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lindsay_queiros

guest bathroom refresh input needed

Lindsay Q
5 years ago
Hi everyone-

We want to do a little spruce up of our guest bathroom. I am thinking about spray painting the vanity hardware matte black along with the towel racks, we will put in a new white toilet and some new flooring (thinking light gray rustic wood looking- see pic). I would like to replace the mirror. The vanity measures 61inches wide. About how big do you think the new mirror should be? Additionally, i would like to repurpose the existing light fixture. From what I can tell, I can take off the weird flowery looking parts and was going to spray paint this as well and add some new Edison light bulbs. Will it look weird if the mirror is shorter than the light fixture? Any mirror suggestions? Was thinking something light rustic wood to break up gray and black. Thoughts?

Ps we haven’t decided what to do with the shower. No one uses it and I wouldn’t have a guest use it. We are either going to take off doors and put up curtain to hide ugly tan tiling or have someone come in to paint the tile and tub white. Any input on that is welcome as well!

Comments (11)

  • aprilneverends
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    with that type of light-yes, i'd be weird to have it longer than a mirror

    (btw I strangely like your flowers..even though I'm not a fan of Hollywood lights)

    Edison bulbs might give out lighing that's a bit harsh for what you'd like in the bathroom..check on that

    any reason to change the flooring besides you're not liking the color for example, or..?

    'cause in terms of a color, what you have now is more versatile. can accomodate more changes and styles etc.

    if you get rid of the toilet-put it on Craigslist..folks looking for vintage colors like yours:) you'll get some money, they'll get the color they like:)

    one can paint tile and tub; but tile, is not recommended to paint-it won't be a long lasting job at all. I've been through this decision, and asking around..and something tells me my tile is more offensive than yours.

    tubs can be painted much more successfully but it can mean babying them a bit aferwards..no abrasive products, using just fibercloth etc

    again, if your tub is the same color as the toilet and you just can't stand it-you can try and sell it. Retro is very popular with some. You can decide to work around yours. Unless it bugs you to no end.

    Can you show us the shower/tub?

  • Lindsay Q
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    i'm not a huge fan of the floor color, it has that peachy/tan color that is in the toilet and shower/tile and i feel like it looks very dated.


    i'm worried once we put in a white toilet its going to make the floors look even more dated. thanks for tip about selling toilet, who knew!


    by all means, the bathroom is not horrible at all. the other bathrooms in the house are updated and we know we won't be able to fix this one up how we like for a few years so was trying to do some low cost updates.

  • aprilneverends
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    it's dated in terms that one can quess when it was put in(in this sense most things are dated or will be); but it's highly desirable for many right now who appreciate retro. there is even a site called Retro Renovation I think..where one can hunt plumbing in color etc

    together with that I realize that if one's not a fan of a color-one can either get used to it and work around it, or will continue to actively dislike it, and not much to be done about that

    yes, putting in a white toilet will accentuate the color you seem not to be a fan of...not a whole lot, a bit. Probably because we're so used to toilet bowls being white, it won't make that much of a difference.

    putting in gray floors would be, one the other hand, very wrong next to that tub and tile, they'll clash, unless you rip them out

    then it's a whole different scope of work

    so I'd do something else..seeing how you prefer gray and all

    see your basket you chose yourself? it's a perfect example..it has tan, and it has gray, and they work together very well, they don't fight, they complement each other

    what one often can't achieve with switching out more "permanent" materials like flooring, next to other elements, one can achive with accessories, to tie things he likes more with things he likes less

    say you find a shower curtain that contains both tan and gray (and say, white or off white). If it's substantial enough it'll look very pretty. Can be no-fuss, or can be frilly, or whimsy..that'd depend on your style. Yet the colors will look good.

