Picture?

Let me try again with the picture...

Oh I hate those Hollywood lights. I had them in a previous home. Now when we took ours down the idiots that put it up originally didn't paint behind it so we were faced with that and in the other room they had not put the wallpaper behind it. Of course we didn't have any left over. My husband made a backer plate of wood and mounted a nice new light onto it. It looked great and got compliments. So yyes get those lights down but be prepared for what you find behind it. A frame around the mirror would dress it up.

Using the color scheme below, with the darker brown represented in the counter, I would paint the medicine and sink cabinets in the creme, the walls the lightest of the blues (or you could use the light sand brown) and I'd bring in towels and accessories in the medium brown and darker blue. For the window I'd use a simple roman shade in a quiet print that incorporates a mix of the same colors or simple blinds and a valance.

For lighting, I'd go with something like one of these from Lighting Direct, the finish chosen was used to match your faucet and would be really pretty with the blues in the room.

ETA: I think the lighting and the mirror are too big. You could actually get a smaller mirror and if your so inclined, have sconces installed on each side instead. I think that would be quite nice as well, but IMO, that mirror needs to go, even if just to replace it with a smaller framed or beveled one.

Great idea of painting the medicine cabinet the same color that the walls.

Did the same with the cabinet we put in the niche in one of the baths in the new home..looks even better than I expected, Just don't forget to change the sheen of the paint..use the same color but in semi-gloss.

And yes..if it was not you who put the Hollywood light in-probably going to be different color underneath..:) Doesn't matter if you repaint anyway, just repaint before putting the new light in..

Raven, you are so right, the lights have to go! No doubt repairs will be required. Lukki, I like your suggestion about a smaller mirror and light, maybe even sconces. The colour scheme is very nice too. The walls in the main areas of the house are a pale blue. One of the issues in this bathroom is an unfortunate ceramic tile floor in a, hmm, pinky terracotta mix which probably rules out blue but the creams and sand would work nicely.

April, good point about changing the sheen of the paint for the cabinet. I really don't know what is involved to paint over the wood.

Such a lovely transformation, Lukki! I love the blue and the black in your "after".

Frame around the mirror with molding to make it look less 1960s. Lot's of examples on the net.

Paint the medicine cabinet to blend with the wall.

Replace that light strip with something a bit more rustic.

Great job Lukki! I would love to paint our bathroom vanity just because I have lately seen so many cool vanity paint jobs. However, ours is very nice wood that doesn't "need" painting. A recent blogger painted hers a raspberry color and it was fabu! Anyhoo - Yes to painting the room and vanity lighter. Yes, to painting the medicine cabinet to blend in. Yes to new lights and framing the mirror. I really don't think your mirror is too large, but I like Lukki's idea of a smaller mirror and sconces.

I'm seeing a lot of narrow framed mirrors, about 30" high, in Houzz photos. It looks more modern than the builder basic huge mirrors that cover the whole wall.

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I honestly have no problem with the big honking mirrors. I do think they look nice framed though. I like the idea of painting the cabinet the wall color, but I'd keep it the same paint (so also same sheen) as your walls. Just properly prep the cabinet before painting (clean, scuff sanding, priming, painting - follow manuf. directions) You could change the sheen to be different, but since the goal is to blend in I wouldn't. You could do a lot of things with lights. Depends on if you keep the big mirror or switch to two smaller ones. If there's an issue behind I like Raven's idea about the backer of wood. I'd add satin nickel hardware to vanity. Can you take a photo of your flooring?

pinky terracotta mix which probably rules out blue but the creams

Actually blue and or cream would work in there.

I'm still for changing the sheen..it still will blend beautifully.

Of course if it something that wouldn't be dealt with on the daily basis, like, say, AC vent grille, you wouldn't want to change the sheen, even though it's different material, because why.

Cabinet gets to be opened/closed all the time. It's better to paint it with sheen the wood is usually painted with.

Another reason it won't be much different from walls too, because bathrooms are never getting less than eggshell sheen.

BTW I like the first light lukkiirish posted..I don't see the floors but by description-they probably will work well with this iridescent background panel the light is fixed upon..?

The lights will go and I will look for a framed mirror smaller than the one there, but not too small because the vanity is about 68" wide, and the wall space from window frame to adjacent wall is 65". There is only one sink, so I think that means one mirror. I think a nice framed one 48" wide by 36" high might work? BTW the ceiling is 8'9", fairly high.

Here are some pics of the floor :( and vanity. I am not prepared to replace the floor until such time as a major reno might be necessary, but I don't like the style and will just have to downplay and work around it.

Thanks for all the comments so far - very motivating!

Yeah..these tiles are not the easiest to work with

Have similar in my entrance and kitchen right now...luckily more yellow undertone ..and in the kids bath in a new place..luckily more green)). This pink undertone is hard as hell to work around. Why did they do it to us? lol

Don't fight it. It will win.

I agree with the palette suggested above. The feather one. Actually the right blues and the right creams both might work.

That light might work too..but hard to say without seeing it in person.

Yes, one bigger horizontal mirror should work well.

April, I do appreciate your co-misery over the tiles;). May, thanks for the mirror examples. With the great suggestions from everyone, I feel better equipped to press on.

Thank you so much Miniscule and Tina. I just wanted you to see that it doesn't take a huge amount of money to make a positive change. I really wanted to replace the vanity but my DH wasn't on board with it but as you can see, the Behr primer paint did a great job of coverage and with some knobs it looks completely different. The paint is thick and didn't even require a second coat.

