Yesterday, I decided to get started on some changes that I had planned for the studio bathroom, starting with a new vanity color. I wanted to change the vanity color, the accent tile, and possibly the upper wall design. But I figured that since the vanity was the easiest of those three projects, I would start with it. Also, since I just finished up a very long project — painting a checkerboard design on the studio floor — I really wanted to do a quick and easy project that could be finished in one day.
The bathroom started out very colorful, with hand-painted walls in a square spiral design, yellow accent tile that I custom colored myself (you can make tile in any color you need for your project), and a coral vanity.
So yesterday, I removed a portion of the yellow tiles so that they wouldn’t be a distraction, and then I painted the vanity…
The color is called Satin Black from Behr. I wanted an off-black so that the dark black hardware would still show up against it. Plus, the bathroom door and storage closet door are deep black, and I didn’t want to add more deep black to the vanity.
As far as the tiles go, I ended up choosing a very simple 3″ x 12″ white subway tile. They’re not the kind that I used in the kitchen and master bathroom shower. These are the kind that have a slightly imperfect/wavy surface that catches light beautifully.
When I was trying to figure out what to do with this bathroom, I had considered using a tile with a more definitive “wave” pattern (like ripples in water), but when I decided to try to make this current wall design work, the wave tile didn’t seem like a good option anymore. I needed something that wouldn’t compete with the wall design.
I plan to remove the rest of the yellow tiles and install this new white tile this weekend so that I can mark off the second item on my three-item list for this bathroom.
As far as the walls go, I’m still up in the air about the current square spiral design. Interestingly, when I got the yellow tile removed, and the vanity painted in the new satin black color, the walls didn’t seem to have enough color to them for my taste.
I’m still going to wait before making my final decision, though. I don’t want to make a decision about the walls until I have the vanity and tile finished. And since the black vanity and white tile will go with just about anything, I can get those done and then live with the current walls for a while and see if I like how everything looks. If not, I’ve narrowed down the possibilities to two different options: (1) vertical painted stripes in bright/bold colors chosen from the wallpaper (y’all know how I feel about stripes!), or (2) actually using the floral wallpaper in the bathroom.
I’m still not sure how I feel about using the wallpaper in the bathroom. It seems to me that it would take away the impact of using it on the main long wall of the studio, and diminish it’s specialness. But on the other hand, it seems a bit sad to use the wallpaper only on a wall where so little of it will show because of cabinets and two windows. I love that wallpaper so much that I’d love to see more of it, and since the back entry isn’t an option because of the cost, the tiny bathroom seems like the second best option.
But I’ll wait to make that decision. The bottom line is the bathroom walls with either be the current square spiral design, colorful vertical stripes, or floral wallpaper. And an off-black vanity and white tile will go with any of those options.
On a completely different topic, I continue to be so impressed with this floor paint!! This vanity is not light at all, and it has those little feet on it. I was scooting and shoving the vanity all over this floor to be able to get behind it, and then to the left side of it, and then to the right side of it when it was pulled out. I just knew that when I finally got it back into place, the floor was going to be a mess and need to be redone. After all, the paint hasn’t had anywhere near 30 days to cure.
But when I finally got the vanity moved back into place, there were only two little areas where the paint scratched.
I was absolutely amazed! I couldn’t believe that it held up so well against a heavy vanity being shoved all around on it! That’s precisely why this paint made it onto my updated list of favorite paint products for 2023.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