    Or. Say you change the toilet bowl, you paint the tub. You leave the tile as is..seems very light color to me. (yes..it's not offensive at all. I wish I had yours)))

    You put a different floor because yours bugs you. okay, just don't do that gray. Find another neutral. This one will lock you in. If you want driftwood color-which is indeed usually warmish gray-ish kinda wood-it's still much warmer in nature than this gray. And you want it to be like wood. But this doesn't look like wood. It's already more dated than your retro elements. If of course what I see on my monitor is what the flooring is irl. Make it softer, with more beige to it.

  • Lindsay Q
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    do you have an example of the flooring you would choose? i'm not stuck on gray. just want something that compliments existing vanity. we're ideally looking for something easy to install over the existing linoleum if possible. we aren't sure the condition of the subfloor underneath.


    i like this "look"


  • aprilneverends
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    so you essentially like stone, for the flooring..or the look of it

    which is more what you have right now, it is just trying to be a different stone

    I'll be honest-I need to think:)

    alternatively it can be linoleum that doesn't mimic other materials and is just a color.

    or it can be something that looks like Terazzo..

    I hope you'll get other ideas while I'm thinking..can take a while:)

    PS I must say that in terms of your current flooring next to your vanity, it looks ok to me..and I'm usually sensitive to such stuff. either because it's really ok; or my monitor makes it softer somehow; or your accessories tie it together nicely so far , like a basket and a rug.

  • Lindsay Q
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    sorry, i didn't mean i like that flooring in the picture necessarily, just the overall "rustic" kind of vibe of the vanity/mirror/lights. i'm going to do some research now :)

  • Nick Miller
    5 years ago

    I would not spray paint the sink faucet, towel bar, etc. New oil-rubbed bronze fixtures in an updated style can be had for not a lot of money if you shop around. If you have to have matte black, that might be tricker, but I really don't think spray-painting chrome, especially the sink faucet, will look good.


    If you wanted to salvage the mirror you could frame it out in wood like in your inspiration pic. Maybe not that thick of a frame. But with the existing light I think the existing mirror is about the right size (equal with the vanity). If you wanted to do a smaller mirror, either rectangle or circular, I would change the overhead light fixture to two sconces on either side of the mirror at face height.


    Like someone else mentioned, edison bulbs might be a bit harsh with the current fixture and it's position. If you have ceiling lights to fill in then maybe not as bad but if that fixture is your only light source it could end up looking like this:





    Ideally you want "fill" lighting (usually in the form of recessed cans in the ceiling) to light the overall space, and then "task" lighting at the mirror in the form of sconces at face level that give off diffuse light so your face doesn't have harsh shadows cast on it. I understand of course if you don't want to change the electrical at all, but just giving food for thought.


    Changing the toilet to white is an easy grab.


    Not sure what to say about the shower. You could try to paint it white, but like painting the faucet and towel bar, it's a less-than-ideal solution and is not going to look as good as if the tub and tiles were actually white to begin with. Would turn into a bigger remodel but you could replace the tub/shower combo with just a smaller shower only and fill the extra space with a linen closet or open storage shelving area, small bench, etc.

  • K R
    5 years ago
    I would not paint the fixtures. They’re fine as is. I would frame the mirror instead of ripping it off the wall (if you’re keeping the light fixture). If you are, change the lightbulbs to frosted bulbs.
  • User
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Your bathroom is nice...I wouldn't change out the toilet. To me, a white toilet in a sea of biscuit(?) looks like a mistake was made somehow.

    I know you like what's trendy and don't like what's "dated", but I would rethink the whole gray idea here. You're fighting a big look and I doubt it will end satisfactorily.

    Try some new paint...blue looks lovely with beige-s...as does green. And possibly navy (although I don't know the exact color of your tile...but it's a good option, I think)

  • nicolediane
    5 years ago

    I like the current silver color of your hardware and towel rack. I would buy a new silver toilet paper holder. New shower curtain. The tile looks fine so I would just buy a larger rug if you really don't like the tile. I would also keep the mirror and frame it and replace the light with a new silver light.