stand when tile doesn't go to the ceiling in a shower. I know, it isn't necessary. It can be a waste of money to tile 3 feet above your head where no water will splash, but I really am a sucker for fully tiled showers.

Since I was already going for lots-o-tile in the shower, we decided to surround the rest of the bathroom walls mid-way to a chair rail height. This look helps me to feel like I'm living in The Knick. The medicine cabinet determined how high we would go, since I didn't want it floating above the tile, nor drowning in it. For reference, the tile stops 50" up the wall.

Finishing

We nearly did a decorative cap around the top of the chair rail, but ultimately nixed it when we didn't like how it terminated at the edges. So, we did a simple bullnose along the top edge of the same-sized tile as the field tiles. I like that this modernizes some of the other vintagey-vibes in the room. For the base, I went with a baseboard skirting that finishes off the space with just a lil' bit of detail.

Grout

Contrast was the name of the game with the wall tile, so we did a deep charcoal to make the pattern pop. Also, dark grout doesn't run the risk of looking dingy. Win!

The flooring had lots of texture in its marble veining and hexagon shape, so we went with a gray that would neutralize the pattern. We went with Delorean Gray. 

Accents

For the window ledge and the niche shelves, we installed a few pieces of marble slabs. They are gorgeous and the perfect material for a solid surface to rest our toiletries atop of. Plus, they tie in to the marble floor.

There are so many details that go into laying tile and ensuring that you're forever happy with the pattern, but I opted to keep this post pretty simple. If you want the specifics, let me know!

For more on the bathroom renovation progress click here! And to get all of the sources and see the full reveal, click here.

Selecting Paired Art for the Bathroom

There's no doubt that the artwork you pick for your home can make a big difference in the feeling of your space. Choosing the right combination of pieces can be difficult, but luckily there's help!

This post is in partnership with Minted!

Even the design-blogger-and-art-school-graduate can have a hard time finding just the right pieces. I struggled for months with sourcing the art for the bathroom walls.

Here's what I was working with:

1. The all-white space with oodles of tile can come off as sterile and cold. The room yearned for artwork that would add some warmth but would maintain the dark moody vibe of the wall's paint color.

2. Since I had two adjacent walls to fill, the art needed to complement each other without being too matchy matchy.

3. We wanted pieces that felt special but not so in-your-face-dramatic that we'd grow tired of them.

I played with some dark landscapes, several abstract shapes, and a few portraits but wasn't in love with any combos. Luckily, my friends at Minted stepped in to help me out. And they can help you, too!

In addition to selling beautiful printed and custom art, Minted has a great team of designers that listen to all of your needs and wishes, and then translate the vision into proposed artwork and a mockup of your space. Their styling services were particularly helpful for me when I was looking for two pieces that would work well together on adjacent walls.

Here's what they proposed for our bathroom after I outlined my wishes:

OPTION 1: Edgy

1. Embrace by R studio
standard format in rich black wood frame

2. Sitting Still by Jennifer Daily
standard format in matte brass frame

OPTION 2: Moody

1. Melting Glacier by Caryn Owen
white border in rich black wood frame

2. Bath by Sue Prue
matted in matte copper frame

OPTION 3: Classic

1. Tahitian Pearl No. 3 by Julia Contacessi
white border in matte brass frame

2. Arches by Ilze Lucero
float mounted in matte brass frame

OPTION 4: Contemporary

1. Imbue by Lindsay Megahed
matted in matte brass frame

2. Black 03 by Catilustre
standard format in matte black frame

OPTION 5: VINTAGE

1. Untitled 2 by Jaime Derringer
float mounted in matte copper frame

2. Human One: Anton by Colin Stuart
standard format in matte black frame

Aren't those combos great? I narrowed the options down to #1, #2, and #5 pretty quickly, but got hung up on the decision for a few days. Sitting Still, in #1 is just so perfectly dark and Human One: Anton in #5 is so striking! I think I need to find a spot for Anton somewhere else in my house.

We ultimately went with option 3: moody. I am just so tickled with Bath by Sue Prue! I already love pretty lady artwork so this nude was the perfect addition to the collection. The background feels like it was made for my walls.

And that frame! I really don't think I would have ever selected the copper frame, but I'm so glad Minted did the decision making for me. I'm smitten with the warmth it adds to the room and how it brings out the skin tones in the painting.

It also magically matches my copper tin that I previously planned to replace with a wooden one. Not anymore!

