Picture blogging on a Sunday afternoon: El Bathroom-o is Finito just like That-o

That's my best Spanish Italian something-or-other combo, just for you.

I spent the last two days in the bathroom.  Painting, that is.

Over the last two days I learned two very, very important lessons:

1. Do not ever, ever buy patterned vine-y wallpaper that has to be matched up to the previous piece while not holding on to the six foot ladder you're standing near the top of.
2. Never wallpaper a bathroom with a man who ate spicy chicken tacos with a side of refried beans for dinner the night before, followed by the leftovers for lunch the next day.

The most difficult parts of this project did not have as much to do with the physical project itself, but more with the kids.  It's really hard to leave Jack.  Leave, as in, disconnect my skin from his, even when he can see me, speak to me and touch the hem of my painty shirt as I pass through.  Results, at all times, look like this:

The other disaster was where I had to remind KJ fourteen times that what Mommy says when the son-of-a-bitching vines in the wallpaper don't match up or when we had to spend another $22 on a third roll of paper for the last two strips, are not to be repeated in Lutheran Preschool.

That's me before I began, feeling all inspired.  I even went to the gym like a fool before I started painting. 

You get no after picture of me.  Because two days later, I am really crabby, and I've miraculously come down with a sinus infection five minutes before I need to play dress up for my girlfriend's wedding tonight.  I'll be a fine mucousy mess in a little black dress.  Lovely.

Back to the bathroom.

It's not that the "before" was so bad, because we did the bulk of the remodeling in years past.  When we purchased the house in 2000, the bathroom boasted green and white countertops with silver seventies sparklies, cabinet doors that fell in when opened because the masking tape holding them on just wasn't cutting it, and a gigantic vanity mirror with oddly placed ultra-wrong lighting on either side of it.  Also, the toilet was falling through the floor.

We replaced all that.

This time around, I figured that since it's the only bathroom in the house it just needed a little tweaking.  Here's the before:

Here's the after, with completely matched up vines so help me God:

The vines climb upward, making the 10-foot ceilings look even higher, and opening the room up a bit more. 

Normally I would not have opted for wallpaper, since I'm not much of a paper-y kinda gal, but our upper walls are actually just paneling (brought to you by the previous owner, builder of The Most Repulsive Built-In Dresser Ever), with really ugly seams. 

For some reason, the above picture screams CRIME SCENE!! to me, but it could be just me.

Also, there were seams that had been mudded over, though not well:

The wallpaper distracts the eye from the badness, therefore prompting groups of potential buyers to conduct a bidding war with clawing and scratching and throwing large wads of cash in my direction. 

Here's the other side of the room, before:

And after:

Sink-side:

Never you mind my crabby, crabby snotty self in the mirror.

And last but not least, that which keeps each and every room of my made-over house out of House Beautiful Magazine:

Well, that, as well as a lack of about 3000 square feet.

Comments

[Sant]

It's just levely, Low! I thought this would be a long project, but clearly you can knock them out in no time flat (being that you're a seasoned pro at this point-- not to mention you co-host Designed-To-Sell with Clive Davis in your sleep, I'm pretty sure) Anyway- great job as always. You're gonna find yourself closing over your asking price because there's gonna be so many people fighting to get their hands on this place:)

[Frema]

The bathroom looks awesome! I'm usually not a fan of wallpaper, either, but I love the pattern you chose here, and I can't get enough of that fantastic shade of green.

Keep on keepin' on, sista friend!

[Rachel]

Ok, if your house was here and, well, larger, I would definitely buy it!

You have done such a great job! I am not a fan of wallpaper either, but it really does look great.

P.S. At least your bath toys are in a basket, uh, mine are just kinda tossed in the corner. Well, when they make it out of the bathtub.

[SJ]

I love it! I absolutely love what you've done with the bathroom. Seriously, when you coming over to my house to lend a hand!?

You look adorable as always.

And I can't wait to see pictures of you from the wedding...I hope you had a fantastic time!

[Erica]

It looks wonderful. You have got talent. Did you paint the cabinet above the towel rod?

[Stacey]

Whew! When you said "wallpaper", I started to worry...

Haaaate.Wallpaaaaper.

But! It is awesome wallpaper. Excellent choice!

[Silly Hily aka The Hilarazzi]

As always, great job. You are my hero. Also, I swear we are parenting the same child. Dom screams when I put him down, too. He's the biggest hip baby. And if he's not on my hip, he pulling at my pants or skirt or legs or whatever body part of mine he can get to. And at the odd chance that he does find something to play with, God forbid I walk past him without picking him up. He will go from playing peacefully to screaming bloody f-ing murder.

[samibear]

I have to say that the after photos are definitely an improvement. Also, Wallpapering with your hubby is a test of a good marriage. We've survived it about 3 times but the first was the hardest. The second test of a good marriage is working at a business together. We almost didn't survive that one.