Bathroom Struggles

Back in 2007 I came home to a torn apart bathroom. My ex had taken it upon himself to redo the bathroom. He and a friend completely gutted it.

I won't go into the long detailed story but putting the bathroom back together took years, tears, fights and a lot of money and little actual input from me other then "nagging" to finish it. It never was finished and eventually we got divorced.

Since then I did have a co-worker hang up molding around the window and the door frame so when you walked by the door you couldn't see in anymore. It was unfinished/not painted molding and I never did paint it. I did get around to grouting the little nook that had tile. I posted a post about that.

This weekend I decided that I would try to finish/update it. I would love to gut the tub area but I don't have the time, money or skill for that.

My plan was to paint and lay down some new tile on the floor and I wanted to do it all this weekend.

I did not get very far. I was able to break up the 3 tiles that I needed removed that were placed higher than other tiles which prevented the door from closing and got the area patched and level. So that is a plus.

I am struggling with paint colors though. I wanted a nice sage green. The first color I picked was too light. The second color was too dark. The third color was too teal. I did mix the first and second and that was closer but those were just samples. I ended up buying a gallon of the too dark but now I'm questioning it.

I want something neutral but still a color and not just white or beige.

Too light

 Darker and too teal

 Mixed the light and the dark

 This is what I am working with. Any tips/suggestions for a new color scheme!?

The Evolution of Our Kitchen

Over the years, I've done a lot updates in the kitchen. I've posted other blogs about it. I'm happy and hoping to say that it is *almost* done. I would love a new fridge and still need to finish the backsplash by the oven but other than that, it's coming along!

2011 was when I first started working on updating the kitchen. I always wanted a red kitchen so I went to the store and painted it red. I bought a dark red in flat paint and just threw it up on the walls. I didn't know the differences between all the sheen options. Even though I did tape the ceiling and edges the paint bled through and it was hard because of the contrast between the red wall and white ceiling. I also never moved the fridge and finished the wall by it.

As the years have passed I have learned a lot about painting and home updates. The cabinets, the floor, the counters and the backsplash have all turned out well. Then there is the red paint. I decided that it had to go. We are also considering moving in the future and that red paint job just wasn't going to cut it. So I decided to paint the kitchen a nice neutral gray.

Covering the red was going to take some primer. Luckily I had Zissner Mold and Mildew Killer Primer leftover from use in the basement bathroom. I don't have mold or mildew in the kitchen but since there is moisture from cooking and cleaning, it is a good option. I then went to Lowes and bought Valspar paint in Polished Silver. This was my first time using Valspar. I have always used Behr paints in the past but I couldn't find the right gray in their swatches.

I also bought a Wooster 2in angled brush. I did research into best ways to get clean lines at ceiling and trim. I didn't have the greatest luck with taping with the red and I've used the edging took before and while it works okay, it isn't my favorite to use. I did most of the walls freehand with this brush. My first two walls did need some touch up but by the end I had it down and had a really good clean line without having to tape!

I'm very happy with the grey. Oh I also used semi-gloss. I've found I prefer eggshell sheen for bedroom and living room but semi-gloss is good for kitchen and bathrooms. It's easy to wipe and clean.

Here are some photos of how my kitchen has changed.The first photo is from 2008. Nothing had been done in the kitchen and when I first started to do updates I never took before pictures. This is the only picture I could find that showed the wall paper, the cabinets, the floor, etc. It was like this from 2005-2011. Ignore the crazy outfit I'm wearing and say hi to the best dad in the world.

Now here it is painted red.

The white cabinets helped a lot.

The floor was updated in Feb 2015 and then the counters and backsplash Dec 2015. Here it is today with the new paint

It feels much brighter and larger. I am very happy with it. It seems more polished. I do have black curtains to put up over the window that have been there before but I'm also considering something else for that area. I'm sure if I do something different I will post a blog about it.

Updates to come soon

I've been going back and forth about my kitchen. I painted it red 5 years ago. It was a spur of the moment, half assed paint job. I didn't tape well, I never touched up where I got it on the ceiling or the molding and for 5 years I had part of wall not painted by the refrigerator.

I love the red but I look at it every day and it drives me crazy what a poor job I did. A lot of the changes that I have been making in the house are for me to enjoy but also to help it when I want to sell it in the future. So I decided that the red has to go .

With the white cabinets, and dark countertops I've decided on a neutral silver color. So today I broke out the gallon of Zinsser Mold Killing Primer and started to paint over the red. I don't have mold but I had it left over and figured it would be good to use in the kitchen.

I don't have as much free time as I used to so I plan to just do it in stages. Hopefully it will be be completely done in another couple of weeks and I'll have before and after photos to post! 

I'm also doing some thinking and researching of how to change the upstairs bathroom. Anyone who knew me between 07-10 knows what hell I went through with it and all of the changes that were made then were not approved or chosen by me. I can't do anything with the tile in the tub/shower area but I'm hoping to improve and finally finish other parts of it.