RENTAL RESTYLE: Small Bath Space Decor + Awkward Window Challenge

So you're renting, and the bathrooms aren't quite the same size as what you use to have? Lack of storage space? Lack of wall space? Just lack of space - period? Here's a few small changes I made to one of our now small bathrooms. We had 2 1/2 bathrooms before, offering both space + storage. Now we've gone to two, probably the size of our master bathroom before. But we still made the best of it with style + storage and for only the expense of a new set of bath towels - found on clearance for only $6.49...

How it was done:

 Used left over paint from another room in the house.

(This helps with consistency + flow of colors in the home.)

 Hid an awkward window with a picture (I already had - picked up at HomeGoods back in FL)  Adds style + privacy.

 Added cabinet door knobs - re-used - saved from drawer pull switch in Florida kitchen transformation (no handles on doors before)

 Added 2 floating shelves for storage + simple decor (from Target)

 Used a pair of 84" white window panels as shower curtain to add height to the small space. (had gotten at HomeGoods in FL - previously used in yoga room there)

 Picked up a fresh white set of towels w/grey stripe banding (on clearance

for only $6.49 at Ross) to display on towel bar. Folded extra set of white towels from HomeGoods) for shelves.

 Mixed in collected treasures from FL (the starfish + shell) plus

personal photos of Florida beaches I framed.

 Green sea grass brings a touch of life to the small space + relates to the coastal feel

(vs. using flowers) Smokey grey glass vase from HomeGoods FL.

Space before:

Tested picture sizes + content.

Saving the Ikea ocean prints for silver frames in the guest room.

Space after:

 Post update: 

Shared on HomeGoods collaboration Pinterest board - Happy By Design.

 

ReUsed one of the two white & silver soap pumps from our FL master bathroom here for the guest bathroom. Smokey grey glass vase & soap-pump from HomeGoods FL.

Previously, I'd use these coastal pics + decor only during the summer while we were living in Florida... But since our move to Arizona, using these items in our rental home helps bring a sense of connection to places we've been to.  And what better place to feel connected than the bathroom? lol Just kidding, but my point is that every room, no matter the size, is now an expression of us in our new home.

FL Townhome - Guest Bath

FL Townhome 1/2 Bath

FL Townhome Master Bath



Since our guest bath now is on the first floor, adjacent to the guest room, I used the medicine cabinet for storage of all the hotel samples we've collected and great for guest use. I've condensed almost 1/2 of the sheets and towels we had by donating them to Goodwill. Since I don't have the cabinet space I had before for the sheets and towels, I have them in a small linen closet just outside the bedroom.

From the second bathroom:

An eteger can help give storage space in a small bathroom.

Also from the second bathroom: Hooks replaced a standard towel bar.

Repainting an outdoor metal table (from HomeGoods) gives a space for a bowl to hold hair ties or rings.

From the first floor bathroom:

Building a small space with a neutral base allows for eeasy updates later: for example punch it up with red at holiday, or orange for fall.

Simple framed photos helped personalize the space.

Above photo I shot in St. Augustine back in about 2004.



Something else we had before in Florida were towel bars: in the showers, at the tub and in the water closet. Not having all that hanging space created a need for more folding space. Adding floating shelves helped give additional folding space in the guest bath. In our now (small) master bath, I used an eteger to help with storage space, plus we switched a standard towel bar for hooks. This makes everyday towels easy to get to, quicker to dry by hanging, and makes a functional display in a small space.

Rental ReStyle Recap:

1. Paint walls with an existing neutral color (grey)  2. Cover an awkward window with a picture 3. Floating shelves add storage + display 4. Window panels as shower curtains add height 5. Personal photos shot + framed 6. Details: greens - even faux - give life to a space + scented candle keep space smelling fresh. 7. Add door knobs to cabinet (these I had kept from when I switched the FL kitchen drawer knobs to cup pulls).

Before

After



A small space transformation like this can be done in a day. It's simple enough for a rental, or even a home staging if you need to sell. If you're looking for a simple weekend project for your home, this would be a great project to do, plus maybe add stencil or stripes to the walls for extra wow.

