Bathroom Before and After

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Roeshel

Hello DIY friends! Let’s talk bathroom makeovers! Do you have an embarrassment of a bathroom? Outdated? Blah? Boring? Frightening? I know the feeling. Read on, my friend. You just may find yourself in a position to give your bathroom a serious facelift thanks to Virtu USA!

There are two bathrooms upstairs in our home. The master bathroom is the smaller of the two (remember, old farmhouse = bathrooms were not a part of the original house plans) and the bathroom I’m about to show you. One for my hubby (the master) and one for me (this one). I know you’re going to be envious that I have had this gem all to myself for a couple of years. Labeled the “girls’ bathroom”, welcome to my own little private oasis… Gag! Because no one sees the upstairs main bath except those who live here, it hasn’t been at the top of the DIY priority list in the 7 years since we moved in. It was functional and clean even if it was super ugly and outdated. Sort of a hurry up, shower, brush your teeth, throw on some makeup and get the heck out of this room! But a less desirable (to put it nicely) “before” makes for a magical “after”. This girl has a happy ending for sure!When the opportunity to work with Virtu USA came up, it was just the motivation I needed to finally FINALLY rip out the old cheap doorless vanity (will have a new life as storage in the barn). The old medicine cabinet with Hollywood dressing room lights (that’s what those lined up round bulbs remind me of) became a roadside treasure for someone who must have needed it. My heart didn’t break as we tossed the old peeling up vinyl and I think the bathroom cried tears of happiness when I painted those poor sad walls.Tiling the tub and shower surround will have to wait until later this year but that didn’t keep me from putting some blood, sweat, tears and lots of DIY and love into turning my bathroom into a beautiful new peaceful place just for me. There are a couple of things that really make this an OMGosh! reveal. You probably couldn’t help but notice that gorgeous 48 inch Huntshire vanity topped with beautiful Italian Carrara marble…and the Talia faucet…I was immediately drawn to what the Huntshire description calls “straight lines and strong features”. I love the square basin with the traditional beauty, not to mention the size and storage (drawers and doors have soft closing hinges and slides!)…a place for everything and a big bold statement that this bathroom is finally not only truly functional but stunning as well!

More photos:I know you’re drooling over that lighting too, right? They’re the Monroe Polished Nickel Adjustable Wall Lights from LampsPlus.

See something you like? Check out the source list with more details and pictures here.

Does your blah bathroom have you wanting to borrow your neighbors? Do you have a vision for creating a spa-like oasis? How would YOU like a chance to win a DREAM BATHROOM MAKEOVER? Head over to the Virtu USA Dream Bathroom Contest page for more details on how you can enter to win! Good luck!Ready for some more bathroom makeover inspiration? Check out these awesome blog friends for more:

*This post is sponsored by Virtu USA. As always, opinion, photos, and words are my own.

How Wonderful Life is While You’re in the World – DIY sign tutorial

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Roeshel

I think this lyric to “Your Song” by Elton John is the perfect accessory to the world map in our family room.

Materials:

Adhesive Vinyl – Happy Crafters
Transfer Paper
Scrap Wood Plank
Acrylic Craft Paint

Tools: Silhouette Cameo, scissors, gift card/credit card (for burnishing/rubbing), foam paint brush

Tutorial:

Paint scrap wood plank. Mine is is a 1×3 about 46 inches in length. Let dry.

Using the Silhouette Studio software, I created my design utilizing “felt marker” font.

Load the vinyl into the Silhouette Cameo vinyl side up and ‘send to cut’. Be sure to adjust the settings for vinyl.

There are two ways to use vinyl as a stencil. If painting the letters, weed away the letters to create a stencil. I wanted to paint my sign (not the lettering), so I removed all of the negative part of the design, leaving the vinyl letters (like stickers).

Apply transfer paper, sticky side down directly to the vinyl decal. Transfer paper ensures that everything is lined up properly when ‘transferring’. You could apply the vinyl in the same way you’d apply stickers, but keeping a straight line is a challenge!

Rub the transfer paper with a credit card or gift card to ‘transfer’ the vinyl to the transfer paper. Remove the wax paper backing.

Place vinyl (sticky side down) onto the wood plank.

Rub with a gift card.

Remove transfer paper (it may be a little tricky…I peel it away slowing, almost creating a crease in the transfer paper to get the vinyl decal to stick to the painted wood.

Make sure all letters are nice and stuck.

Paint the sign. I did a light coat using a sort of dry brush (foam brush) technique for a worn look.

Before paint dries, carefully remove vinyl lettering.

Optional: sand and/or glaze for an antiqued, distressed look. Seal. Hang using picture hanging hardware or Command velcro strips.

Perfect for a little Valentine sentiment, too. What song lyric would your sign display?

*This post is sponsored by Happy Crafters. Tutorial, experience and opinion is my own. I really love working with this vinyl. Check out all the supplies at Happy Crafters for inspiration for your next project.

Eclectic Family Room {What’s Your Style Series & Giveaway}

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Roeshel

Today I’m discussing my decorating style as a part of the “What’s Your Style” series. What words describe the look and feel of your home’s decor? Sometimes it isn’t as simple as a one word definition or description.What I love about decorating for myself in my own home is that there are no rules, no titles, no terms, no laws. All that matters when it comes down to it is that we’re comfortable. And what makes me happy (in a decorating sense) is being surrounded by a mix and match of colors and styles and things that I love.I’ve never been able to pinpoint one specific design style (see my home tour) to describe the look of my home. It’s always evolving, ever changing. I can easily describe my style in one word: “mutt”. You’ll find rustic charm, vintage but modern too, a touch of cottage style here and there mixed with flea market and farmhouse inspired decor with a bit of fun and colorful and even industrial elements. Quite a mix, right?So it goes without saying that “eclectic” is one word that encompasses the mutt-mix of design style in my home. I really don’t give labeling my design style much thought. I just do what I love. But after walking through my rooms, I’d call my style “intrinsic eclectic”, short for “eclectic-vintage-modern-farmhouse-country-fleamarket-cottage-rustic-charm”. It really depends on which room you’re standing in around here and what time of the year it is. As a part of the “What’s Your Style” series, we’re taking a look at living spaces. If you’re visiting from the fabulous Danika at Gorgeous Shiny Things, welcome! I’m so glad you’re here! C’mon in, make yourself at home! You can find a list of all 13 bloggers’ living spaces at the end of this blog post along with an awesome Mohawk rug giveaway.Our family room is casual, fun and definitely eclectic. I’m never afraid to combine periods and styles and prefer to mix new with old and flea market finds to create a space that feels at home in our home.Summary: Because of my love for decorating, I find that I’m drawn to flea market finds and DIY accents that fit my style (and budget) best… a fun challenge that drives my creativity and results in a unique look that I love. “Intrinsic Eclectic” sums up my style. What about you? Next up in the What’s Your Style series is Michelle and her beautiful style at Iron & Twine. Start at the beginning and make your rounds using the schedule below: