Thursday, February 25, 2010

Homely One House Tour – The Ensuite


Sorry for the boring pictures - our ensuite is still a work in progress plus it was very tricky trying to take photos in such a small space!!

Thanks to everyone for all your ideas and feedback on my kitchen post. The second hideous space in our house that has been made-over is our ensuite. Previously, it comprised of dark brown mosaic floor tiles, eighties looking wall tiles, a cream toilet and shower screen and a dated vanity which was literally falling apart inside which meant that all our toiletries were ‘on display’.

Here’s some before shots….



As with the kitchen, we kept to the original layout (which was probably the most functional option in this small space anyway). We went for a semi-frameless shower screen, new chrome fittings and a white vanity and toilet. Our wall tiles are simple white ones and the floor tiles are dark grey.

At the moment, the only colour in this space is provided by the blue towels. However, I am thinking of eventually changing from blue to hits of an icy, aqua green. As with the kitchen, the ensuite now needs some homely touches so I am on the hunt for some artwork and some odds and ends to display in order to finish off the room.

The old mission brown security screens will one day be updated, but in the meantime, I am going to look into window treatments which should hide them a bit. However, I’m unsure which option to go for in a bathroom. Whatever I choose will also be used in our other bathroom and laundry. I like the look of venetian blinds but have heard they can be a pain to keep clean. What type of window treatments do you have in your bathroom that you would recommend?

20 comments:

  1. I have white eco blinds throughout my house. I don't find them too much of a pain to keep clean. They are recommended for wet areas too so I also have one in my bathroom. I actually vacuum them with that little round nozzle bit to dust them off and the one in the kitchen will occasionally need a wipe over. I use baby wipes!
    Your bathroom looks great too by the way!

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  2. Hi Jo! Thanks for stopping by. Our ensuite is by no means complete yet - still needs some decorative touches but is much nicer than before :) Are your eco blinds a type of roller blind or venetians?

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  3. I am loving these posts Amanda!!! You've done such a great job yet again, what a great difference! I have old wooden sash windows with frosted glass in our bathroom so we don't have any window coverings for me to pass on any ideas sorry. Have a lovely evening, Janette x

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  4. Hi Janette - so glad you are enjoying my house tour as I was worried I was boring everyone, especially since our home is nowhere near completed and homely yet. Our ensuite window glass is actually frosted - maybe curtains aren't really essential in there after all?...

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  5. Great work! Thanks for your comments too - I have just added the dimesions of the frame for info - thanks for the suggestion. Nic P.S. Your kitchen transformation is AMAZING!

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  6. Wow Amanda, another great room makeover! I can't believe how much larger your bathroom looks with the semi-frameless shower frame and those floor tiles are gorgeous, I love the grey! We have very old bubble glass in our bathroom window, so we actually don't have any window treatment on it. But I was thinking of a homemade roll-up linen blind held up with ribbon or twine. So many options for you, I am sure whatever you choose it will be stunning. I am just loving your home transofrmations posts Amanda, you have done such a great job! Very inspiring ~ Tina x

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  7. I love linen so a homemade blind could be an option!! Will have to look into that possibility and see if I can find a tutorial or instructions on how to make one... thanks for the suggestion x

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  8. We did our bathrooms last year too, and although I really like the finished product, the actual process was suuuuuch a hideous nightmare with our builders and took months and months longer than it should have. Did yours go smoothly?? hmm I am looking for window treatment ideas too -- our actual window is ok, but it has a brunswick green frame (eck, might even be worse than mission brown!) and is totally out of keeping with our mod new b'room. I have white wooden venetians throughout my home and they look great.... but are awful to keep dusted. I normally don't bother!! xo

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  9. The best thing you've done with your kitchen and Ensuite is start off with a white base colour...which is a perfect choice for a kitchen and bathroom..I love white bathrooms.

