Mrs. “G” called me this past summer with a problem many of us share: her guest bathroom was in need of a major revamp. Thing is—her guest bathroom also doubled as the restroom her two boys used which meant the space needed to be fun (yet functional) AND appeal to the masses.

Here is where we started:

This bathroom appeared dark and with only one light source and no natural light coming in, the dark brown feature wall and adjacent taupe walls made it feel closed in…yes, even with 10’ ceilings.

After chatting with Mrs. “G” about her vision for the space, she wanted to make sure it had character—some fun elements her boys would enjoy—but also contained decor that guests would like as well. And so the vision board was created.

In our consultation, Mrs. “G” discussed going with a light gray on the walls but after thinking about it and looking at some of the decor in the remainder of her home, I suggested a bold blue. Somewhere inbetween Teal and Navy. I also suggested board and batten moldings in bright white to break up the blue (remember—-no natural light source). I wanted the overall look to appear fresh and clean, yet provide a lot of personality.

Before I got my paint brush out, the board and batten had to go up. Luckily, the “G” home did not have textured walls like most of us here in AZ do. Her walls were mostly smooth but had a slight skip trowel/Mission finish—perfect for the moldings we were going to implement.

Her crew got to work. In fact, here’s a little “in-progress” shot:

I love progress shots. It means change is occurring and the final reveal is right around the corner. But before I get too far ahead, a few other elements needed to be addressed:

Functional Shelving
Framed mirror
New countertops (builder grade had to go)
Cabinet color change (courtesy of Mrs. “G”)
New Decor and hooks
Fresh paint.

Ready for the finished product?

Huge difference, huh? I love the pop of color Valspar’s Flood Tide brings in, and mixed with the Sherwin William’s Alabaster trim, it takes this bathroom from dark (and slightly dungy) to fresh and fun.

These signs are awesome, too. With two boys, guests are sure to laugh at first sight. 24” ledge shelving (made by Fearfully Made Creations) and stained by A Fresh Coat help bring in one more area of interest. I just love this color palette we went with.

Brand new countertops with an undermount sink, a new faucet, and freshly painted black cabinetry. Not to mention that framed mirror! Moldings really change the entire look of a room. They add so much for so little. This was a builder’s grade mirror before (see pic below). Four pieces of lumber, some stain, and some liquid nails and bam (!), a custom look is achieved.

A new light fixture was also purchased and installed.

New vanity decor should never be overlooked either. These awesome Rae Dunn pieces are super versatile in that they look great in adult and kid’s spaces alike. Purchased at Marshall’s, they were really reasonable too.

A place to hang their towels was also important. Pictures of the boys will soon adorn this wall but in the meantime…

Ready for the before and after one more time?

How great is that shower curtain by the way? Wal-Mart for the win there but here’s a little secret—the black border on the bottom of this curtain was added in in order to add length. Oftentimes, ceilings are higher in newer homes (10’ or more). This makes it hard finding shower curtains that don’t look too short for the space because they usually only come in standard sizes (most of the time). By adding some fabric to the bottom, it remains inexpensive and you’re able to get the height that you need to make the area and its decor more proportionate.

Balance is key and so is creating a space that everyone can love.