From Boring to Blue in the Bathroom
Executive summary: The builder-grade hallway bathroom in our new condo was totally blah, so I made a couple swaps to the lighting and decor to create a more visually interesting space that I’m finally ready to say something about.
We went through such a whirlwind process as we were preparing to move into the condo, as I had limited time to make and execute on decisions. I was able to pull this place together very quickly after move-in due to a lot of advance planning, but that doesn’t mean that everything was done to 100%. Plus, with Stanford faculty housing, there are a lot of restrictions on what we can change, so I’m stuck with the boring beige floors and the boring brown cabinets and the boring bathtubs in the two bathrooms. Both rooms are functional and comfortable, but I didn’t feel like there was anything design-worthy to share, particularly with the hallway bathroom. But now, a few months after moving in, I’ve decided to revisit that small bathroom to see how I can inject a little more style. I haven’t done anything drastic, as I’m still too spent (in terms of energy and money) from our move to undertake anything more involved or permanent like painting or wallpapering or stenciling the floor tile, so I’ve put on my “renter-friendly” hat and made a couple of tweaks only. The first item was replacing the picture on the wall with an oversized one that dominates the space (in a good way). The hallway bathroom is small, but that doesn’t mean that everything inside has to be scaled down proportionately. I did the opposite and love how the picture – that almost stretches wall to wall – packs a punch visually. The second item was replacing the basic vanity light with a fixture that’s much more to my taste and much more in your face (again, in a good way).
Hello, new picture and new fixture.
The light fixture was love at first “site” for me on Rejuvenation’s webpage as I was scrolling the internet for wall sconces. We have tube lights in both bathrooms, but I don’t care for them despite seeing them everywhere these days. I like a more flared shape in my light fixtures, that’s just my personal preference, and I was instantly drawn to the “cobalt blue” shade to tie in with the color of our doors (painted Benjamin Moore “Admiral blue”). The only issue is that the light is wired to come out near the top of the bathroom mirror, so this light fixture hangs down in front of the mirror. Design faux pas, or design opportunity? Thus followed an evening of indecision as I wondered if I should opt for a gooseneck sconce instead, to raise the light firmly above the mirror, as is conventional. But you know what? Design is about being intentional, and trying new things, so I went for it. I’m a rebel mixing finishes and breaking the rules!
Go big or go home. More like, go big and go in my home.
I decided to DIY the picture on the wall, as large scale art is notoriously expensive, unless it’s from a big box store. And to run the risk of sounding like a snob, I don’t like to purchase “generic art” anymore. Unless I stumble on a piece I really love, it just doesn’t speak to me the way I want my art to. So given my extensive artistic training (I’m being sarcastic – all I did was take art lessons as a child), I opted to go the DIY route again. Continuing with the blue theme, I picked out three sheets of “handmade” paper from Paper Source with a vague vision in my head, taped them into a scene, and encased it in a 27”x39” Rödalm frame from IKEA (the measurements are less arbitrary in metric: it’s 70x100cm). And all to the sweet tune of $60. Hard to beat that price for an original piece of art, especially of this size. ;-) The scene itself took me maybe 15 minutes to assemble. The handmade paper has a naturally uneven edge, so I played that up and hand-tore the green “hills” to match the deep blue “ocean.” A straight crisp edge would be too stark/sharp for this more … impressionist work, let’s call it.
Anyway, back to the bathroom. The wall here is 36” wide, so the frame almost reaches across, which is exactly the effect I wanted to achieve. My main concern about such a large picture next to the shower is that it might occasionally get splashed by errant droplets of water, and the spots would definitely be visible on that shiny surface. But that’s a price I’m willing to pay (at least, until I get sick of wiping the picture down). I also appreciate how the black frame and the black part of the light fixture speak to each other in a room of otherwise chrome hardware (which would not have been my personal pick, but that’s something else we aren’t allowed to touch). Instead of springing for paint or wallpaper to add interest to the bathroom, I was able to quickly DIY my way to a design statement. My 6yo said, “it looks cool; I like it more than what was here before,” which is all the validation I need!