(click to enlarge)First, what color should I paint this bathroom and the tub (the tub is off-white)? I am painting over the blue today with primer. Should I paint the feet white? black?
Also, would you replace the stained glass? It needs to be repaired in a couple of places, so would you repair or replace? (I'm not sure my husband will let me replace it and I liked it when we first moved here but now it seems so dated.)
Last, the mirror is polished chrome (P. Barn tilted oval) and the fixtures don't match. All other metal is brass. What would you do about mirror/light situation?
Thanks for commenting.
31 comments:
I love the stained glass -- what gorgeous character! And it is an old house, after all. It SHOULD be dated in some ways. I also like the contrast of simple decor with the ornate window. Don't get rid of it.
Tub feet should be white. How about a bright green (lightish, with yellow undertones) for the walls? I just painted my bathroom bright green and love it. It is bright and soft at the same time. And it has a lovely subtle glow in sunlight.
My thoughts...
Walls - celadon green that grey green colour
Bath legs black
Mirror - Antique with gilding to match with the fittings. ( You know I love old mirrors)
Then the stain glass windows will blend in.
Otherwise...
Go all white, mirror included and change the glass for clear and add a window treatment, which would make it look more contemporary if that is where you are headed.
Anyway I love your bath and whatever you choose - don't forget to show, xv.
Ok, here's my vision: New light fixtures. Check out Schoolhouse Electric for a large selection of period pieces that still manage to look streamlined. Switch out the mirror, I guess... can't really see it in the picture. Paint the tub white, but keep the brass feet, and I don't mind the brass fixtures at all.
I like the stained glass, and I love wallpaper (gasp) in small bathrooms. Think Miles Redd. Check out Cole and Son or Florence Broadhurst's designs for a pattern that coordinates (not matches) the window.
And just my two cents about bathroom paint colors if you decide to go that route: choose a color that makes skin look good, i.e., not green or yellow. Sorry people who like green bathrooms, it's just my opinion.
Oh, and you already have a fabulous bathroom to work with! If nothing else, as Vicki Archer mentioned, you could just go all white (but you'll have to nix the stained glass).
The mirror is just the oval tilting one from Pottery Barn or Rest. Hardware. It's polished nickel on brass. It was here already with those dainty side lights in brass.
Erin, if I didn't have wallpaper going up the stairs right before the bathroom, I'd think about that. Although that wallpaper may come down sooner than later.
Thanks for the suggestions so far - keep them coming!
right now i am loving my almost black by benjamin moore bathroom. i was inspired by jenna lyons domino spread.
OK, I have a nearly identical bathroom and here's what I'd recommend for you. Paint the walls above the wainscotting Sherwin-Williams' Balanced Beige (7037). Paint the beadboard Sherwin-Williams Virtual Taupe (7039). Then paint the baseboards, window casing, the cap rail, the ceiling and any other trim in Sherwin-Williams Aesthetic White (7035). That neutral palette will let that stained glass jump out of the wall and be the focal point. Then, paint the tub and the tub legs Sherwin-Williams Black Magic (6991). I painted my claw foot tub black (just the outside of it obviously) a couple of years ago and it looks fantastic. Going with a neutral palette like this will allow you a lot of leeway when it comes to the metal finishes in your bath too. Leave the metal stuff as it is for now and swap it out for chrome stuff over time. Your bathroom will end up being a showcase for that window and it will look fantastic for years to come.
Paul and MFaMB: Do you have photos?
When I was doing architectural salvage, we had a client ask us to have the claw feet chromed. Damn, it looked great!!!
I like Paul's suggestions. Sounds very chic.
Keep the stained glass. You'll regret getting rid of it.
My two cents worth...
Walls painted in Ceylon Ivory (P&L) or a light more yellow color chamois or popcorn (depending on how much lighting comes in)(also P&L ) This will highlight the stained glass but not take away. Then the hues will coordinate with the brass accents and English feel. As for the mirror, you could stay with the brass, or inject a pine frame or an ages looking architectural fram to cover the mirror here. (Flea market find) As for the tub feet, I think I would stay with the feet maybe "age" them with a glaze or get a more darker rubbed bronze feel. Add some fluffy white fresh towels & you are in business. Maybe some botanical prints or something that pulls the stained glass colors from the window.
Leslie
lamaisonfou blog
Haha! Leslie - you don't like my dog towel there? I have navy towels in that bath and the only white towels I have are the towels I use to wash the dogs and I stuck one in to see if I like white. Busted.
Well, if no wallpaper (which I am still gunning for), then how about BM Silver Fox? It's a cross between medium gray and taupe, with purplish undertones in some lighting conditions. Kind of like milk chocolate gray; it may be as deep as what you already have. You could go gold/brass or chrome with it.
I say stay away from band aid colors. Again, just my opinion.
You know, I did not even notice the white towel.I would though use a bone white or indian white (P & L ) for the woodwork. I know, my doggie towels are beachtowels! Ugh! Not too pretty I guess.
Leslie
If this isn't your master bath, paint the walls and ceiling (if it has a smooth finish) a glossy black and have all of the metal surfaces brass, including the tub feet.
