My love-hate relationship with Pinterest and why I'm avoiding it while I design my bathroom

inspiration photo

Hello friends.

Well.

I'm finally renovating my upstairs bathroom and I'm noticing that it's actually been a good distraction for me. Any activity or person or place that provides some temporary relief for the heaviness in my chest--is something I'm grateful for, and while I'm at it, I want to thank you too for being SO supportive after my last post. It's astonishing to me that so many of you have chosen to follow along with me as I move through this dark tunnel.

I really do feel blessed.

Ok. So how bout a purely light topic for today? I thought I'd tell you about my bathroom project and share some thoughts about Pinterest with you and I'd love to hear what you think too.

It's been a while since I've done any renovations around here and I've been pining all kinds of bathroom inspiration off Pinterest for awhile now, trying to make up my mind about the final look I want for this guest bathroom.

I typically begin each home project with some kind of inspiration piece that forms the basis of my design look. And this time it's an old corner cabinet that I found in an antique booth, hidden underneath piles of dusty blankets, wooden signs and dishes. It was dark and pretty gloomy looking but because it was a corner unit I thought it would fit (of course I didn't measure anything).

shown in two pieces; glass section on top.

Plus--- I couldn't resist the $80 price so I bought it with the hope that it would work in this bathroom someday. Personally I've always wanted to use a piece of furniture in the bathroom for storage, and so with this purchase I felt like this project was off and running. And as of today it's official. I found out this corner cabinet will fit (hooraaay) and I'll be sharing some pictures soon --because of course I ended up stripping it.

Fast forward a few months. Because once I got father along in the planning stages of this bathroom, I started to notice this weird love-hate-thing happening between Me and my Pinterest app; it mostly happened when the time came to make decisions about what tile and lighting and shower fixtures to buy. 

And I wonder if you can relate.

First of all. I have to say this upfront. I can't overstate the value of seeing home design ideas and products and trends with your own eyes, as presented  by so many talented designers and homeowners on Pinterest. And as a visual person I'm so grateful for the ability to see certain looks that I'm interested in, in real homes. Pinterest is an endless source of inspiration. And the best part is how easy it is to click on and have instant access to unique design details and beautifully coordinated rooms that most of us would never see otherwise.

So you see?
I love Pinterest.

However-- when it was time for me to start making decisions about my little ol' bathroom, I began to stay away from it.

And it's because I started to feel like it was messing with my mind. 

Do you remember a time when we weren't all so acutely aware of what styles and products were trending in the interior design world? A time when we didn't know what 'everyone' was loving except maybe our neighbor down the street who just re-did her bathroom according to her own taste.

For the first time I noticed that Pinterest actually made me second-guess my decision. And I didn't like it. 

I started to ask myself some creative questions like,

Is Pinterest turning us all into scared conformists when it comes to decorating our own homes?

Is Pinterest turning Diy-Home-Decorators into the equivalent of Stepford-Wife Design Clones?

Here's why I'm asking.

As a lifestyle blogger of ten years, I'm been noticing that so many Blogger Home Tours are starting to look a lot alike. And while I love aspects of the hip, mid-modern rooms and I love the farmhouse style that seems to be everywhere now--(gosh knows I put planks in my own beach home)--I do notice that I click over a lot more blogger homes on these tours than I visit now.  

Maybe it's just me. But I find myself searching for a home tour that has that 'something different' feel, a home that doesn't look so sleek and "designer" and rooms that aren't so perfectly staged. 

I realize that blogging has changed dramatically since I started, and it's a thriving business for some which might explain so much similarity out there. Also I feel uncomfortable when I see children stiffly posing in some of these blogger shots. So much time and energy and focus on showcasing "perfection"makes me uncomfortable. A perfect looking family in a perfect looking room just seems like a bit much.
But that's a whole other subject.

My simple point was that too much Pinterest-gazing through homes and rooms leaves me craving that warm-worn-enough- lived-in look. A house that doesn't look like everyone else's. 

Remember good old Kitty Bartholomew on HGTV in the pre-Magnolia Farm days? At least she had the nerve to wrap an entire dining room with plastic bubble wrap. I know, I know. But what a Anti-Pinterest thing to do right?

