Redecorating the Bathroom

Hello and Happy Fourth of July!  I love my country, and I'm very patriotic.  I love Independence Day - always have, always will.  I love that it's high summer.  I love that the sky is usually blue and the winds, balmy.  I love the savory drift of barbecue on the breeze.  I love the big display of fireworks (but I really don't love do-it-yourself-at-home fireworks - my cousin was badly burnt as a boy, and while it left serious scars for him, it also scarred me, in a way.  I want nothing to do with roman candles and bottle rockets, and the like.  Thanks, but no.)  I particularly love that I live in such a wonderful country, where I can think, speak, and worship according to my conscience.  Where I have the right to due process and to seek redress of grievances, and no fear of unlawful search and seizure by governmental authorities.   I can pursue happiness in my own way, without someone in authority telling me that my way is the wrong way.  I am free.  I love America.

During the Sunday Salvation Show, I teased you with a bit of my newest project.  MMMom has moved into her own mother-in-law apartment, attached to the house where MMM and I will make our home.  The first room that's really ready for my brand of homemaking is the bathroom.  I showed you a pic last Sunday of what, essentially, is my palette and inspiration pieces for the redecoration of that bathroom.

Keep in mind that MMM and I cannot afford to reconstruct the bathroom.  It's definitely a thought for the future.  Maybe in a few years, but for now, redecoration is the plan.  This is an old house (1978), and it's never really been done up, so I have some real work ahead of me, and you - lucky you! - get to follow along as I basically start from scratch in mid-life.  It's kind of funny that way - usually, a 30-something gets a house and has the opportunity to make it her own.  By the time most folks are my age, they're busy thinking about a cabin or even downsizing, because the kids have all left home.  But MMM and I are just on the cusp.  He never had kids (if you don't count his chihuahua - what a furbaby!), and my kids are all grown with kids of their own.  So, it's just us - making our house a home.  I'll be hanging onto my condo, and renting it out, in case you wondered.

I wanted you to see the bare bones we're starting with.  Here we go!  (By the way, you need to forgive the pics - I am having some trouble with my computer.)

 At the far end of the room, there's a wall of natural toned beadboard, which I love.  But I'll be painting that.  Also, a long shot of that vanity, in all its 1970s walnut laminate glory.  More paint!  There is a double set of sinks.

This is the frame around the very large medicine cabinet.  I unscrewed it just before I took the picture.  I'll be scrubbing it up, painting it, and reinstalling it.  You can see that the sinks are powder blue.  I'm planning to change the faucet out, but I found a way to work with the blue.  The tub and shower surround are blue, as well.

Here's that um, interrr-estting, blue linoleum.  It's vintage, all right.  I'll be painting it, and stencilling it.  I need to do some internet research about the best way to  get that done.  I've seen some posts about it, so serious homework is in my future.  If you know of a good example of someone's painted lino tutorial, let me know.

What do you think?  I'll be sharing in-progress pics as we move along.  I'm very excited!

Love,

Sass