Thanks for stopping by!

LINKING POST TO:

DIY Showoff - Project Parade

Under the Table Dreaming - Sunday Showcase

Between Naps On The Porch - Metamorphosis Monday

Home Stories A to Z: Tutorials + Tips

Thrifty Decor Chic - April Before & After Party

6 Tips, Tricks & Transformations for Renters Decor

It's hard to believe, but six months ago, we found out we would be moving out of the state of Florida across the country to Arizona. Within that time, we managed to prep our townhome to sell, search for a new place to dwell, plan + replan + adapt a plan to our new place, pick paint colors, update lighting fixtures, utilize thrift for refreshed decor in our new place, and create fresh arrangements with existing pieces used in new ways. Since so many people have shifted from home owners to renters, I thought I'd group together the posts I've shared with our rental experiences. I don't believe that just because we're renting, we should be living out of packed & stored boxes in the garage. I still wanted to create a comfortable home environment for us. With a little effort, it is possible. Here's a recap with link backs to the previous posts of transforming our rental space into our new home. Hopefully these tips can be helpful & inspiring to you if you too are a renter... or about to become one.



Planning A New Place To Dwell

Photos + Measurements = Multiple furniture plans

(and after actually being "in" the space, even those plans changed - so be adaptable)

Home Decor Tips For Renters

(Yes - you CAN paint: you don't have to live in boring white walls. All you have to do is ask + other ideas to transform your rental house to your home)

Moving or Renting - Interior Painting Tips

(good read for anyone looking to refresh their space with paint)

Transform A Rental House to Home: About Lighting

(switch a track + cans for spots + pendants, switch a builder chandy for an updated drum, save the ceiling fan - just switch the light kit)

New Place - New Mix

(dealing with the challenge of  imagining new walls with existing pictures)

Transform a Rental House To Home: Using Thrift Window Panels

(Not enough existing window panels in the length you need? Try thrift!)

The posts above are a collection of previous posts... Below are a few I'm working to post shortly. I don't know about you, but it's actually taking longer to edit pics for posts because of wanting to ensure the add of picture identification or watermarks due to Pinterest - but grateful for the pins!!

Coming Soon:

Coming up:

Renting: Restyling a New Office With Thrift

Coming up:

Old Thrift - New Look: A Skirted Buffet

 

Coming up:

Renting: A New Closet Needs New Arrangement

Coming Up:

Just added:

Renting: Small Bath + Awkward Window Challenge

Are you a renter or a home owner?

What are some decor tips you've learned while renting?

Thanks for stopping by!



MARCH MOODBOARD MADNESS!

Although many posts have been created on the Internet lately about Pinterest, another up and coming site gaining popularity is Olioboard. Whether you're a homeowner looking to pull together a look for your new home, a mom trying to update your homes look on a budget, or even a designer pulling together a 2D or 3D concept board for your client, Olioboard is quickly gaining notoriety as the "go to site" to create an online vision board. Since I joined Olioboard in the beginning, I've had the opportunity to learn the tools offered on the site, and participated in and won a few challenges along the way. Just as my home and fashion style has changed, so to have my board presentations. Lately, I've been more focused on utilizing the site to create 3D concept boards.  For Mondays during the month of March, I'd like to share with you not only my boards I've done, but I'd like to also tips & tricks I've learned, along with feature some wonderful boards created by the Olioboard community. It's been fun to see even some friends of mine also join the site, and seeing how they too have evolved their style along the way.

My latest boards, merging fashion + decor in 3D...

 

MY MAXI ZINC RESORT

I married a Spanish style interior mixed with global textiles + Zinc Door accessories and inspired by the gorgeous maxi dresses of Rachel Zoe: Maxi Zinc Resort

 

MY FASHION FUNCTION

One of the things I like about Olioboard, besides the text tools + privacy settings, you can also duplicate an existing board, make a few changes and play with a new look. After I first created the board above, I had added only text. Duplicating the board allowed me to try a different look, adding in the room coordinating outfit for Fashion + Decor: Fashion Function.