Decorator "group-think"

If you visit my Pinterest Bathroom board you can see my impulsive brain at work, pining random pictures of rooms I like. Reacting on pure creative instinct, which is good. But afterwards, I try to decide how much of what I'm pinning actually "feels" like Me. As opposed to creating a room that's just a safe copy of a popular design look.

Here's what I do when I'm working on a house project and I want to detach from the power of decorator "group-think."

I give myself the luxury of time. I'll take a break from Pinterest and allow my different choices to ruminate in my head, sometimes for days. I think it's important not to rush the thinking process that's involved when making your creative decisions. And when I pull away from all the visual stimulation on Pinterest or from my online research ideas I notice a creative quietness comes, and I'll begin to  tap into my gut feelings. 

Later I'll notice. I'll literally be walking down the stairs and I'll feel myself leaning toward a certain direction or choice that suddenly seems obvious and 'right' to me. And it's based on me getting in touch with ME--as opposed to feeling influenced by others.
 Next time I'll show you what I'm planning.

Those are a few of my random thoughts lately. I'd love to hear yours.

In the meantime I thought I would amuse myself by taking some pictures around my home and showing you my absurd sense of humor. It helps that my personal motto whenever I'm stressing about a decorating decision is, "it's only a house."

Here you go:

13 quirky signs that your home is probably NOT on a Pinterest board

you pin thrift store hats to the wall with cheap tacks that can be seen by other human beings

you have plants that remain mysteriously alive

your pillows always have that perfect 'someone just sat on me' look

you collect old things that you forget to use

you prefer instant floral arrangements

your vintage crystal sparkles with a magical layer of dust.

you avoid buying trendy things for your home

 You find the idea of covering your Winston Churchill books (p. 1949) because they don't 'match' your décor, sacrilegious 

you stopped caring if things go together and it feels good

your chandelier resembles an upside down laundry basket

You accept that your dog's black fur balls are always on the white stair treads

You painted your bathroom without first testing the color because you were in a hurry

You once asked a stranger standing next to you in the upholstery shop to help you pick our the nail heads on your chairs

Ok, enough already. I could keep adding to this but I better go get some things done. I'd love to hear if you can relate to this post.

xoxo

love-love-love to you,

Leslie

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my cottage bathroom reveal….

 

If you’re a regular to my blog you already know about our move to Southern California last year.

I always knew I’d need to transform any house we ended up in--- but our decision to live walking distance to the beach meant choosing a real fixer upper.

And it’s been an adventure for sure.

Although the fun part has been decorating with a fresh slate. Plus, I like to think of our new place as our future beach cottage (although we’ve got a loooong ways to go).

It’s hard to believe we’ve been here seven months already, but today I’ve got some pictures of our first bathroom reveal. Thank goodness for that water damage in the wall because it meant a whole new bathroom.

There’s still a few details left. Some towel hooks to find and and a distressed sign I’m making, but so far I’m so happy with the results.

 

As you can see I’ve been painting our interior doors with Benjamin Moore’s Mopboard Black. After seeing it HERE, I decided my plain, cheapo doors needed a little sprucing up.

The first thing people notice when they use this bathroom is the pretty chandelier. 

I was so bummed from the dark, gloomy feeling in this previous space that my number one priority was lighting.

I picked this chandelier because of all the great reviews HERE.

It’s got three bulbs which was important to me.

Yes! Let there be light. And lots of it.

Once the wall was opened up I decided to have the electrician wire it for sconces on either side of the mirror.

I read somewhere that overhead lighting in the bathroom casts unflattering shadows on the face so when it came time to pick lighting …I knew what I didn’t want.

I also had both the chandelier and sconces put on dimmers which I love.

I decided to bring my old bamboo shelves in here for towels but I still have to find the rustic, nautical towel hooks I want.

 

I had the bead board installed horizontally and I really like it.

I determined the height of it by figuring out the placement of the sconces and mirror first.

Here’s a shot of the vanity.

Tough to get a good picture but you can see it has the feet that I wanted.

Standard white subway tiles with my splurge of marble on the shower floor.

And I’m very happy with my charcoal grout color.

The flooring is actually a sturdy porcelain tile that mimics the real marble in the room.

It has a matte finish which I love because I tend to worry about people slipping on wet floors.

