Inexpensive Bathroom Facelift!

When I first walked into our spare bathroom I felt like I was experiencing vertigo! The crazy tone on tone stripes and emblems on the wall were a bit much. But like other projects I had to sit in the floor and stare at it to think out my plan of action, budget in mind.


To start with I looked at the decorating things I had from our apartment prior, as well as the towels etc. And thought that with what I had it would have a slight safari theme. So we chose a camel wall color. But by far the BIGGEST impact was painting the cabinets an off white. I would recommend choosing a semi-gloss because it stands up to wiping and cleaning much more. Now normally I would just spray the hardware, but the style that was in the bathroom was hideous, so we went out and bought a pack of hardware for around $18.00 at the local big box hardware store. And there was enough that I had a few pulls left over. What you can't see in the before picture is that the mirrors were big and boxy, I wanted to break that up, and lucky me, my birthday was coming up :^). So my mom lovingly went to TJ maxx and scored these awesome round mirrors for around $25 a piece!

Now when I went back to that big box store to purchase a towel rack I was shocked! They are ridiculously priced! (Well unless you want brass) So, I bought brass! I took the spray paint left over from my chandelier make over (it was the perfect color) and sprayed it, here you can see the toilet paper holder before it was sprayed and what a difference it makes.
And for the shower curtain, I picked up one of the keep the water in not out curtains that every shower needs on clearance at WalMart, and then for that extra punch I hung a tension rod (which are only a couple of bucks) almost at ceiling height, and hung the drapes we use to have in the apartment, which ironically is the same color as the accent tile in the bathroom!

And there it is! Paint is what made the biggest difference in here! And remember if you have a small budget just add accessories as you go, that's the best way to do it! (The toilet decor ;^) is a decoration my mom and I made for my wedding! Never would have thought it would wind up in the bathroom!)

Scrapbooking Storage!

In the midst of re-doing our scrap booking/office/playroom I was having trouble actually organizing my scrap booking stuff! Well let me re-phrase that, I was having trouble organizing it in-expensively! I needed a space to keep my tools that I use often, in sight, but not in the way.

So back when I worked at a Portrait Studio we were sitting in the tech room chatting and putting picture CD's away, these came in big cylindrical CD cases that we just threw away! And that's when I came up with my scrap booking storage idea!

Under the shelves The CD cases are upside down and attached with small finishing nails, screws would work great as well! I had started by attaching them with glue but they fell off. And on top of the shelves I have kept the rod in that holds the CD's and used it for ribbons.I am not working on cutting slits into the sides of the ribbon storage cases so that you don't even have to open them.

This has by far been the best and CHEAPEST storage solution I have found!!!