Reader Redesigns
Reader Redesign: Sleek & Smart
The bathroom makeover below that Gemma sent us impresses us for lots of reasons – the cool dark mirror choice, the attention to detail in using some of the shower tile over the sink, etc, etc. But what gets me the most is that the gorgeous vanity you’ll see, which was built from scratch. Color me impressed. Better yet, color me the greeny-grey color they used because it’s awesome. Here’s her letter:
Hey John & Sherry! My hubby and I have just recently re-hauled our bathroom. What was a boring and beige space (and seriously outdated) has now become fresh, sleek, and classic. The whole project was a DIY affair – from the plumbing, to the tiling – we even built the vanity. We did it all ourselves and saved some big bucks.
There were two main things that we wanted to accomplish: to make the space feel bigger (it’s a pretty teeny room), and to make sure there was plenty of smart storage. Here’s where we ended up:
By keeping the walls white, injecting some colour into the ceiling, and using an extra tall mirror above the vanity, the space appears to be a whole lot bigger than it is.
We don’t have a lot of square footage, so we splurged on some carrera marble tile for the floors, which feels totally luxurious.
Since we couldn’t find a budget-friendly vanity that would utilize the long and narrow space, we decided to build one. I painted it a pretty green-gray colour (which was the same colour I carried up to the ceiling), and kept all of the finishes in classic chrome.
One month of chipping away at the room and putting in a ton of elbow grease was absolutely worth it – we now adore the space. Every time I walk by, I can’t help but peer in and think “I can’t believe we did that!” Thanks for all the inspiration, you two! – xo, Gemma
So yeah, isn’t that vanity awesome? Gemma’s got more details and pics on her blog, including a full budget breakdown. The whole thing – carrera tile and all! – was only about $1500 thanks to some leftover wedding gift cards. Now let’s play the favorite part game. We have already established that I’m obsessed with the homemade vanity, and Sherry’s loving the tile behind the sink and the color from the vanity that they playfully brought up on the ceiling. Your turn.
Psst- We shared our Labor Day adventures over on Young House Life. Hello photo bombs, beach dancing, and cannonballs…
Reader Redesign: Endless Summer
Maybe this is just me trying to hang on to every last vestige of summer. Maybe it’s me wanting a big sunroom makeover (we haven’t even touched ours since we moved in). Or maybe it’s just that Jenna Sue has a knack for awesome makeovers (you may remember her entryway transformation). Whatever the reason, feast your sunshine-loving eyes on this cheerful update. Here’s her letter:
Hello once again! Our sunroom began with white walls, green trim, carpet and a sagging ceiling.
We removed the ceiling, added insulation and fresh new humidity resistant drywall (which I painted a light blue and added recessed speakers and lights). And we replaced the carpet with gray ‘wood’ tile planks.
We bought a couple of Brimnes daybeds from Ikea so we can finally have guests over.
I built a simple rustic coffee…
… and console table…
… added some accessories and a bunch of pillows, made a no-sew slipcover for our old armchair, hung some art, and now we have the perfect summer party space.
Thanks for looking! -Jenna Sue
Thanks for sharing, Jenna Sue. It makes us very jealous that we don’t live in Florida right now. And we love all the construction details (like the drywall and tile work) along with the homemade stuff (like the slipcover, coffee table, and console table). And for everyone else, be sure to click over to Jenna Sue’s blog for more info on the projects in the space (cat owners will love the hidden litter box she made). But first let’s play the favorite part game. Sherry is swooning over those two daybeds from Ikea that are smartly placed to form sort of a daybed sectional (her exact quote was “daybed sectional for the win!”) and I’m loving the gray “wood” tile and that black cat who looks just like my parents’ cat. Now when can we come over?
Psst- We picked a winner for this week’s giveaway. Click here to see if it’s you.
Reader Redesign: The White Stuff
Should all brick fireplaces be painted? No way. We always tell anyone who’s on the fence not to touch that brush. But if you’re 100% sure you prefer the look of painted brick, then it can be a great way to bring an airy and light vibe to a room (we sold our first house in two weeks with two painted brick fireplaces so it didn’t seem to be a resale deterrent at all). This makeover from Jamie and Ehren is all about crisping up a space – both with white fireplace paint and some darker blue paint worked in there for contrast on those awesome built-ins. Here’s their letter:
Hey YoungHouseLovers! Your blog inspired me to start my own blog to document the progress we make on our new home that we bought in July. I just wanted to share our living room transformation. It’s finally the “vision” that I had when we moved in. Here’s the before, shortly after we moved in:
It took about 7 months to complete our upgrade, but it was way worth it. I made chevron artwork, refinished the brass fireplace insert, made some paint chip art, some no-sew pillows, and painted and decorated the built-in shelves. And finally, the biggest, most tedious part that made the biggest difference in the room – painting the brick fireplace!
And 14 hours of painting later (with both of us painting), we were done!
The coffee table is my favorite piece of furniture in our house. It is a resin cast of railroad ties from the Philippines – has a lot of meaning for us! Plus it’s huge and doesn’t show crumbs, water rings from glasses, dust, etc.
My advice is: don’t be afraid to paint brick if you prefer that look! Especially if you want to brighten up the room and make it more contemporary. Our dog Cozy agrees.
It definitely came a long way in there and we’re so happy with the result. We hardly even remember the “before” picture anymore!
Keep up the great work and thanks for checking this out! – Jamie & Ehren from Lawrence, Kansas
So yeah, the painted fireplace looks awesome with those dark blue built-ins… but I’m also totally jealous of that awesome coffee table. And Cozy. He looks like a friendly pup. You can see more of him, Jamie, and Ehren on their blog (along with more pics of this makeover process). Thanks so much to the whole family for opening their virtual doors and sharing their makeover! Let’s play the favorite part game. Sherry’s really into how great those dark wood beams look with the wood mantel and the leather furniture. What do you guys love? Hands off the coffee table, he’s mine.
Psst- We announced this week’s giveaway winner, so click here to see if it’s you.
