Beachy Bathroom Mini Makeover and the Human Drive to Decorate!

Hello! I don't know what makes people the way they are.. do what they do, love what they love. Some people get their enjoyment from music.. some people can't live without running... some people love their books. Then there is me and evidently, quite a few others out in the creative 'blogland', that can't live without decorating. What is it that drives me to paint, rearrange, sew and just generally have a need to change things up?  We'll never know what drives people, just that they do what they have to do! 

So here's my story !

 It all started with this painting.

I went to an estate sale a few months ago for the artist  Richard Keyes. A local artist and somewhat known, he passed away last year. I went to the estate sale and picked up a few of his works for a reasonable price. I couldn't believe the behavior of some of the buyers, they were grabbing up things like crazy. It felt like some weird reality show, like Storage Wars or American Pickers on steroids.  Anyways, I put one of the unframed paintings in the bathroom. This painting is of the Big Sur coast in California.. a beautiful rendering of a place I love. The original oil painting was like a breath of fresh air, like a window to the outdoors in this little windowless bathroom.


Before

Before

Then, I had to do it.

 I had to make that bathroom feel lighter and brighter and happier without major renovations. The bathroom was feeling heavy.. brown tile and brownish  walls that I had hand done with Venetian Plaster years ago. Not wanting to redo everything, I liked the bones, I set out to make the bathroom feel beachy and fresh.
     Step One-Shopping! Always the fun and easy part, before the messy reality of pulling off what my little brain was imagining. First stop, of course, Home Goods! I wanted a new rug and found this. I like to start out with the piece that has a more limited selection and match things to that. Paint can be matched to anything.. rugs come as they are.

Then I found some inexpensive blue towels at Walmart. I wanted color  and these towels don't have to be great. This bathroom is mostly used as a guest bath.
Next stop in my shopping adventure--Hobby Lobby. I found the last beach themed hook in the whole store, this seahorse was a dollar. Perfect!
I picked up paint swatches at Home Depot and decided on Jazz Blue in one of their 8oz sample jars. It went nicely with the blues in the coastal painting.

Now I was ready for the projects. I painted the previously brown shelf, white and I also painted that little 'Peace' candle holder with leftover turquoise spray paint. A thriftshop elephant got put to use holding seashells, it was the perfect color.

I used the seahorse hook and a piece of fence board I had saved and made a towel holder/decorative plaque. I wanted to bring the blue around the room with the vibrant towels.






I made a frame for the oil painting out of scrap lumber from the 'depot'. Check their scrap pile when you have little projects. The wood was 51 cents.... yep, cheap. The wide frame acts as a narrow shelf for this sea village scene on a copper plate made in Chile, as well as collected shells.

  

As for the shower curtain, it had a nylon liner, so I just took off the beige and brown curtain, leaving a simple, crisp white curtain.

I used the bold, pretty blue paint and painted the sink vanity. One thing about the sample size paint, it only comes in flat, so I had to put a coat of satin Polyurethane on, also.

     I love the blue! I used it to paint a finial too and put that on top   of the toilet tank. 

 

Then I had to make a decision about the gold framed mirror.

 Using my decorating logic,(dangerous at times), I convinced myself it was 'only paint' and I could always redo it.. I painted the mirror white with blue trim. The jazzy blue was a little too loud under the light fixture, so  I toned it down with a wash of watered down white paint.

 

 Well, what do you think? I really like all the changes! Even though it still has the basic walls and tile colors, the new colors and accessories really make it feel beachy and refreshing. 

     Thanks for checking out the happenings at Sunset Coast. You can follow my blog by email, google friend connect or Blog Lovin'. Blog Lovin' is a way to have my blog updates sent to you daily. Just click on the links in the right side bar to sign up. I appreciate all my readers and followers! Do you have a mini update you'd like to share? Send me a link in the comment section.

Have a wonderful day!

Cindy          

   Check out more projects at these sites where I share!

Old red Barn
Diy Showoff   
Nifty Thrifty Things
Flamingo Toes 
The Dedicated House  
Twigg Studios
Suburbs Mama 
Sunny Simple Life 
 Silver Pennies
USS Crafty 
Craftomaniac 
I Should Be Mopping The Floor
C.R.A.F.T.  
Underthetableanddreaming 
BoogieBoardCottage 
Between Naps On the Porch 
Mod Vintage Life 
Alderberry Hill
Dwellings the heart of home 
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Sew Can Do 
Making the World Cuter 
Cedar Hill Ranch 
Cupcakes and Crinoline 
Not Just a Housewife
Naptime Creations
PJH Designs
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My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia 
The Winthrop Chronicles
Coastal Charm 
Our Home  Away From Home 
A Stroll Thru Life 
Hickory Trail Blog 
A Bowl Full of Lemons 
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If it's not Baroque 
A Diamond in the Stuff 
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Easy Closet Organizer Hooks DIY .. Thanks to Hobby Lobby

I've got this handy closet right next to the entrance into my house from the garage. You know.. one of those closets you throw everything into. Suitcases, files, boxes, fabric,the vaccum, old toys, kitchen sinks all land in here. It was just never that great for hanging coats and hats and scarves. Being under the stairs, it's huge, but the clothes rod was too low and too far set back behind all the junk. Well, Hobby Lobby to the rescue!

A Hobby Lobby store opened in Huntington Beach a few months ago and I saw these great cast iron hooks. I couldn't decide on just one so I got 2 of each . Of course they always have good 50% off sales. ( This is really not a Hobby Lobby ad, but if you have the store nearby, you know why I'm happy they're here).

 So, here's the easy- make- it -yourself - DIY info-----------
 First, you need to take the big piece of  molding you saved in the garage for 10 years and figure out how to make it fit under the angled ceiling.
I just drew a level line in the closet where I wanted the hanger to end up, then took some paper to fit the angle of the ceiling. See the pic?  I matched the paper to the level line, then folded the side to match the angle of the ceiling.(  Better yet, don't try to fit an angle if you make something like this) .I don't have fancy tools to measure out that angle, but maybe you have a better device. Of course, I did this before the coat hooks were up but I don't have a 'before' photo.

After I traced the angle on the molding, I cut  the angle first on the saved piece of wood. I just used a jigsaw, again, no fancy tools. What? You have a  'compound miter saw'? Go for it!
Next I measured the size needed for my closet wall and cut the other end of the molding.
  I used my leftover 'Languid Blue'  latex paint seen on the hall cabinet here.

I used some leftover dry wall screws and with some luck, drilled the molding up and hit some studs. It's  nice and sturdy to hold lots of coats, purses, bags and sweaters. I strategically placed the 4 cast iron hooks to hide the screws. Filled a couple holes with wood putty, touched up the paint and the Closet Hook Organizer was  finished!

It was so pretty, I decorated the wall above with some art from a little calendar I had. Just taped them up.. kinda silly but makes me happy! Unfortunately, I couldn't get in the closet far enough to show all four hooks. Seriously, I don't know why it took me so long to make something like this. I throw everything on those hooks now!

 

Thanks for visiting the Sunset Coast.

 Have a productive Day!

Cindy

Happy to share at these nice places..
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http://carolynshomework.blogspot.ca/2013/04/the-inspiration-board-link-party-96.html
http://diybydesign.blogspot.ca/2013/04/swing-into-spring-its-party-111.html
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/
http://cupcakesandcrinoline.com/2013/04/project-inspired-linky-party-week-8
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
http://www.cedarhill-ranch.com/
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http://www.thegirlcreative.com/2013/03/30/the-weekend-creative-linky-party-no-1.html#more-1205
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