Really? Seriously, someone at some point thought this sign was cool. Such are decor fads I guess.

Still, I don’t really get this sign. Is it like a brothel? An early day econo-lodge? Prairie days homestead renter?

I just had to change the poor sign from weird to fun!

Here is how I did it:

1. Cover the sign with spray paint. I used 3 coats of Krylon Ivory (satin).
2. I purchased, Large Monogram Corrugate Letters by Colorbok.
3. Attach letters with a double-sided adhesive
4. Wipe a watered down brown acrylic paint or antiquing glaze over the sign and letters.
5. Dab excess paint/glaze with a paper towel. This will also add the appearance of texture on the sign.
6. Add a few swipes of watered down, off-white acrylic paint to the letters. This will add a bit more definition.
7. Dry and Hang!

This post is linked up with Kimba’s DIY day. Welcome DIY’ers!

To see where I displayed this sign, click on my Bathroom Reveal .
Thanks,

Jess

Before-

What I wanted to change:

• Wallpaper border
• Peel and stick linoleum flooring (Do not install this if you ever plan on potty training a little boy! The cracks soak up everything!)
• Blah feeling to the room

What I wanted to have:

• A bold but neutral color on the wall without a border
• Fresh tile flooring
• A fun and relaxing feel to the room

After-

Details-

Thrifty Scores-

Total transformation for only $120!

• The paint on the wall was from the recycling center -  FREE
• All the accessories were found at thrift stores or garage sales.  Around $13
• The towel rack hooks were $1 each at Home Depot
• White towel $2 at Wal-mart
• Tile flooring materials about $90 (Tile was FREE – surplus from a friend)
• Craft paint $4

Result-

Making a bold decor statement in the bathroom was so fun! I like the uniqueness of my bathroom. It’s so theme-y without actually belonging to a “bathroom set” like you would find a department store.

Love,

Jess

Related Posts-

Before and After

Towel Rack from 25 cent Shutter

{Linked up to Trash to Treasure Tuesdays at Reinvented.}

I painted a shutter from a garage sale in my pre-blogging days. Hence, no true before photo.

It was just wood.

Next, it was glorious, in it’s sage and black shabbiness. It was ideal for the top of my kitchen cabs as a backdrop for other decor. (when my kitchen was sage green)

Now it has a breath of fresh life as a beach-weather inspired towel rack for the kids in the bathroom.

Remember the color teal? Teal ruled about 15 plus years ago. I am bringing it back.

I promise to get a nice photo of all the bathroom updates when everything is installed.

Have a beachy kind of day!

The wallpaper border in the bathroom officially bit the dust. Nike’s famous slogan, Just Do It, penetrated my mind. After 3 years of having a “when I get to it” attitude I finally, Just Did It. I used a mini-spatula from a camp cook stove, a washcloth, and steam from the shower as aids in the border removal task.

I pushed away the guilt for letting Molly cry after waking up too early during nap time (all the while convincing myself that I am letting her build character) and for letting Ryan play computer games unsupervised. I lost myself in thought somewhere between my sweat becoming indistinguishable from the wallpaper adhesive and my shoulders shaking from overuse.

Note to self: do not do the push-up challenge endurance test the night before removing wallpaper.

I smiled at God in gratitude for the quiet I found while I worked. I scraped and slopped prayerfully, tearing up as I used my hands for such a minimal chore. I remembered that I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. He is the Great Restorer. He wrote upon my heart to be a restorer too. In the simple act of removing a wallpaper border I was in union with the Spirit.

I will be the first one to “roll my eyes” at over-spiritualism. However, I do want to share about the times in my life that have brought me closer to God. I am slowly finding pieces of me as I learn to view myself as God views me.

How does God view you? You were made in His image too. What are you reflecting? Encourager? Father? Creator? Forgiver? Lover? Find something that you can do that reflects what God has written on your heart. You will not regret it.

And yes, both Molly and Ryan fell back asleep, eventually.

The During. An important phase in the process of Before and After.

There is actually some sort of sadness that occurs in me when someone remodels their kitchen and they forget to take a before photo. There is a minor importance about the before that I can’t quite place.

Befores set the stage for the wow factor in the after. As if the after alone wouldn’t be amazing enough? Would the effort to get to the after somehow be lost on all who viewed it? Maybe the issue lies more in the history of the before than anything else. Does the world need to know a fragment of what went on in the life of a chair, kitchen cupboard or set of clothes or a person? Perhaps it does.

View some designer before and afters at bhg.com or at design sponge.

In the meantime here is a before photo of my bathroom. I am attempting to push myself to get an after photo by the end of the summer. After all I’ve living in the before photo for over 3 years. It is time. Any ideas for me? Please post some comments about reinventing this space (remember we have to think resale though so nothing too outlandish) Thanks!