Lipstick on a Pig

Hi, Christine,

It's me - again!  (check out Carol's previous post here.)  Just a new dilemma.  We have white builder's grade Merrilat cabinetry (in good shape) throughout our condo.  I would like to update the look in the bathrooms.  Right now there are bisque cultured marble counters and sinks, as well as the bisque-colored garden tub and deck which sits between the two master vanities.  Would it be worth painting the bathroom cabinets and replacing the counters with granite, or is that like putting lipstick on a pig? (thanks, Sarah!)  There are no windows in either bath.  Still not committed to staying here long though we may end up doing just that.  (You may remember the mottled green ceramic floor tile - it's in the bathrooms, too, and up the wall behind the tub with an accent row.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Carol

Hi Carol,

Unless it is real wood, painting cabinets does not usually go well.  To get a good finish- you need to be able to lightly sand your surface. 

Granite?  Granite is a very formal look- and a very "kitcheny" look. Try to keep the formality of your cabinets consistent with the formality of the counter surface.  In a bathroom, you don't need the stain resistance and durability of granite.  Go with marble, travertine or sandstone. Consider honed instead of polished for a more casual feel.  So as to not over-invest, consider using 4 x 4's or 12 x 12's or mosaic instead of a slab.

Would I go through the expense of putting any of those on your cabinetry? (or is this all just lipstick on a pig?) You did say they were in good shape- although you sent no picture- so I can't make the call- I say only if you really like the cabinets.  Keep your counters neutral- like the travertine counters below.

 

If you decide to stay- you might consider a furniture look to replace your stock cabinets- like the Restoration Hardware piece below. (If you have some tile to make the flooring work).  I have made my own combinations for clients-  (or- perhaps I should give the credit to the contractors that make it all happen.)

Best wishes with your bathroom!

bath photo from Decor Pad

Console Sinks and Cased Windows

Today's post is a follow-up on this post.

Christine,

Wow! A lot to think about and learn! I told my husband about the white kitchen cabinets and he's not a fan---he's worried they'll always be dirty or be high maintenance to keep clean---can you tell me if this is true? White cabinets will not get any dirtier than dark wood cabinets. However- when you get your kitchen cabinets dirty- as you will- you will actually see it on the white cabinets and clean it- whereas with dark wood you might live in denial longer. But no- they are not cleaner- in the end- as you never clean the dark ones- and consistently clean the white ones- the white ones be much cleaner. If, however- you want to live in a filthy state of denial- that is a great reason to get dark cabinets. And would they look okay with black kitchen appliances? I don't like white or stainless steel. Sure- you can use black appliances. I would go stainless if it were me- but I noticed you didn't ask me that question... White appliances and white cabinets can actually be a really hard match to make. Black is a piece of cake.

Also, what do you mean about having the windows "framed out?" See the examples at the bottom of the post of framed windows. I don't know if Utah builders usually trim the windows or not. Anyone know? What I mean by that is that they have a sill, an apron, and wood trim around the interior of the window. Some windows have just the sill and apron- and others have none of it- just drywall. That look has its place in very modern architecture- but most of the time I think builders are just lazy and cheap- and homeowners don't know better to ask for it.

And what is a "console sink" like you recommended? All of the bath photos in the post today have console sinks. They are similar to pedestal sinks- but are attached to the wall in the back and have legs in the front- sometimes the legs are metal- sometimes ceramic- I have seen them also in wood- but less frequently. they are easy to find- right at your local big hardware store- starting in the $300 range- and going up from there. They are probably less expensive than a wood cabinet base- adding on a counter top- and they have a lot more style. You can get them with a shelf if you need storage. I consider this sink a great choice for powder baths where larger amounts of storage is really a non-issue- or in a bathroom like the one below where other storage is available. And how expensive is it to do those beautiful beams on the ceiling? Just a few of the thousand questions I have and will have :) The beamed ceilings? I don't know what to tell you on the price. Any readers out there have them added- or know what they would cost? Usually they are just wrapped into the price of a home. I had a contractor recently add them on one of my jobs- but I never heard what the price was... Like all prices- I am sure the price varies quite a bit- from real to faux, wrapped to solid- stain grade to paint grade- etc.

Love your blog and your tell-it-like-it is attitude---and no you didn't make me cry--yet :)

I love the casings around these windows- really nice.

A little terminology lesson...

Now imagine the room below without cased windows- does anyone out there see what a huge difference they make?

They can be "curvy" and more formal like the photos above- or you can have them done in a cleaner line like below. The style of your molding is an extension of your architecture- and should be consistent in style with the style of your home. You can show me the front elevation of your home- and I can tell you what your moldings should look like.

Thanks,
Christine

P.S. Does anyone else love that bathroom at the top of the post? Love the ceiling. Love the lighting, love the tile, love the trim work. Love it.

Photos from Country Living. (Except some random trim photos that I found online. I tried to find a photo of an untrimmed window and couldn't find one. Those windows are simply not worth photographing.)

See some untrimmed windows in this post thanks for the comment All My Monkeys! I should have thought to check my own blog for photos!

Wallpaper Wednesday

Today's Wallpaper Wednesday photos came from my Coastal Living October 2009 issue. One of today's pictures is not wallpaper. Guess which one. Is it the golden palm in the staircase above?

Is this real wood, or a faux wood paper?

How about this all-over design in the bathroom? Is that the work of hand painting or wallpaper?

Carolyn - note in this bath above that the magazine noted that the pipes were painted to look like copper pipes. That's a good solution for your bath - from this post.

So - hey - give me your guesses..... which photo is not wallpaper:

1. Palm leaves
2. Wood grain
3. The neutral bath

I'll let you know tomorrow.

Good job Jen! It was the Palm Leaves! And- no- I haven't found the coconut m&m's yet... but I'm still looking!

Still Need a Sink

Continued from Yesterday...

On Sale at Restoration Hardware- this is good option- I couldn't seem to find the width on the add... A little on the "ordinary" side- but a beautiful sink. I like the hardware. I like the marble. Finding it on sale it is a good price. We would get the sink and counter for the same price as a different one we are considering - but does not include a counter.

So- here is the question of the day. When do you sacrifice style and uniqueness for price?

1. Always. The price rules.
2. Sometimes. Depends on the location.
3. Never. Save up- make it perfect. You are going to live in this house for many years. You want it to "speak to you." Why shouldn't you smile when you enter your bathroom?
   

Next question of the day- how wide is this sink?

I'm looking for a sink...

I am currently looking for sink base for a client. Her bathroom is 65 inches in width on the wall where we will put the sink. We want as much storage as we can get. I have considered pre-made sinks as well as making one from a console table or dresser. Below are some that I found from J. Tribble.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Which is your favorite? Have you seen any unique sink bases anywhere? Can you help me find her a "cool" one?