a little home project - UPDATED

So...we've lived in our house almost 4 years. In that time, we've SLOWLY done cosmetic things to the house. When we first moved in, we barely had time to maintain it and the yard (we came from a condo). I was teaching full time, going to school at night, mommy to a 2 year old, and Hubby was busy too. Then, when I quit work to stay home, I had another baby...WAH WAH! Excuses! In any case, we have an old house, but we've never done much to it than cosmetic changes - paint, elbow grease, sewing, updating. We haven't really made the budget bigger yet, and we're not sure what we want to do and if we're ready for it. I would LOVE to do more work in the kitchen....but one day!

So, in the last 4 years, we've managed to tackle each room in some way. Both Hubby (especially Hubby!) and I, and friends and family joining in! The only room left untouched was the infamous BLUE BATHROOM. It is our upstairs guest bathroom.

The Blue Bathroom is caught in a time warp. It has the original 3 shades of tile from floor to ceiling that was so beloved of the 60s - in blue. Hubby and I were grateful it was not 60s pink or or yellow!! In a way, the blue endeared itself to us. We kinda liked its retro feel....but it was so much....especially with the flowery wall paper. Words are NOT needed. Just see below:


Doesn't it just leave you feeling......speechless? The flowers, the glowing fake marble light fixture (see next pic), the 3 shades of blue... ...... ........

uuhhh huhhh.

(you can see in above and below pics, the wall paper is coming down!)

Lovely loves it because it is the color of the ocean....so it has the imagination factor going for it! She loved her Ducky towel in the blues and flowers :)

So, we're not ready budget wise to gut it...so what can we do? Attempt to tie it all in with paint, color, fixtures, pictures, etc! (EDITED to ADD that I think I'm going to switch out the striped big towel, trashcan, and soap dispenser for solid colors, just to avoid TOO many stripes. I had to live with it some to decide. I like the small striped hand towel)



Too many stripes? Hmmm.

(sorry, when taking pics of the lights, the pics got really dark)

UPDATED! Here is a new pic of some of the changes I made to more solid accents....such as knobs, trashcan, dispenser, towels, etc.



We're close friends with major DIYer's, so we're always feeling the pressure to do something lol. Maybe one day we can get to their status! Until then, we will dream in our heads LOL! We move so slow. I can't believe we lived 4 years with that wall paper LOL!

So...tips, viewpoints...what can we do more or less of for now?

I think we'll get some new ceiling fans next in a few rooms budget wise. Fans can make a huge change, even to the eye...especially when most of our fans are from the 80s! It never ends does it? Then, maybe more to the kitchen? lol.....and then the couch.....

hehe!

Many thanks to Hubby for all his work painting, caulking, scraping, dry walling, drilling, attaching, etc. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!