    I actually dont think your bathroom needs too much done to it at all...the aqua green towel idea would be fab..I think mixed in with perhaps small beige hand towels. I am imagining a little basket or box of some sort on your vanity..filled with some rolled up face towels to match the aqua ones...some special soaps wrapped in pretty french paper...and perhaps an beautiful candle of some sort..I love the idea of some artwork..and also think some greenery..a lovely little fern or indoor type of plant would look lovely in your ensuite..as there is an abundance of light and air in there..just perfect.
    As for the security screen...I think that is the only thing out of place..only because of the colour...gotta love how they went crazy with the mission brown in those days!
    One of my friends sprayed hers white..she removed the fly screen mesh from her security screen and went for it and sprayed the whole thing white.. then she refitted the mess screen back in place once dry..it looks heaps better..and a quick an inexpensive way to jazz it up and to create a softer look.
    Im not a big fan of curtains or blinds in a bathroom...but I think some nice white wooden venetian blinds would look great...or even better...some white shutters...or even a pale grey? I hope you don't mind all these suggestions...its good practise for me anyway...lol

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  10. Hi Amanda, your renovations look fantastic. I am so impressed, the kitchen looks so much better. We did a bit of work in our 2nd bathroom and it is small as well, very hard to get a decent photo isn't it. You have done well.
    Nellie xx

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  11. Great makeovers, love the white! My bathroom windows aren't worth a mention but I have friends with plantation shutters which I just love in the bathroom....good luck!

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  12. the bathroom came out nice Amanda, I think a simple roll-up shades will look perfect for your window...you can go for a vinyl-like fabric with a shades of gray or beige to match the color of your wall and or floor=)

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  13. Anna - I love you 'practising' on me - I should be paying you!! :) I too think some greenery and perhaps a pretty candle are needed in my ensuite and at the moment. I am swaying towards white wooden venetians even though I know they're a pain to dust. The security screens will be eventually removed and replaced with the same invisible mesh as we did in our living area and we will get the frames resprayed then at the same time. Like your basket of handtowels idea. Thanks for taking the time to give me some suggestions.

    Nellie, Karlyn and Flory - thanks for all your comments x

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  14. Love it! I love the neutrals - I thin you can't go wrong with that in a bathroom.

    When we moved in our bathroom had these horrid old terylene (spelling?) puffy blinds. THey were horrid and so hard to clean.

    I took them down and planned on one day putting up some white (fakewood) venetians but in the end have left it (we do need to replace our insect screen though as it is brown framed as well).

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  15. Hi Amanda, that bathroom looks beautiful! You seriously have done an amazing job. It really looks so much larger with the white and all the light, and I reckon that fantastic screen helps too! As far as the window goes, we had wooden venetians, and they were really tricky, but then changed to a white opaque aluminium venetian blind, and they are heaps easier to clean!
    ps. shutters are my fave!
    :)

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  16. Mel - I figured neutrals were the way to go as it is easier to add and change colour through accessories and small details.

    Flick - I went for a semi-frameless screen to create a less boxed-in look. It definitely feels bigger now. I think I'm leaning towards venetians at the moment...

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  17. I approve of your colour scheme - it is almost identical to what I chose when we renovated my apartment's bathroom and probably what I will choose for Molly's maison - timeless and chic. Very nice :)

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  18. Love it Amanda! Our bathrooms are on our list. I love your floor tiles and how they run into the shower.
    Rose
    x

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  19. Hi Amanda,

    I have been following your blog for a little while now and I am loving your house tour. The ensuite looks great. I have just taken down my wooden venetian blinds as they were a pain to clean and have replaced them with white eco shutters, they look stunning and if you shop around you can find them at reasonable prices. I would suggest a lovely glass ginger jar filled with soaps wrapped in pretty paper in the aqua tones you are loving at the moment. Then on the opposite side I would place a trio of decorative glass bottles filled with lotions.

    Looking forward to seeing more of your house tour and can't wait to see what you have done with Grace's room (I am an interior stylist for children).

    x

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  20. Sarah - I always try to stick to fairly neutral walls and floors - it's easy to add colour in the smaller items.

    Rose - I'm really glad we got rid of the raised tile surround to the shower - looks so much nicer now and has opened the area up

    Little Maison - thanks for taking the time to comment - it's always nice to 'meet' new people who read my blog. Am off to check out your blog...

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