It's just a bathroom - why bother? Well I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy hanging out in unhappy places and the bathroom is just one of those spots you end up spending more of your day in than you'd think. Thus after many weeks of using a sad and dreary toilet nook, I realized it needed sprucing or I'd be at risk of a permanent depression. I didn't want to break the bank and I didn't want to hang anything irreplaceable that might succumb to steamy shower damage so naturally I started with IKEA.

Here's my {not-so} secret formula: IKEA frames + FREE downloaded Art = affordable statement wall!

All of the prints were downloaded {FOR FREE} and printed at our local staples for about 50¢ a page. We don't have a home printer, but let's face it: even if we did, quality of ink, the image resolution, and the color vibrancy is way better on those industrial copy machines. If over time the art suffers from excess moisture, then I can always print more and replace!

The "Plumes" printable was one of my favorites. You can get these prints and more from Graphics Fairy.

I liked the look of Chelsea's all-white dining room gallery wall {found here on her Gallery Wall Refresh post from last winter} so I kept my shopping monochromatic. Some frames were rather large and unusual sizes to mat to letter-sized paper so I tore the trim off the printed pdf to get a more authentic "vintage print" look than the factory-edge paper. I mounted it on some kraft wrapping paper I cut to fit the frame: giving my all-white frames some textural interest.

{ok, let's break it down}

RIBBA

1 11.75x15.75 {8x10 mat} - $10
2 8x10 {5x7 mat} - $5ea
2 4x6 {3x4 mat} - $2ea

NYTTJA

2 13.5x17.25 - $4ea
4 8.7x11 {Document Frame} - $2ea
1 {pack of 2} 5x7 - $4

VIRSERUM

1 11.75x15.75 {8x10 mat} - $8
1 4x6 {3x5 mat} - $2

SӦNDRUM

1 8x10 {5x7 mat} - $7
1 4x6 {3x5 mat} - $4

All for a grand total of $65!

The pair of gold 3D art are simply two thrift store frames hung around floating objects.
{The top one is actually a gold broach in the shape of a feather.}

Here's a quick look at the rest of the bathroom. As you can see I hung two more framed prints by the sink.

My {NEW} Happy Place!

What's your happy place?

~Cate

This post was published under Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt.

You may remember this post a couple weeks ago about some cute ideas for revamping a couple of our itty bitty bathrooms. Well, I got to work last Friday on one of them and am so excited to show you a now finished product! This is our basement bathroom before:

Medicine cabinet mirror, pedestal sink, painters yellow on the walls, ill fitted switch covers - we are grateful for the full bath in our basement but it was pretty sad looking and had nowhere for overnight guests to settle in with their toiletries.

~After~

Project A: Drawer Shelf - see bottom for details

Project B: Framing the mirror - see bottom for details

Project C: Drawer face-turned towel rack - see bottom for details

Project D: Bleaching old rug - see bottom for details

So refreshing now, don't ya think? This may not be your particular taste, but here is how I approached each piece of this bathroom in case you want to try any out yourself!

First off, I purchased the shower curtain last week at Walmart just because of the colors! I had recently decided to paint the walls white and play with color elsewhere, so when I spotted this shower curtain it really started giving me ideas for what other colors I wanted to pull into the room. ($9.99)

Project A: Drawer shelf - I had saved this drawer from a large dresser that is currently getting remade into a TV console. The sheer depth of it and the fun news print floor gave me a feeling I'd be able to use it for something else. Turns out when I was brainstorming some different ideas for storage for this little bathroom, I knew I wanted to keep 'stuff' off the floor. There is hardly enough floor space for a waste basket, so a shelving unit on the floor or a basket was just out of the question. This drawer, hung on it's underside, works perfectly for holding fresh guest towels, extra tissue, toiletries, etc. I painted it a custom teal color and kept the original drawer pull to hang our monogrammed hand towel from.

(free since I already had the supplies)

Project B: Framing the mirror - I had envisioned removing this medicine cabinet mirror and hanging something oval with a scalloped frame....til I realized this cabinet was set inside the wall and I wasn't interested in any major demo for this room. So, I went to Home Depot and found some pretty 1" trim, painted it in a very soft gray, my Husband cut the proper angles, and then I used Liquid Nails to glue it to the edge of the mirror.

($5 for the trim - but you can find decent 1" trim for as little as 50cents, which I did, but this one really caught my eye and since I was saving so much money elsewhere I splurged)

Project C: Drawer face-turned towel rack - This piece is actually an old face of a drawer that belonged on another dresser turned TV console, (don't ever throw 'parts' of a piece away, they may come in handy!). Husband removed it from the drawer, I painted it the same custom teal to match the hanging shelf and then he attached a single double hook unit which straddles the middle knob.

($2 for the hook)

Project D: Bleaching old rug - This rug used to be a dusty blue, (if my memory serves me right - it's old!), and I bleached it a long time ago into a very creamy peach. I think I had it sitting in a sink full of bleach, stirring occasionally, for at least 3 or 4 hours. We didn't have any immediate use for it in this house right away so it's been in storage for over a year, but it's so soft I didn't want to throw it out. Glad I didn't! I really love how this soft color contrasts with the cool gray floor, the teal shelf and rack, the orange on the shower curtain - and it just feels good under the feet. Bonus :)

So, that's how I fixed up a once dingy bathroom into something functional, colorful, and inviting. Do you have any transformations or unique storage ideas to share?

~Chelsea