Boutique-style bathroom from a spare room

Read article : Boutique-style bathroom from a spare room

Add a false wall

Create a unique, contemporary space by using decorative panelling (Above) to make zones for all your bathroom elements, from the bath and shower, to the basin and WC. The Nuance range by Bushboard features polyurethane trim-free panels bonded with high-pressure laminate that can be installed without any fixings being visible for a sleek result. Plus, shower fixings or sanitaryware can also be attached. With a high-definition printed design, the Dolce Vita True Scale has the look of real stone, but only costs from £70 per m².

Opt for all-over colour

Choose your favourite shade and go for a design that uses it all over the bathroom. To complement the bold blue mosaic tiles and accessories, the bespoke Silestone by Cosentino worksurface in Limited Edition Acqua Fraccaroli was created to suit this scheme. As the material has the ability to be moulded to create thick widths, long lengths and even be shaped along walls and upstands, it’s a great way to create a unique look. Silestone by Cosentino costs £400 per m².

Indulge in a spa-like shower

There’s nothing more luxurious than a relaxing shower, and with the Gessi Minimali chrome-finish recessed showerhead, you can re-create a spa feel at home. With aerators to minimise water consumption, while maintaining a power-shower sensation, the head fits into the ceiling seamlessly for a streamlined finish. Dia.35cm, it costs £950 at CP Hart.

Be creative with vinyl

The ideal choice for bathroom flooring, luxury vinyl now comes in an array of colours, patterns and textures emulating real wood and stone. Amtico’s latest Signature collection features a range of stylish motifs to create an eye-catching focal point in your space. This Myron Motif, Dia.91.5cm, £120, shown here paired with Sedimentary Grey Stone vinyl flooring, £70 per m², provides a modern contrast.

Pick a bright colour

Whether you’re decorating a small or large bathroom, adding a statement shade to the walls is a great way to refresh the space. Use a modern, trend-led shade such as Valspar’s Simply Brilliant all over the room, on a feature wall, or simply to update a stool or storage unit; £27.98 for 2.5 litres of Kitchen and Bathroom

Be bold with your bathroom basin

A far cry from the dated avocado suites of the past, coloured and patterned sinks are enjoying a revival. Update your master bathroom, en suite or cloakroom with the stunning Adriana porcelain basin, H15.5xDia.41cm, £690 from The London Basin Company

Co-ordinate finishes

Made to suit a humid environment, these blue café-style shutters in Crown Dance Hall from Shutterly Fabulous are made to measure from poplar wood. Also available in full-height, solid pane and tier-on-tier designs, the shutters can be painted in a colour to suit your scheme, for example, to match a statement bath and accessories. From £320 per m2 for a custom finish.

Apply lots of pattern

Why not create a real statement by using a print you love on both your walls and floors? The Baked Tile Company’s Elle porcelain tiles, W44.2xL44.2cm, £33 per m², are suitable for both surfaces, plus they’re hardwearing and easy to clean. Team with neutral fixtures and fittings, or add further wow factor with pops of bright colour.

Create a wet room

If you dream of a wet room but don’t want to tank your entire suite, opt for a recessed shower tray. At only 2.5cm thick, Roca’s In Floor steel shower tray is fitted at floor level, creating a walk-in shower with a streamlined drainage outlet built in. Designed with an anti-slip coating, in six sizes up to L140cm, the base costs from £744 for W90xL90cm. Combine with a slim, frameless glass shower screen for a minimal, contemporary look.

Use the latest materials

A must-have for kitchens, concrete details are now making their way into the bathroom, too. Introduce the look with Fired Earth’s large-format W60xL60cm waxed porcelain Berlin tiles in Reichstag. Inspired by the ‘utilitarian cool’ of East Berlin, they have a realistic, textured finish and offer a neutral backdrop to colour and pattern. The tiles can be used on walls (as shown) and floors, £49.97 per m².

Cute shower curtain to enhance your bathroom overall look

Read article : Cute shower curtain to enhance your bathroom overall look

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Undoubtedly, there are some simple items that can change the look that give your bathroom a stunning and elegant atmosphere. One of them is the shower curtain which has a vital role to enhance your bathroom stylish look and functionality.

Do you want to change your bathroom designs with just a cute curtain? It is so easy and possible. You just need to decide few things before purchasing your new curtain to beautify your bathroom. First, you should measure well your curtain’s spot, and then consider what material do you need your curtain to be made from? Next, select the cute designs you wish it to have.

The amazing features about curtains are that they are available in the market with a wide variety of styles, designs, colors, materials and even sizes. Not only that, but also they offer a wide collection of bathroom’s accessories to fit them well. That means you can get a curtain with specific designs and have other accessories that complete its designs as well. As an example, cute printed towels, a toothbrush holder, rugs and so on. We can’t forget also the curtain will come with its rings, rails or hooks.

You can choose the one that suit your taste and your need. There are fabric and vinyl materials you can choose from or you can be creative and combine both together to have functionality with an elegant look. You can achieve that by having a vinyl solid colored liner with a matched printed fabric curtain made from canvas as a simple example. The liner will protect your curtain from being damaged by water or any other factor while the printed curtain will remain elegant and look cute inside your bathroom.

