Kids Bathroom w/Framed Builder Mirror: Guest Highlight

I think small changes in our homes can make all the difference!  This little link up highlight proves just that!  Great bathroom and mirror upgrade from, {Show & Tell}

1st – i looked high & low for pics of the bathroom from the beginning – before any paint and the standard builder mirror, but they were no where to be found

2nd – this room has 0 natural light – the pics were hard to get – really this room is so bright and fresh looking the pics just don't do it justice, oh well, you will just have to take my word for it:)

Ok, on to the re-do.  I painted this bathroom shortly after we moved in (3 years ago).  I used a goldish-yellow paint and stenciled a swirly pattern on the walls.  I also put up bead board and framed the builder mirror.  The bathroom was ok – but since i repainted my house about a year ago it just wasn't working out for me anymore.  Plus a little re-do is fun – and for the most part i re-used stuff that i already had to decorate it – sweet!!

This is the before, it was ok, but a little to “countryish”

This was the shower curtain, i really like the tile so i put up curtain panels so we could still see it.  We also have high ceilings so i put a valance above the shower curtain for extra height. 

This was what the kids used to hang their towels on, just a metal hook glued onto the glass of a frame (with fabric behind it) – here you can really see the stencil.

See the bug theme going on??!!  I am so over it :)

After…just a little new paint and a shower curtain – that i made myself :)

The paint color is a very light creamy beige color – but in this room it almost turned out a little greenish-grayish – but i really like it.  This is the 1st “beige” room that i have ever painted – i am used to COLOR :)

I got this light at the Re-Store for $10.  Spray painted it black and got some new clear seeded glass covers for it @ Lowes.  I love the glass – is casts little shadows all over the room.  I think the light is my 2nd favorite part of the room (next to the framed mirror of course).  The room definitely needed a bigger light, the old one was was dwarfed compared to the scale of the mirror.

I think this is supposed to be a plate holder but i turned it into a little towel holder.  It works perfect and is was only $1.50 @ the DI – love me some cheap stuff :)  The cake stand came from costco – i like to use these around the house to hold random things.  Everything look’s cuter when they are on white cake stands!

I have had these old ceiling tiles for a couple of years now – i had ordered them off e-bay.  I love them so much and glad i finally found a place to put them.  I also love the dark on this side of the room – it balances the space with the frame and cabinets across from it.  By the way, i left the tiles as is -  no painting, no sealing.

This is a little foot stool that i also got at the DI for a couple of bucks.  It was HOT pink – the brightest pink paint i ever did see!  I gave it a coat of white paint, stenciled the top and distressed the whole thing.  Makes a perfect little spot for Zailee (my little girl)  to admire herself! (which she does a lot).  The rug was from Pier One a couple of years ago.

This is a shelf above the toilet – i just put a couple of random things up there – love the little piggy :)

This is the shower curtain that i made – it took a little time but was for sure worth it.  I love the way it turned out – i love the white with the ruffles – soooo cute!  And it was only about $25 worth of fabric.

I used cheap walmart curtain clips to clip it on to the rod.  The rod also got a coat of black spray paint- works way better in the space then the previous silver.

I was going to post a little tutorial on the ruffles – but i didn't take enough pics – sorry.  But there are a ton of ruffle tutorials out there.  They were really easy to make.  I just cut strips of fabric about 2 1/2 inches wide and sewed them on to the panel.  I wasn't perfect about the ruffles (as you can tell) but i totally think that is what adds to the shabiness factor – not perfect! 

I did sew seams about 1/4 inch in from the edges so that when i washed it, it would fray – also adds to the shabiness!  It just folded the edges back and forth as i sewed – no pattern, no measuring – completely random – completely easy :)

I have already gotten a few emails about the frame around the mirror – i did have some before pics but cant find them (i tried!!).  I built the mirror a couple of years ago out of some MDF and a couple different kinds of trim.  The entire frame was just glued directly onto the builder mirror with some adhesive – painted it black, distressed it and called it good.  I made the frame extra big and chunky because the mirror was so big – plus i like big, thick chunky molding anyways – it was only natural!  It looks way good with the black cabinets – this is one of the things in my house that i am very proud of.  Everyone loves it and wants one.

So, i do have my bathroom mirror to do, my moms and one for my friend Tracey.  As i do those i will take pics along the way and then post them here for you guys to see.  Its such an easy project and totally takes that boring builder grade mirror and turns it into something custom that people think you spent a lot of money on.

The frame measures 9 inches wide – just so you know :)  The bulk of the frame is made with MDF, 2 pieces of cap molding on both sides of the MDF and then one last piece of molding on the inside to finish it off (does that make any sense?  I promise, a how-to will be coming soon)

Well, there it is.  I love this bathroom so much now – it now feels like it part of the house.  Its so crazy what a little paint and fabric can do.  LOVE IT!!!

Tutorials coming soon…!!!

Great job!  What do you think?