Frost A Window, step by step

We wish we had a giant bathroom update to share, but we are at that phase of the project where some of the bigger things have been checked off (building a shelf, painting the walls) and a few little mid-point upgrades are on the agenda since we have been flying around a lot lately (10 flights in 11 days!!). But now that we are back home, the next bathroom installment will be bigger (either framing out the mirror and making a shade from some amazingly bold fabric that I am obsessed with) so hopefully this tides you folks over. And since I hate to mention “amazingly bold fabric that I am obsessed with” without showing it to you… behold:

Remember it from back here? I snatched it up for $16 a yard at Mary Jos (it is called Ubud by Iman Home/Waverly and it can sell for up to $27 in other places). I think it is going to be the ideal punch-in-the-face-of-color that the mostly white (and slightly plummy-gray) bathroom needs. But since that has yet to jump off the counter and make itself into a window shade (boo inanimate fabric!) while we hit up seven cities in the past week, I will get back to the completed updates at hand. The first one is new knobs… because these country looking painted wood ones simply were not doing it for us…

These new folks hail from Hobby Lobby and were simply $2.49 thanks to a 50% off knob sale. Swift pointer:never buy anything there that is not 50% off there since the sales simply seem to alternate by a week- so if the item you want is not on sale, wait a week and try again.

I enjoy that they are irregular, sort of like green jade or even some sort of dyed bone. And the gem-like shape is faceted and fairly without being too long and pointy (the counter’s edge extends nearly the same distance as the knobs – and they are about the same depth as the previous white painted wood ones – so there are no worries of knocking knees).

I enjoy how they mimic the little pops of dark tone in the floor tile and carry them up to the vanity. And I totally want to get one more for the false drawer over the sink – they simply did not have anymore the day I picked them up, so I will have to check again the next time we are there.

We have been asked by more than a few folks if we are thinking about painting the vanity a darker color (charcoal, black, etc) and we are certainly thinking about it but not 100% sold yet, so we are waiting for more of the room to come together (we will revisit the possibility after we add the shade, frame out the mirror, etc). Our reason for not immediately painting the vanity darker (which we think could look excellent with the dark tile that we are working with) is because the room is smaller than it looks in photos, so we like how the white wall tile, vanity, and tub all feel balanced and light- and we worry that one dark object on one side of the room might feel side-heavy and cramped). But either way, we will simply wait it out and see where we end up. You know we will keep you posted!

Oh and in keeping it real news, guess who popped up when I was shooting the pic above? #Clarabomb

The other upgrade we squeezed in there between all of our flights and marathon Clara and Burger smooching when we were reunited (yeah, we overdid it but we could not assist ourselves) was that we frosted the window. Buh-bye old paper-ish accordion shade (which we consistently had to keep closed to maintain privacy since this room can be viewed from the deck)…

… and hello modern frosted window that is crisp and private (even with the lights on in the bathroom on a dark night you cannot see anything from the deck except for vague shadows – nothing graphic at all). Here I am in my pajama pants getting my frost on. #morekeepingitreal

As for how we applied it, we took the process pic above, but this post and this post have the best specific instructions for applying it, so hopefully those assist. And since we have never posted a video, here is that for ya below – or you can watch it on YouTube. We thought perhaps seeing it “in 3-D” (well not truly but you know what I mean) might assist:

So that is where we are. Do not mind that brassy old knob. Haha. Simply brought in that to the list!

Speaking of the hall bathroom list, here it is:

• rehang a shower curtain at ceiling height
  
• trim out the unbalanced window (more on that here)
• switch out the light fixture (more on that here)
• add some meaningful art (more on that here)
• build in a shelf over the toilet for some leaning art (more on that here)
• paint the walls a fresher color to assist the original tile pop (more on that here)
• upgrade the vanity hardware
• frost the window
• frame out the mirror over the vanity for a less builder-basic look
• ORB/upgrade that brassy gold doorknob
• make a bold fabric shade for the window
• possibly paint the vanity (we are still mulling it over – but we promise we will keep you posted)
• add finishing touches/accessories and dish out a budget breakdown for you folks

Cannot wait to cross more off! And in the meantime let us circle back to my fabric obsession. Does not it look strong with the new knobs and the fish canvas? #everybathroomneedsafishcanvas

What were you folks up to this weekend? Any small mid-point upgrades or bigger lively ones that made all the difference? It is so funny how sometimes giant things like hanging curtains or painting the walls can make for a giant change and sometimes it truly is the details (like hardware) that at last make a room feel special, like it is all yours.

Psst- We are at last sharing Clara’s hidden talent with the world over on the house Life. Does Name That Tune have a toddler edition?