 

To save on costs I chose mostly shiny, chrome fixtures (faucet and sconces) except on the shower handle. I liked the brushed metal so much more.

Then we splurged on Moen shower fixtures.

Is it possible to have a crush on a shower?

Because I’m in love with this frameless beauty.

Here’s an inside view of the bathroom door right now. I just couldn’t bring myself to paint it black on this side… although it definitely needs a fresh coat of paint.

What’s your opinion—black or white?

 

While that’s it for now.

Stay tuned for some updates on our backyard transformation currently taking place. I’ve been taking lots of photos through the tedious process of filling in our old in-ground pool. And I can’t wait to talk about outdoor living areas with you.

Thanks for visiting today, I love your company.

 

xo

Leslie

 

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Technorati Tags: cottage bathroom decorating,beach cottage,white bathroom vanity,gray and white bathroom,Ballard's chandelier,marble bathroom

accessorizing the bathroom and our latest project

 

Well the good news is that our bathroom renovation is pretty much finished. I just have to finish painting the door.

And this weekend I added some accessories and managed to get some photos to share with you.

Although getting clear photos ended up being way harder than I thought; taking pictures inside a bathroom with all the reflective surfaces and only a tiny window with little natural light apparently takes skill I don’t have. 

Hopefully I got a few good ones.

 

 

I really do love how this bathroom came out and I can’t wait to show you.

But in the meantime there’s been lots happening around here I haven’t told you about.  Since I’m writing this at eleven o’clock at night I’ll just show you a few quick photos.

Here’s what our front yard looks like right now.

 

Here’s the old, cracked, pool-that-took-up-our-entire-backyard

when it was being drained….

 

…and here’s what our back yard looked like last Monday,

on Day One of our pool demolition project.

 

Just a little something I forgot to share.

I’ll keep you posted on our latest project

and tell you more about this entire process. I’m finding it fascinating to watch.

 

Happy Monday!

xo

Leslie

 

 

Technorati Tags: bathroom storage ideas,bathroom remodel,accessorizing the bathroom

my bathroom update-BM Coventry Gray walls

 

 

via

today’s inspiration photo

Hello friends.

Before I start I have to apologize for the dark photos today, it’s all I have and I wanted to give you an update.

 

Because today was hump day for our bathroom remodel.

So far the shower’s finished and I’m so happy with it.

I’m loving all the white subway tiles with the charcoal gray grout. Funny how I didn’t give the dark grout a second thought. But when it comes to bathrooms I have too many memories of scrubbing yucky white grout in the shower

…so this choice was a no-brainer.

The frame-less shower door will be installed on Saturday which makes me sad.

I really want to keep staring at my new shower floor.

(Can anyone tell me if it’s a sign of old age when your heart skips a beat

at the sight of newly installed marble?)

 

Anyway--today there’s more action happening.

All the white paneling, baseboards and trim are going up and if you remember, I’m having the paneling installed horizontally to mimic planks (like that inspiration photo).

Here’s the first sheet going up. 

 

Last night before bed it occurred to me that I still wasn’t 100% sure about my paint color so at 11:00 at night--instead of my PJs, I put on my painting t-shirt and pants and opened a can of my latest color crush---BM’s Coventry Gray and started rolling it on the wall. 

(ha--how to you like my carefully thought-out decorating plan? )

oh well. here’s the first look at the paint color—looking way more dark in this light.

Last night

Today

Because the mirror is already trimmed in white I decided to have the casing butt into the mirror. 

 

Here’s a close-up of that detail.

(I can’t wait to see the wood work when it’s all painted white)

 

Before: dark tile and left over cabinet

blank slate

bead board installed-shower done-flooring done-

painting in progress

 

Night-time painting with a glass of Cab,

have you tried it?

it’s actually very therapeutic.

So here I am. But without the chandelier and sconces installed yet, I don’t know the actual shade of gray I’ll have in here…so stay tuned.

I still might go lighter.

So tell me. What’s your favorite shade of gray?

xo

Leslie

 

 

I’m linking this post with Savvy Southern Style

 (more bathroom decisions HERE)

 

 

Technorati Tags: bathroom remodel,update,coventry gray paint color,cottage bathroom,horizontal paneling,white subway tile,dark grout,marble