Speaking of matching elements, both the warm tones in the frame and deep blues of Bath are seen in Melting Glacier by Caryn Owen. Again, aren't those blue-green-greys perfect for the walls? Minted really knows what they're doing.

The view from the shower is the best for admiring the two prints at the same time. They are different subject matters, by different artists, and in different frames, yet they feel like they are friends.

I scanned Minted's website for hours but never would have come up with this art print and frame combo. If you want help from a professional designer, I highly recommend you check out Minted's styling services that start at $75. It includes not only a design plan but also a discount on your art order!

Are you an indecisive design professional, stylist, or home renovation professional like me? The art trade program is a great resource for complimentary design help and discounts on art products for your professional projects.

Happy art hunting! And, don't forget this important art hanging PSA from Emily Henderson.

Labor Day Sales!

I've collected bunches of Labor Day sales so you don't have to! Enjoy this roundup of retailers that are discounting their goodies like woah. After you save some money, please consider donating some of it to folks that could really use the help.

Almost everything in the den is on sale!

P.F. Candle Co. has candles up to 30% off this weekend. No code needed! I'm currently enjoying No. 11: Amber & Moss which is $21 for 14oz.

eCarpetGallery has rugs for 50% off + Extra 30% off with the Code: LABOR30. The rug in the den is from these folks.

Etsy is having their first-ever Labor Day Sale! A perfect opportunity to snag some handmade goodies at a discount!

A House in the Hills is offering 10% off and they are sending 15% off the proceeds to Houston Food Bank with code LABORDAY17.

Interior Define discounts their custom chairs and sofas only once a year. And that time is now!

World Market has lots of sales, but you can get another 10% off and free shipping with code LABORDAYDEALS. Including this chunky lamp base that we have in the living room.

Scandinavian Designs has a buy more save more sale on everything including my favorite chair.

The Container Store is selling their Elfa closet system for 25% off! We have this in our master closet and love it.

Minda Living has discounted their site by 15% and they are giving 15% of sales to support the relief efforts for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Use code SHARETHELOVE. I have their long ottoman in the den.

Alexis Renée Sassard is donating 50% of the proceeds from sales in her curated capsule shop to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.

Crate&Barrel is 15% off this weekend with code SAVE15.

House of Antique Hardware is discounting their entire site by 25% with code LD1725. This is where I get our push-button light switches.

CB2 has 15% off sales - even on furniture! - with code SAVE15.

Murchison-Hume's plant-based cleaning products are 20% off with code LABORDAY20. My favorite is their hand soap in Original Fig.

Select Blinds is selling our solar shades and everything else for 45% off plus buy three get one free.

Artifact Uprising has discounted their custom photo books and prints by 10% with code LONGWEEKEND. I have several of their books and I'm due to order more.

Artfully Walls is discounting their art prints by 20% off with code LABORDAY2017. This includes one of my favorite artists.

Anthropologie is taking another 40% off sale items.

THINX just released cotton period underwear, and they are giving $5 to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund with code HARVEY. Click here to also get $10 off your first pair.

Rejuvenation has 20% off pendants, chandeliers, and dining furniture. Plus, it all ships free with code FREESHIP. I would be happy to own literally anything they sell.

Minted is offering 15% off kid and baby prints with code LABORDAY17.

Article has select pieces of their furniture for 20% off. We all know I'm a big fan of Article.

Society6 art prints are 20% off and ship free this weekend. This includes the ones I put in the den and many others I rounded up here.

Framebridge custom framing is 15% off with code LDW2017. We have several of our favorite memories in frames by these folks.

Artist Tuesday Bassen is taking 20% off with code LABORDAY.

The Vintage Rug Shop is discounted 20% off sitewide with code LABORDAY20. If you aren't following Brittany's blog, you're missing out.

Williams-Sonoma Home is 20% off with code FALL.

AllModern is 20% off with code WAVY including our master bedroom sconces.

Lumens is selling lighting for 40% off this weekend with code LABORDAY17.

Target has deals on home furnishing with code LABORDAY.

West Elm is doing a buy more, save more sale with code HUGESALE.

PBTeen isn't only for teens. Their goodies ship free and are discounted the more you spend with code SAVEMORE.

Light & Dwell is selling their pillows for 20% off with code LABORDAY20.

Tessa Neustadt is offering her photo prints for 40% off with code LABORDAY.

Don't forget to consider supporting Hurricane Harvey victims (or anyone else you want to help) by donating some of your savings!