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There various cute designs you can choose from with the colors you want. You may prefer a beach theme for your curtain or you opt for jungle or animals prints to look more funny and cute for your kids and visitors. You can also have a yellow liner which matches any bathroom with printed curtain with baby ducks, daisies, smiling suns, or any other prints match the yellow color.

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Our new house in Palatine, Illinois

Read article : Our new house in Palatine, Illinois

You guys, remember when I said that I wasn't going to settle on our new house this time?  Well, maybe I didn't say that on this blog, but I definitely did in real life.  Turns out we are buying exactly what I didn't want....a raised ranch with the annoying double stairway going up and down right after walking in the front door. 

Not to mention the downward sloping driveway with garage under the home.  And the hideous front door, paneling, and oaky railings. 

BUT, the house is very large and we just couldn't pass up the living space here.  The main (upper) level is over 1500 sq ft, has four good sized bedrooms, a master bath and a main bath, and a large living room. 

The kitchen is TINY and while it's 'updated' I pretty much hate it.  The maple cabinets, the enormous soffit with can lighting above the sink, the speckled granite, the stone backsplash....I would love to rip it all out and start over, but we can't do that. 

There is only three drawers in the entire kitchen, so we are going to use the L-shaped eat in area for more cabinetry instead.  I struggle with this because with kids, I love a place to eat in the kitchen...but the dining room is right there, so I don't think we'd miss it. 

The kitchen door walks out to a decent sized deck. 

Our grill and patio table will fit nicely here.  I don't typically like raised decks because there is no privacy, but there are ways to help that and I plan to get creative!  The backyard is also nice and big.

 We plan to fence in this side of the yard.

And I'm not sure what we will do to cover the awful chain link and white vinyl on this side.  We might ask the neighbors in back of us if we can remove the vinyl and replace with wood, since the only fence on their property is this little piece. 

The great thing is that this house was built in 1967 and has original hardwood floors under the carpet throughout the main level. 

The main bathroom is also original, with blue tub, retro floor and wall tile, and swirly shell counter tops. 

I am really happy that this bathroom is original, because it means I can do what I want in here when we have the funds.  For now, I plan to just paint the vanity, remove the silly brass shower doors, and work with the tile. 

I just can't escape the seashell sinks.  Since this bathroom has no window, I'm hoping to add a skylight or solar tube at some point. 

The secondary bedrooms are all 10x13, which feels so much bigger than the 9x11 rooms we have in our current house. 

I actually love the wood wall in this room! 

However, this fake paneling is gone. 

The master has two windows which I love, but only two average closets, so I'm a little worried about losing my walk in.  I'm thinking of ways to incorporate more storage into the other rooms for all my stuff.

The master bath is totally not my style and impossibly tiny, but it's much better than not having one. 

Luckily, the shower is bigger than our current one, and the window is amazing compared to our current dark master bath. 

The lower level family room is huge, and I love that it has three large windows and doesn't feel like a basement. 

We plan to rip out all the paneling and ceiling in this room so we can add recessed lighting and new drywall.  Since the carpet is in good shape, we will have to be careful to cover that up while we work.  There is also really nice original wood parquet down here and a cool little dry bar that I forgot to photograph. 

Also down here, a large laundry room with window, laundry tub and storage.  And a half bath with a window!

And another bedroom with two windows. 

Check out that sweet carpet and gun cabinet!  For now, this room is going to be a storage area because we are losing our large crawl space and bigger garage with rafters.  Lucky for us, the attic in this house is large and actually usable once we take care of some ventilation and accessibility issues.  Before we move in, we are having all the hardwoods refinished, all the trim replaced, and possibly a new railing installed.

And we will try to remove as much of the paneling as possible, everything is so much easier when you don't have your furniture in the way.  I don't have any great photos of the railing, but I really hate it.  I don't want to try to update it with the traditional white spindles/stained handrail because I don't feel it fits in this retro style house. 

No thanks.   

I'm hoping to install a simple metal railing with wood top like one of these:

I also like the wrought iron without any wood.  It just has to be simple and fit the era of the house.

 One reason I want to replace the railing right away is because I'm not sure how our floor guy will refinish the floors around the existing one.  I am just not sure we can afford a new one at this point.  We also have to replace the rusty ugly outdoor railing at some point. 

So, that is the house.  We do have some major issues to take care of right away.  The main chimney pipe is corroded and needs to be replaced.  The electrical is 50 amp service with a ton of questionable DIY work that is not to code.  The bathroom sinks and tub all are missing the pop up drain mechanism so we can't even stop the water.  The master bath toilet is not attached properly to the floor.  Several outlets are wired incorrectly and the list goes on.  Luckily, the sellers have agreed to a 3k credit to cover some of these issues.  We close on September 3, so I will keep you posted as soon as we get in there and get to work!  

