Tibb I think she just means will it be visually balanced. I just got out a tape measure and looked at it. I think with walls on each side it might feel a little tight. What size is your mirror? I would want to make sure it looks balanced over that as well.

Just checked again, I'd do a mock up on the wall with some painters tape if you haven't already. I think the 23" might be too small.

Yes, the balance is what I am worried about. Shoot. It is a very weird space. Okay, here are some photos and then an explanation.

This is the space. It is 48" from one end of the vanity to the other. And there is a wall to the left of the vanity that you can just barely see.

Option #1 . Sheetrock over the recessed shelves and hang a framed mirror that will fill that space almost wall to wall. (I have the mirror already so no $) If I do that, I was thinking a light that fills most of the space at top would be good.

Option #2 Leave the recessed shelves and use the shorter light fixture like they have here. If I do this I need to figure something to do with the recessed shelves. Frame them perhaps so they are same height as mirror?

Option #3 No top lighting but instead, sconces on each side wall. I am not crazy about this idea for several reasons, one, I want to put a medicine cabinet on the left wall and a light would eliminate that option and two, I have a piece of art to hang over the toilet and I don't think I would like the scone and art on the same wall.

Option #4 Something brilliant your talented minds come up with. :)

if you are keeping the vanity and countertop/backsplash and the sink where it is, I think I would sheetrock over the shelves, hang a full ~48" mirror and put the 4 lights above it. the sink is small and so to the left and there is so much counter to the right that I would think if you have guests they would use that space to do their hair and makeup... more mirror and more lighting is best, imo.

busybee, yes I am trying to keep costs to a minimum here since the entire house needs, well, everything. :) I am not a fan of the offset sink but I figure since the sink and tile and vanity are in fine shape, I can just reuse them. My gut wanted the full mirror there too. I have a large mirror (have to pull it out of storage but it should fill the space) that I just need to paint and I think it will help everything in that space.

Gotta say that I like the shelves. Maybe scones above the mirror and shelves? Since the doors are slab, I'd probably look for a slightly less ornate light fixture.

And I even like the vanity doors. Is the wood in reasonable shape?

Is the tile on the vanity staying? With one sink, I'd be inclined to keep the shelves. What is the storage space like in that bathroom? I'd be inclined, though, to take the four floating shelves out and put glass shelves in, wire in a recessed light at the top of each shelf box, the light of which would go down through the glass shelves, and put a single mirror up with a simple, streamlined light over it.

I would keep the shelves, get a pretty light for above the mirror, paint everything, replace the flooring, and go from there. Save the rest of your money for when you want to do a major improvement.

I would keep the flooring a simple vinyl for now. These things will be a major improvement!

nosoccermom
>>>Gotta say that I like the shelves.

I go back and forth on them. :)

>>Maybe scones above the mirror and shelves?

I don't think there's enough room for sconces above the mirror and shelves unless they were very small.

>>Since the doors are slab, I'd probably look for a slightly less ornate light fixture.
>> And I even like the vanity doors. Is the wood in reasonable shape?

The wood is fine. We need to put new glides on the drawers is all. I am thinking of adding some trim pieces and handles to spruce up the vanity. I will be painting it white to go with the new white grout. Walls will be a light yellow.



tibbrix
>>Is the tile on the vanity staying?
Yep. Tile is staying. There's nothing wrong with it so I am just going to grout renew to change the grout color to white.

>>With one sink, I'd be inclined to keep the shelves.
Another vote to keep them. Well, that's a definite maybe then.

>>What is the storage space like in that bathroom?
There is plenty of room, as is, for our needs. The vanity has two doors and three drawers and I will be putting a recessed cabinet on the short wall to the left of the sink. There is also a linen closet right outside bathroom. This is just the guest bathroom for a home that will have no guest room to speak of and we don't have people sleep over. So it is for visitors only.


>> I'd be inclined, though, to take the two four floating shelves out and put glass shelves in, wire in a recessed light at the top of each shelf box, the light of which would go down through the glass shelves, and put a single mirror up with a simple, streamlined light over it.

I had thought glass shelves would be nice in there because the ones there are functional but ugly. :) If I keep the shelves, I don't know what I would use them for. I could put baskets in there but then for what? The stuff I would put in baskets could go in the drawers. I have two sets of towels for a guest bath. I don't even need the linen closet for them as the spare set would fit in a drawer.

I can't go with that kind of light fixture though. It screams modern or tech to me and we are more cottage/country.

Thanks so much for the ideas!

grapefruit1_ar
Thanks. The reason for replacing all the fixtures now is that they are very corroded from 20 years of hardwater and 20 years of deferred maintenance on the entire house. I think if I do it right now, there will be no need for a major remodel for 15 years by which point I will be too old to care. hahaha. We are moving into the house in a month and this will be THE bathroom/shower hubby and I use for quite some time while we do the renovations on the rest of the house. The master bath is pretty groddy and hubby hits his head on the ceiling in the shower.

Also, I did save money aside for this budget renovation so I had always planned to do this bathroom first since I knew we would be living in a construction zone for the next year. :)

I'm not much use here, because I'd actually keep the vanity as is and just refresh it with some restore-a-finish. I'd even leave the mirror, maybe stain it or paint it. And perhaps even consider wood shelves in that recessed space. Keep some pretty hand towels in there or baskets.

And I'd probably go for a more streamlined, clean country look, kind of like this:

Roncesvalles House · More Info

Thanks, nosoccermom for the pictures. I love inspiration.

I am off on another tangent right now and trying to figure out if I could do a white wash on the vanity and if that would work with that tile once I change the grout to white.

I wonder if you, or someone, could try photoshop on your pictures. Or perhaps upload on the SW or BM site and play around with different colors.

Below a link to
tiled bathroom counters

Just to see what kind of cabinets/colors.

Also, I wonder how big a deal/mess it is to pour concrete over the tiles?

concrete over tiles?

or below from hometalk.com

updating vanity for 20.00?