The Powder Room Upgrade is Done!

Our powder room is done and we're so thrilled! Mostly, I'm so happy with the new vanity because I loathed our builder-grade crappy one with no storage and a $5 plastic ball faucet. BLAH. This Kohler upgrade in dove grey was a FIND on the Home Depot website and is beyond gorgeous and perfect.

We're in the second month of our quarantine, and it's projects like these that are really keeping my spirits up and my hands and mind busy.


As with all DIY home projects, we learned A LOT:
  • First on the list, we learned how to install shiplap! And it's pretty simple, as long as you have a level and a nail gun. And the results are eye-popping. Crisp and classic. 
  • I ran into a little issue with paint, so I ended up doing three coats of this "dragonfly" by Benjamin Moore color, but the moody teal was worth it. All the white POPS!
  • We learned to calk BEFORE paint. After paint, it just looked messy, like this. I came by with a small paintbrush and touched up this entire edge. 
  • I also learned how much I didn't like black frames against this deep color. I had planned to rehang this picture from Hawaii that was in there before the project, and it looked terrible. White frames are the way to go on such a dark paint color. 

  • And last, the right mirror is worth waiting for. I found this mirror on the Target.com website for $50. I did some comparison shopping and thinking it over for a day and when I came back to buy it, it was OUT OF STOCK. I set a "email me when it's back in stock" reminder and did some more shopping. Nothing looked like it would work so well .... and costs were way over $200. Gah. Luckily, it was back in stock in less than 2 days (hooray!) and arrived on Saturday so I could hang it as a finishing touch.


Truth be told, I have ONE LAST ITEM on my punchlist: hanging the towel bar. I can't decide if I want to rehang the old one, right under the small shelf (and the towels will cover the top shiplap). Or consider another solution -- towel ring? hook? something I'm not even considering?

In the meantime, this often used bathroom is blowing us away. And if we ever get to have guests again, I'm sure they'll be impressed too!

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