House Tour: A Contemporary, Classic Cape Town Rental

Read article : House Tour: A Contemporary, Classic Cape Town Rental

Name: Melissa and James Lawrence
Location: Vredehoek, Cape Town, South Africa
Size: 1184 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years, renting

Cape Town-based interior designer Melissa and her husband James didn't want to invest a ton of money in this home since they are renting it. But because Melissa is in the interior design field, they knew exactly what could to be done to enhance the space and in a cost effective way. They've been able to cleverly add their own touches to their rental apartment, creating a space that feels like home.

The first task was to tackle the flooring, which was originally dark brown and in a poor condition. The light whitewashed floors that you see now required a lot of work, but the result is a brighter, more contemporary look they both love.

Melissa and James love entertaining so updating the kitchen was a must — and the space needed a major overhaul and some serious TLC. The cupboards were originally a mix of dark wood and grubby white, and so fresh white paint was an obvious choice. They also added pine door knobs for an inexpensive and easy update. James made the overhead copper utensil hanger (which creates a great focal point) and they added cut vinyl to spruce up the existing white tiles. This is also where Melissa spends time producing her soy candles for her Melissa Louise label.

Their apartment goes to show that with just a few clever DIYs and design savvy thinking, you can easily revamp a rental space. Just remember to get your landlord's approval before you start!

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style:Our style has evolved over the years, from the eclectic mix of furniture that we first accumulated when we moved in together to now investing in classic furniture pieces that will last. We tend to gravitate to an overall contemporary look and feel with classic details.

Inspiration:As an interior designer, it is my job to stay up to date and be relevant; I am always inspired by the work of my favorite designers. Instagram and Pinterest are great tools for staying relevant and storing beautiful content that inspires.

Favorite Element:Melissa: Our high ceilings and the natural light that pours into every room. Often inner-city apartments can feel small and cramped; I love that our apartment feels light and spacious.

James:The lounge. It's where we unwind and watch series, play PlayStation and most importantly drink wine and socialize with our friends when they are over.

Biggest Challenge:The defined layout of our apartment. The closed floor plan means each room is separated from the others by walls and hallways. Hallways tend to be narrow and often have very little character.

What Friends Say:We aim to have a warm and comfortable home for our family and friends. Our friends echo this, as most nights are enjoyed over dinner and wine or even movies and popcorn.

Biggest Embarrassment:Melissa: Our bathrooms! They are outdated and tired, we have run over the finances but it simply isn't viable to do any major alterations to a rental property. Also sloppy workmanship in the past has left our vintage black cisterns speckled with paint...

James:Our bathroom! It's so old and I wish we could renovate and make it one large wet room! The bath isn't big enough for me, so a walk-in shower would be great!

Proudest DIY: Melissa: When we moved in, our floors were chocolate brown and worn through in places; they were in desperate need of attention! Having a creative eye I saw the potential they had when we first viewed the apartment. James and I sanded, treated and sealed the floors of the apartment ourselves, while living in the space. It was a tough two weeks, but it has really transformed the space and was SO worth it.

James:I made the copper utility hanger above our kitchen counter; a few trips to builders warehouse and there you have it. Super simple, but effective!

Biggest Indulgence:Melissa:Our five-plate gas stove and electric oven. We love entertaining, this was one of the best investments!

James:Our TV.

Best Advice: A lick of paint makes ALL the difference! It is a cost effective way to update a space, making it feel fresh and brand new!

Dream Sources: I love the convenience of shopping and sourcing online at places like @home living spaces, MRPhome and Weylandts, while finding hidden treasures at local antique shops. And supporting small developing businesses is a thrill!

Resources:

ENTRANCE
Stokholm sideboard – MRP Home
Aztec reversible rug — H&M Home
Basket — Milnerton Market.
Tall Basket with lid — Community upliftment program bought when Melissa was in high school
Light — Ikea, gifted to us by friends who were relocating

LIVING AREA
Sofa — @Home living space
Standing angle poise lamp — Weylandts
Beni Ourain inspired rug — MRP Home
Ladder shelf — @Home living space
Glass coffee table — MRP Home
Round side table — Superbalist
Curtains — Woolworths
Round mirror above electric fireplace — MRP Home
Sewing machine — Vintage piece, handed down from James' grandmother.
Duros Armchair — vintage shop
Large white pot —M RP Home

BEDROOM
Bed — YouMeHome
Bedding — H&M Home
Oval mirror — Vintage store in Woodstock
Sullivan hoop — Hooped by Sue Britz
Lamp base — Milnerton Market
Jewellery stand — MRP Home

KITCHEN
Stokholm dining table — @Home living space
Chairs — Chair Crazy
Clock — MRP Home
Fake plants — SuperFloral
Metallic plant pots — Simply Home
Gold candle holder — Home and Giftware Pop up shop at the V&A
Striped runner — MRP Home
Copper book stand — Handmade by a family friend and gifted to us.
Wooden chopping board — Ikea
Copper book stand: Handmade by a family friend and gifted to us."
Teapot — Le Creuset
Patterned vinyl — Designed and applied by Frizzy Diamond
Diamond hanging pot plant — Typo

STUDY
Chairs — Chair Crazy
Desk — Trestle legs and pine top bought at Timber City
You're a gem hoop — Hooped by Sue Britz

Thanks, Melissa and James!

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