Guest Post--Bathroom Updates

Today I am welcoming Wilbert Bail with a guest post on bathrooms.  Thanks Wilbert!

The Adventurous Bathroom

The bathroom is without a doubt one of the best rooms in the house to spend some quality time. From taking a relaxing bath to pampering ourselves, it is the place where we can escape our everyday stresses. This is why we design our bathrooms to be not only functional but also to have an aesthetic which we can enjoy. When covering our walls and floors, we often adventure ourselves in either two directions: the modern looks vs the traditional ones.

The Modern Bathroom

Modern bathrooms are mainly designed with the idea of hygiene, often being tiled with simple colours so that dirt can be made visible and easy to clean. This approach not only looks clean, it also emphasizes on the idea of luxury and modernity. This makes modern bathrooms looking great, displaying shiny mono-coloured surfaces like a sports car would. However, not everyone enjoys this look, and some of us feel compelled towards something with more personality and less shine.

The Traditional Bathroom.

Most of us who enjoy old traditional bathrooms do so because those have more charm and character than their modern counterparts. Rather than using simple coloured tiles, older bathrooms have tiles which display patterns which get repeated over the spreading of multiple tiles. Those beautiful and sometimes intricate patterns add more originality to the room as they are very eye-catching. When looking around the room, our eyes glance at those patterns to make sure they are repeated perfectly, jumping from one tile to the other. And no matter how often we use the bathroom, we always take the time to stare at those patterns because it is something our eyes and brain enjoy doing.

Being adventurous

There is nothing wrong with getting what we want. Modern and luxurious looking bathrooms will often project the idea that we are financially well-off and as such their aesthetics will evolve around status. Whilst there are merits to this approach, it is not the most original way to do things. Buying the latest luxury item is an easy thing to do when you can afford it but taking the time to find an aesthetic which corresponds to certain traits of your personality takes time and reflection. So when it comes down to researching, being adventurous and hardworking will really pay off.

Choosing the ideal floor and wall coverings

Like many life choices, choosing the right aesthetics for our bathroom is all about taking the time to look at as many different options as possible. The best way is to look at different bathrooms displayed in catalogues, websites, DIY showrooms and even friend’s houses. Places such as the ABL Tile Centre provide a great choice of bathroom floor and wall coverings, and it is especially worth checking online to see the Artisan range at ABL. Doing so, we realise that there are many different appealing floor and wall coverings to choose from, covering all colours, patterns and textures. After all, why not be adventurous and find something we really want, rather than doing what everyone else does?

 

 

Thank you for your visit!

Pam

Bathroom Updates--Guest Post

Today I am welcoming Vickie Bailey with a Guest Post on Bathroom Updates.  Thank you Vickie!

Cutting the Cost of Doing up Your Bathroom

The average cost of doing up a bathroom is anywhere between £500 and £10,000. Some bathroom renovations cost even more than that, depending on the budget and tastes of the property owner. However most property owners will most likely be looking for ways to reduce this cost, rather than letting it escalate. This is particularly true in the modern economic climate, when many people throughout the country are keeping a careful eye on their finances.

Nevertheless, sometimes doing up your bathroom is necessary and unavoidable. Perhaps there are some essential repairs which need carrying out, or maybe your bathroom just looks a little more worn and faded that you’d like. Whatever your reasons for a refurb, here are some amazingly handy hints for keeping the cost down when doing up your bathroom.

Conduct a Proper Assessment

Giving your bathroom a practiced glance over will ensure that you only end up carrying out those repairs or refurbishments that are absolutely necessary. It’ll also help you to avoid any DIY pitfalls, such as attempting to pry tiles off the wall only to realize that they’re tearing out huge chunks of plaster along the way. To keep your costs down, remember this one adage: if the job at hand will be neither essential nor easy, it’s best not to bother.

Look for the Easy Solutions

If your bathroom is looking shabby, it might not be the appliances themselves which are to blame. Instead, look for the easy solutions. Your bath can be improved by redoing the sealant around the edges, and tiles can be similarly improved by removing old grouting and replacing it with new. Similarly, old tiles can be transformed by covering them up with sheets, rather than replacing the whole lot. You can find both grouting and tile sheets for a low, low cost at Tiles4All.

Match your Linens

The look of a bathroom can also be improved through its accessories. Replace your shabby old towels with lovely news ones in matching or complementary colours. Tie the colour of your towels in with your bathmat, blinds or shower curtains, and you’ve instantly created a brand new look for your bathroom which is bound to impress.

Hire a Professional

This may sound counter-intuitive, but if your bathroom is really in need of some repair work, sometimes the best solution is to let a professional tackle the job. Not only will they get it done quickly, and to a high standard, but if you were to attempt it and make a mistake the cost of putting your bathroom right might be higher than it would have been otherwise. Not only will a professional give you peace of mind, but a quality finish will add value to your home in the long run.

A Real Topiary and a Fun Giveaway

I have always loved real topiaries, but have never had one.  Recently I was at a nursery and found this beauty.  It was a little wild looking, but exactly what I was looking for.  The woman there said not to cut it, but to push the wild strays back into the center.  She also said to keep it moist or the leaves would start falling off fast!

 

 

 

I had it on my kitchen island and loved it, but then so did the cat...  (ugh)  After finding it tipped over a couple of times, I knew I had to find a better place for it.

We are having our wood floors refinished and needed to move EVERYTHING out of the living room, kitchen, entry and hall.  What a job!  One good part about moving everything is that I found a great place for the topiary.  It should be safe from being knocked over and I'm not as grossed out by the cat climbing up on this counter....

 

 

I love the delicate little leaves. 

 

 

 

If you haven't yet entered my giveaway for Eco Natural Soaps click HERE to enter!

The giveaway ends on Monday, October 1, 2012.

 

 

Thanks for your visit!

 

Pam

A Little Updating to the Master Bath

Here is the 'before' picture of our master bath.  It's really a lovely room, with lots of nice finishes and lots of room. 

But, because it's in our nature to change things, we took down the builder-grade mirror and put up a new, beveled mirror with a frame that my husband made.  He stained it to match the cabinets.

My husband's bathroom faucet quit working correctly, so we decided to change them out, as well as the tub faucet to brushed nickel fixtures.  We are very happy with them.

Since we have a 'beachy' theme in here and our master bedroom, I found a really inexpensive way to decorate the walls above the bathtub.  I bought 5" starfish from ebay and superglued them right to the wall.  They were less than $15 for all six and took 10 seconds each to hang on the wall.

Thanks so much for coming by.  I appreciate your visits and your comments!

Pam

I am linking to:

Debbiedoo's Newbie Party

Between Naps on the Porch Met Monday

Coastal Charm's Party

At the Picket Fence's Inspiration Friday Party

Pink Postcard's Transformations and Treasures Party

Easy Update to Boring Bathroom Mirror

Our main floor bathroom mirror needed an update!  And it  was as simple as making a frame to put around the existing mirror.

It took my husband just a couple of days to finish this project.  He built the frame, stained it to match the cabinets, then attached the finished frame to the mirror with liquid nails.

I apologize for not having more pictures of the process.  This project was done before I started blogging, so pictures are minimal.  Now I know to document every step!

Thanks for coming by! 

Pam
I am linking to:  Type A's Anything Goes Party