My first board, layering finishes + accessories in 2D

 

This 2D style board is great for homeowners to get a glimpse of color + texture pairings. It's a great quick way to start organizing the style process. Another means of planning out a color story for a home is creating a board with a colorline...

Color Stories: Trends + Moods

created by Olioboard user: urbandecorsure

 

This colorline board could be used to help plan seasonal color changes in a home, or plan color pairing for two or three rooms. it can become a home style vision board or be a guide of what to shop for in the future.

 

MY MIAMI LUXE

Inspired by the crisp white modern architecture you'd see in Miami, I created a luxe outdoor living space for lounging. More crisp white of the furnishings - a canopy bed + lounge chairs and drum styled accent tables pop with vibrant textiles from Zinc Door and Trina Turk. Repeating minimal elements represent order and the diversified MIAMI LUXE style..

 

 

Creating the 3D boards takes a little more time because of scale and angles to consider. If you're short on time and would like a board created for your home, product line or store - I can help. Contact me at nyclqd@yahoo.com

 

Click button to follow me on Olioboard.

If you'd like to see video or read some of the latest buzz about Olioboard, you can click any of the links below:

 

10 Hot Web Startups Changing the Face of Retail

on Mashables

Olioboard Room Reveal

on Nate Berkus Show

How To Decorate With the Power of the Web

on the Today Show

And stop by Olioboard to vote in several of the exciting & creative challenges they have going on this week... One of which is a great Spring Challenge sponsored by Zinc Decor. here's a peek at four current challenges, which will be ending on March 13...

Describe your Style Design Challenge
above board created by user: redadie

Mid Century Modern Design Challenge
above board by user zemandesigns

Character Bedroom Design Challenge 

As asked by her daughter, the above board created by user: selmahammerdesigns

Fashion and Decor Design Challenge

my entry - vote here! THANKS!!

 

Happy Moodboarding Monday!

Thanks for stopping by!

 



A Pop-Up Thrift Shop At Dwell With Dignity

A recent trend happening in retail is the pop-up store concept. Although the concept + term were actually launched back in 2004 (according to Trendwatch.com) it is rapidly growing as a means of creating buzz around a brand. It quickly creates hype around a brand with its strong use of integrating social media because people will tweet before, during and after the even. They will even check-in and share pics on their new FB Timeline. And if you have a limited assortment of goods to promote, you can showcase those goods in a tasteful gallery like setting, complete with refreshments, music and engaging people representing the brand itself. Which is why I believe the concept of a Bi-Annual Pop-Up Thrift Shop from Dwell With Dignity is brilliant! It's not all about the thrill of the thrift. For DWD, it's about consistently creating their brand awareness.

I first learned about Dwell With Dignity last summer when they appeared on the Nate Berkus Show in August. I loved what they stood for: "Dwell With Dignity is a non-profit group of Interior Designers and volunteers dedicated to creating soothing, inspiring homes for families struggling with homelessness and poverty. We provide and install home interiors for families that include furnishings and art, bedding and kitchen supplies, and food in the pantry." Unlike Habitat For Humanity, which is also another great organization focused on helping to provide a structure + community for people in need to live in,  HFH focuses primarily on just that: the outside. Dwell With Dignity Takes it inside and helps turn that house into a home.

At Dwell With Dignity, they understand the thrift-trend and combined it with the retail trend of the Pop-up thrift shop called Thrift Studio. "Thrift Studio is a bi-annual 30 day pop up shop created to provide financial viability and fundraising for Dwell with Dignity through selling the overstock of donated, gently used furniture, housewares, accessories and high end designer finds to the public." How brilliant is that??

This limited time only thrift shop concept will be open Monday - Saturday during April 13th – May 12th from 10AM – 5:30PM. It's located in the Dallas Design Center at 1250 Slocum Drive, Suite 550. Mark your calender's for this unique experience to help a design organization that is giving back and helping so many - and also helping to keep the American dream alive that we may all Dwell With Dignity.


For more information about Dwell With Dignity visit their website at DwellWithDignity.org, where you can also become a member of their community with your donation. You can also join them on their FB page, or even follow some of their project boards by Kim Turner on Pinterest. 

Thanks for stopping by!