I can see why your concerned with the floor color, it does have some pinkish or even peachy hues, but if you're not ready to pull the tile out, then try to embrace it. Even though blues are a good contrast color for orange and brown, I'm having a hard time seeing it work. (Doesn't mean it can't, though) I think if you went with earthy colors you'd have a much easier time of putting it together and the result would be pretty. See below. When I had the swatch of colors and your picture side by side that petal pink is a good match to your floor. The brown is your counter. That petal yellow (or a lighter tone of that shade) would be a nice wall color, similar to the sand above that you liked. I like the green because it's a natural earthy color to go with the browns. I'd also bring it in a touch of red for some contrast. Maybe in some flowers on the counter, or in the window fabrics, art or towels, not a lot but just something to catch your eye. Or you could swap the red for a rustier red so it won't clash with the floor.

OK..I found a post that I read some time last year, with suggestions of what to paint the walls, when you have pinky-beige tile..I confess I had to re read it now twice to grasp...:)

http://www.mariakillam.com/vancouvers-colour-expert-on-decorating-with-beige/

(can't forget the feather palette))

I agree that pulling the color from the tile itself would be the easiest thing to do, and will look intentional. Like you just love, love that color!

(that's what I did in my current master bath. was picking the pink undertones from the vanity though, not from the tile or granite-much easier

and that what I did in the kids bath, new place-busy tile..not pink, just busy and not my cup of tea..first wanted to go with some amazing wallpaper to complement it..then I decided this tile doesn't warrant such grand treatment, with hundreds spent on that amazing wallpaper..I pulled the color from the tile and painted the walls. nothing to write home about, but nothing hurts your eyes or fights as well. )

But if you really dislike it-this pink undertone, and really don't want to see even more of it around..you have options of going with other colors. Even though it's a relatively limited pool of options..it's still a pool of options.

Another -or rather, additional- idea is to find a rug, that will bring together the colors used throughout the bathroom. I know, I know it's a bathroom, but some bath mats/rugs are really cool. and can be machine washed too.

Of course the best thing is to take several paint samples. And try them. On the big pieces of paper. In your bathroom, in your light. So you know which direction you take, even before you actually start with tweaking the room.

Fabrics, art, in short-patterns(including lighting sometimes as well) are usually amazing place to start, but in this case-I'd figure out the paint of the walls first. Then I'd pick all the rest.

I like your big mirror, just not the rounded corners. I would consider taking it to a picture framing shop and getting it framed. Even though the corners are rounded, they could probably be concealed in the frame. The pictures that Mayflower posted all have the mirror about the same length as the vanity, just not as wide. It also depends on whether you are doing sconces beside or lighting above.

Here is news on progress with my bathroom update. So far there is a new mirror, paint, and vanity lighting (thanks to Lukkiirish's recommendation). A coordinating ceiling light is on its way.

Given the colour of the floor tiles, the wall colour was a challenge and I ended up with Behr Light French Gray, literally at the last minute. I had tested several colours and landed on BM Sea Froth, more of a beige gray with a pink undertone, but when it went on the wall it was much darker than on my sample board. So, the painter was painting the bedroom in the gray-blue and I switched to the same for the bathroom. All your comments on colour were very helpful. (BTW the doors reflected in the mirror aren't purple! They are the same as in the bathroom.)

To tie in better with the floor, I will try to find a good-sized area rug. I also need to decide on towel racks for the wall alongside the toilet. I am toying with the idea of a train rack that projects out no more than 10", with a double towel bar under. I guess choice of towels will need to somehow tie in with the rug/floor.

Any ideas on getting to the next stage would be most welcome:)

Here are are some photos.

Looks amazing! Great job!

Looks elegant, that paint! Long live feather palette!

Would you consider hooks for the towels rather than bars? I know I know..it doesn't get dry as quickly..but frankly-unless you have a long bar you'll have the same story going on.

I'd also find a ceramic..mug? jag? in short some vessel..that would combine earthy brown with grayish blue..that's wonderful combo and they use it a lot in ceramics...and I'll use it on the countertop, even as a toothbrush etc. holder..or just so, if you already have one you love.

Look into hand knotted area rug..I did read many times they withstand a lot, but I'm a believer now, after my own flood. Even my DH was impressed..and at first he thought I was nuts, putting a wool rug in the bathroom

. And the color combos are most wonderful. The price was very good too. Surprisingly good. Even for a relatively small rug. I bought mine in ecarpetgallery, after reading many praises here. The shipping is free, returns are free, they constantly run sales and promotions, and the representation of colors-I found it to be very true.

Thanks, Janelle, and for more great ideas April! Now for the search for a hand-knotted area rug - I am quite game about this, and some nice articles for the countertop.

Wow! It looks wonderful. I vote for some colorful towels in a darker version of the walls.

If you don't actually need the storage on the shelf of a train rack, I might just put two nice towel bars in that space. I'm trying to picture how you could hang a rack so that it didn't overwhelm the art, and where it would be placed on the wall to look cohesive with the art and toilet arrangement. Maybe something like this:

Oly, true enough, I don't need the storage that a rack would provide, and many are rather deep for the space. I like the arrangement you show, thanks.

Powermuffin, thanks, a colour like that would be nice on the wall:)