Keep the stained glass and have it repaired.
Keep the tub white.
And a Hundi lantern for your light fixture.
hello gorgeous! i spotted this room on living etc.. and while it is not a bathroom it is quite lovely. somehow it reminded me of your bathroom..prob just the stained glass. but the neutrals work well as they are bold in pattern.
http://www.livingetc.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=4548
hope the link works...
I like Paul's idea...sounds fresh. Keep the stained glass. It adds character.
http://www.anthropologie.com
check out the Paisley Reef Rug
Thanks for all your suggestions!
If you click on the photos, you can see that the window colors change with the light.
There's turquoise and blues in them and not so much green. The current color was here when we moved here - 3 years ago, Vicki! :-)
Thanks MFaMB - that's really pretty.
Paul, I looked at that flickr: it looks great.
Raina - I had to look up what a Hundi lantern is. I have one in my entryway. I thought it was a belljar or smokebell - you learn something new every day. Thanks! No, it's not the master.
I'm also noticing how many suggestions for black and Jenna Lyons' bath is my all-time fave! And since I already have all-brass that's antique (remember, she aged hers using sea water?), I'll have to keep it rather than chrome.
So many decisions!
i'd say a light earth based pink like shell or rose, nothing harsh! or a creamy white
keep the claws on the tub as they are but definitely not black! unless you want the feet to be the focal point (if they're rusted cast iron and need painting keep it neutral- neither white nor black)
replace the mirror with a white framed one to match the wood trim
And the lighting fixtures could be modernized away from the Victorian motif but nothing too harshly modern as it would fight with the Victorian stained glass window which should be kept (think of the nightmare of the alternative of frosted glass or curtains in a wet shower area)
hope this helps a bit! it's really based on your personality and personal taste but I'd say definitely keep it light!
unless you'd like to put in black lights and day glow paint and a disco ball to replace the light fixture, also pumped in club music would be nice- have some great euro mixes in mind!
We are lovin' charcoal grey on walls right now - it gives a nice european feel with shades of cream and ivory. The tub feet would be fab painted black-- boom! We would get rid of the stain glass - update it with a simplistic, non-fussy window....
Thanks for your visit - we are adding you to our blog roll!
Joy and Janet
I like the stained glass too. It's hard to choose a colour for your bathroom without knowing what other colours are in your home. That's the first place I would look.
Off the top of my head I would say paint the bathtub black and the walls CC-490 Smoky Taupe. The do some black and white framed art on the left!
Or actually probably better would be to pick a colour that relates to the stained glass, perhaps a butter colour like straw 2154-50. Then paint the tub an eggplant shade.
Whatever you choose, keep going on the ceiling, it will look more finished.
oh this is fun!
windows: I say keep the stained glass but you can always minimize it with a white roman shade like these:
http://www.dominomag.com/howtos/advice/2006/04/ask_dara_window_treatments
or even just a regular roller shade pulled half down.
with the tubfeet i would go white, the windows already are a focal point.
paint: consider pinks? I love a light pink bathroom - very flattering.
and I love the whole circus tent stripes painted on the wall and tapering to a point on the ceiling. like this :http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cFCzvypsY7c/SJqUmsWc1sI/AAAAAAAAAgY/LTx78_coHJ4/s400/032508_domino.jpg
or this:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAh4Xl94vrU/SLqfBwfLS9I/AAAAAAAAE0g/ch-lOoMYVMk/s400/9-klotz-bathroom.jpg
i think it would make the space look quite dramatic.
oh and I would switch the mirror to a brass version - brass specially a slightly rubbed/aged finish is so posh, and feels fresh.
Love your bathroom! if you really want to change something paint the walls in a diffrent color I mean your bathroom looks great as it is and so what if somethings don't match. Perfect homes are boring!
I love the stained glass. And I would paint it a lighter shade - either a nice butter yellow that matches one of the colors in the stained glass.
All right, I'll say it: I hate the stained glass. It's cloying.
I'd take it out and wrap it up carefully for the next owner, then replace it with a plain piece of glass.
Please don't get rid of the stained glass window. It is beautiful! What about a soft grey color for the walls or just white? I love a plain white bathroom and it would make the stained glass window stand out even more.
Anon - Tell me how you really feel. :-)
The lack of consensus here cracks me up. I love reading your opinions, though. But I'm sort of still at square one. The only thing several of you agree on is black. Hmmmmmm. I'll be interested to know what I do. Ha.
not sure if my comment went through, but I just looked again - and if this was my bathroom - I would paint the walls white, regardless of if you keep the stained glass or not (myself I would removed them - but that is so personal!!!) I would do it all white and put a beautiful antique gold mirror. White towels, white rug, white white white with the brass and gold - !!!!!
I have no design expertise and painted a bathroom yellow (erin is right, it makes peeps look fugly) but must say I Love your tub!
I am totally voting with the *moggit girls! That would be stunning.
nope! i said go with white. that's what i thought i said. well, i think that would look good too! but the black looks fabulous.
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