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 
I Heart Naptime 
Sew Can Do 
Making the World Cuter 
Cedar Hill Ranch 
Cupcakes and Crinoline 
Not Just a Housewife
Naptime Creations
PJH Designs
CozyLittle House 
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 
Art and Home 
If it's not Baroque 
A Diamond in the Stuff 
DIY Dreamer
Savvy  Southern Style 
DIY by Design 
Lavender Garden Cottage 
The 36th Avenue 
Style Sisters 
Made to be a Momma 
Domestically Speaking 
Ginger Snap Crafts 
Someday Crafts 
The Shady porch 
Tillys Nest 
Trendy Treehouse 
Free Pretty Things For You 
Mom on Time Out 
No Minimalist Here 
I Gotta Create 
Beyond The Picket Fence 
Lamberts Lately 
The Girl Creative
Shabby Creek Cottage
52 Mantels
House Of Hepworths 
Delightsome Life 
 Saving4Six
Jennifer Rizzo 
Common Ground 
Shabby Art Boutique
French Country Cottage 
The Thrifty Groove 
Life We Live 4 
Redoux 
Happy Hour Projects 
The Charm of Home 
A Peek Into My Paradise
30 Handmade Days 
 The Brambleberry Cottage
The  Dedicated House 
Tatertots and Jello 
SerenityYou 
Too Much Time 
Its Overflowing
Funky Junk Interiors
Daisy Cottage