A Bold Bathroom Makeover with Behr Paint

Two years ago when our house was being built, we could only pick from a certain range of options for cabinetry, countertops and flooring.  As you can somewhat see here, the countertops are a mixed neutral, and the original cabinetry a cream with all bronze fixtures.  I did my best to stay true to my personal design aesthetic, but the result has never felt quite right.  If I had free reign, I would have picked white marble for the countertops and white cabinets with silver or gold fixtures.  And if this was our “Forever Home”, I would consider ripping it all out and doing just that, but it’s not.  

So what does one do when they don’t want to spend the money or time to demo it all and start from scratch?  You go bold to make a big impact and you change what can be changed, specifically four different things: paint, lighting, fixtures and accessories.  

Beginning first with paint, since color always set the tone for the space.  I took to Snapchat, username WAITINGONMARTHA, and asked everyone to vote on the color theme they liked best.  As you can probably deduce from the photos, green defeated purple and deep burgundy by a landslide. Once we had color chosen, the next logical step was to swatch numerous shades of green on the walls and trim before I settled on the winning three.  I chose three different greens because I’m a big proponent in painting with various shades within the same color family.  This way, you add dimension and can instantly accent specific details.  

Then I used three different shades of green from BEHR Paint.  Longmeadow S430-5 in eggshell on the walls, Brook Green N410-2 in eggshell on the ceiling and Forest Edge S430-6 in a satin on the trim, doors and cabinetry.  A semi- or high-gloss would have looked fantastic as well on the cabinets, trim, and doors, but because I have so many doors in the space, four to be exact, I was worried the high-gloss might be just a tad too much.  And don’t be afraid to paint doors; I didn’t even take the doors off to paint them.  Going bold with the doors was a move I think definitely paid off in the space. 

Second, to carry a big impact through the entire space, I switched out the bronze faucets for silver ones.  The new faucets were easy to install, and inexpensive finds at The Home Depot.  I then changed out all the bronze cabinet knobs to these beauties.  Now, I definitely splurged on these gorgeous knobs. But to me, these additions were the jewelry on the space, making the Forest Edge green pop bringing it all together.  I did, however, keep the original bronze hardware so that I can replace them when I move…shhh don’t tell whoever buys this house…and take the fancy knobs with me.   

On a side note, I initially wanted to go gold; brass and acrylic knobs are something dreams are made of and would look insane on the green.  But I also wanted to keep expenses down.  I knew that if I went gold, I would have had to invest in some pricier faucets, and again, it’s not worth the investment in a home we don’t plan to be in too much longer.  And honestly, it was fortuitous as now that I’m looking at the silver fixtures, gold wouldn’t have looked as good with the countertops!  

Next up, lighting; an easy and significant way to change up any space.  I removed my very sad looking bronze wall mount lighting and opted for these fresh, clean and striking 3-arm fixtures. The bright white and polished nickel gives the space a more elevated and modern feel; I couldn’t be happier with my choice.  And because my ceilings are quite high and because you know I always like a big statement, this decopauged chandelier from Stray Dog Designs seems to have been built specifically for this space!  It’s SO beautiful, and would look equally as good in a breakfast nook or nursery.  This piece will definitely be coming with me to the next house, for sure!.  

Lastly, accents and accessories.  When I settled on green as the color theme, I immediately called my friend Dorothy Shain to commission a few pieces.  I’d been lusting after her itsy bitsy bikinis and knew that together with the green, they would be jaw dropping…especially this particular duo in matching floating frames.  Don’t you just love how you can see the Longmeadow green through the floating frames?!?!  Other than art, I zhushed up the space with a new shower curtain whose stripes happen to be almost the exact same Brook Green color I painted on the ceiling, a vintage turkish runner, and a caddy complete with all of my favorite soaps and scents.

All big statements, all relatively easy updates, and it all started with a little green paint from BEHR.  I know it can be scary to go bold when painting, but it really will pay off in the end when you see your totally transformed space.  And if you’re thinking about tackling a project like this on your own, and are still a little uneasy about painting cabinets, and an entire space with such a bold color, tune in tomorrow when I’m sharing a few quick DIY tips to help you master it all.  Truly, MKR